World War II

Established as a Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber squadron in mid-1942; trained under Third Air Force in Florida. Deployed to European Theater of Operations, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command's 3d Bombardment Wing in England. Engaged in attacks on enemy targets in France and the Low Countries; being reassigned to IX Bomber Command in 1943 with the establishment of Ninth Air Force in England. Also supported VIII Bomber Command strategic bombardment raids in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, attacking enemy airfields to disrupt interceptor attacks on heavy bomber formations and destroy enemy interceptor aircraft on the ground before they could be launched.

After D-Day deployed to Advanced Landing Grounds in France and later Belgium. Provided tactical air support and bombardment of enemy strong points and military targets to disrupt resistance to Allied ground forces advancing from the French invasion beaches and the ensuing offensives on the continent; 1944-1945. Attacked enemy forces as part of the Western Allied invasion of Germany, 1945 and continued offensive tactical operations in support of ground forces until German capitulation in May 1945.

Became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe army of occupation in Germany during 1945. Demobilized and personnel returned to the United States in the fall of 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in December 1945.

Air Force reserve

Reactivated as a reserve air training command squadron; assigned and performed advanced flight training for air cadets, 1947-1949. Inactivated due to funding restrictions.

Tactical fighter

Assigned to Tactical Air Command and reactivated in 1954 flying North American F-86 Sabres; later North American F-100 Super Sabres as a fighter-day squadron. Inactivated in 1957 due to funding restrictions.

Navigator training

Reactivated in 1972 as an Air Training Command navigator training squadron. It conducted undergraduate navigator training for USAF, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States allies from, 1973-1992.^[1]

Assignments

• 322d Bombardment Group, 17 July 1942 - 11 December 1945
• 322d Bombardment Group, 9 August 1947 - 27 June 1949
• 322d Fighter-Day Group, 1 July 1954 - 18 November 1957
• 323d Flying Training Wing, 1 April 1973
• 323d Operations Group, 15 December 1991 - 31 May 1993
• Air Combat Command, to activate or inactivate at any time after 28 Oct 2008^[1]

Stations

Aircraft

Bibliography

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors. Vol. III Insignia and Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War II. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-2938-8.