World War II

Combat operations

Formation of 450th Bomb Group B-24s flying through flak

The squadron arrived at its combat station, Manduria Airfield, Italy, in early January 1944 and began engaging in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, primarily striking targets in Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and the Balkans. The squadron's first mission was flown against Mostar Airfield, Yugoslavia on 8 January.^[7][8] Targets included aircraft factories and assembly plants, oil refineries, marshalling yards, airfields and storage areas.^[5] Shortly after arriving in theater, the squadron participated in Big Week, the Eighth Air Force's concentrated attacks on the German aircraft industry, striking aircraft factories at Regensburg, Germany and Steyr, Austria. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for its attack on the Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg on 25 February, despite bad weather, heavy flak in the target area and enroute attacks by enemy interceptor aircraft. The 450th Group led the 47th Bombardment Wing on the attack.^[9] The 723d earned a second DUC for an attack on rail yards near Ploesti on 5 April, when it fought its way through "relentless" attacks by enemy aircraft to reach the target.^[5] The rail yards were a vital link in the transportation of petroleum products from the Ploesti refineries to the eastern front.^[10] The 450th Group again led the 47th Wing on this mission.^[5][11]

During the spring of 1944, the squadron flew missions for Operation Strangle, the effort to choke off supplies for Axis military in Italy through air interdiction.^[12] The squadron also supported Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in September 1944 by attacking troop concentrations, lines of communications and enemy coastal defenses. In addition, it conducted missions to support the Red Army advance through the Balkans and Allied advances in Italy.^[5]

The squadron returned to the United States in May 1945, assembling at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota at the end of the month. The 450th Group was converted to a Boeing B-29 Superfortress unit, and the squadron was inactivated in June because very heavy bomber units in the Army Air Forces were formed with only three squadrons, not the four squadrons of heavy bomber groups.^[1][5]

Fighter operations

The squadron was redesignated the 723d Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated at Foster Air Force Base, Texas in July 1954 under Tactical Air Command. The squadron initially flew North American F-86 Sabre fighters, but soon converted to the North American F-100 Super Sabre.^[1] In March 1955, the squadron was renamed the 723d Fighter-Day Squadron to reflect the F-100's air superiority capabilities. In July, the squadron's parent 450th Fighter-Day Wing became the first wing to equip with the improved F-100C model of the "Hun."^[13] In November 1957, the 450th Wing converted to the dual deputy organization.^[14] The 450th Fighter-Day Group was inactivated, and the squadron was assigned directly to the wing, reporting to a deputy commander for operations. Starting in July 1958, the squadron began to phase down in anticipation of its inactivation and the closure of Foster. It was inactivated on 18 December 1958.^[1][14]

Assignments

• 450th Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 11 June 1945
• 450th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 450th Fighter-Day Group), 1 July 1954
• 450th Fighter-Day Wing (later 450th Tactical Fighter Wing), 11 December 1957 – 18 December 1958^[1]

Stations

• Gowen Field, Idaho, 1 May 1943
• Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, 21 May 1943
• Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, c. 8 July – 26 November 1943
• Manduria Airfield, Italy, c. 3 January 1944 – 16 May 1945
• Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, c. 31 May 1945 – 11 June 1945
• Foster Air Force Base, Texas 1 July 1954 – 18 December 1958^[1]

Aircraft

• Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
• North American F-86 Sabre, 1954–1955
• North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1955–1958^[1]

Awards and campaigns

Award streamer	Award	Dates	Notes
	Distinguished Unit Citation	25 February 1944	Regensburg, Germany 723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Distinguished Unit Citation	5 April 1944	Ploesti, Rumania 723d Bombardment Squadron[1]

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Air Offensive, Europe	2 January 1944 – 5 June 1944	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Naples-Foggia	2 January 1944 – 21 January 1944	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Air Combat, EAME Theater	2 January 1944 – 11 May 1945	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Rome-Arno	22 January 1944 – 9 September 1944	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Central Europe	22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Normandy	6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Northern France	25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Southern France	15 August 1944 – 14 September 1944	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	North Apennines	10 September 1944 – 4 April 1945	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Rhineland	15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]
	Po Valley	3 April 1945 – 8 May 1945	723d Bombardment Squadron[1]

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 1, Post-World War II Fighters 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 978-0-912799-19-3. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• 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. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.
• "15th Army Air Force, 450th Bombardment Group, 720th Bomb Squadron 1943-1945" (PDF). 450th Bomb Group Memorial Association. August 1994. Retrieved 24 March 2019. (includes historical data for entire 450th Group)