17th Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 17th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the 16th Bombardment Group stationed at Northwest Field
, Guam
. It was inactivated on 15 April 1946.
bomb group in Texas
, it trained initially with B-17 Flying Fortresses due to an initial lack of B-29s. Reassigned to Nebraska
in August 1944, it received B-29B Superfortresses for fast low-level bomb runs. It was reassigned to the Marianas and engaged in strategic bombardment missions over Japan
.
The squadron entered combat on 16 June 1945 with a bombing raid against an airfield on Moen
island. It first flew a mission against the Japanese home islands on 26 June 1945 and then operated principally against the enemy's petroleum industry. The squadron usually flew unescorted, attacking at night. It participated in the final B-29 mission of the war, attacking the Nippon Oil Refinery at Tsuchizaki on 15 August 1945.
After the war, the group dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners gf war in Japan, Manchuria and Korea, and participated in several show-of-force missions over Japan. The squadron demobilized in Guam during the fall of 1945; its aircraft were returned to the United States and sent to storage depots. It was inactivated as a paper unit in April 1946.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit. Its last assignment was with the 16th Bombardment Group stationed at Northwest Field
Northwest Field (Guam)
Northwest Field is a former World War II airfield on Guam in the Mariana Islands. It was closed in 1949 and is unused.-History:Northwest Field was constructed in 1944–45 near Ritidian Point on the northwest end of the island of Guam as a base for Twentieth Air Force B-29 Superfortresses to carry...
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. It was inactivated on 15 April 1946.
History
Established as a B-29 SuperfortressB-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
bomb group in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, it trained initially with B-17 Flying Fortresses due to an initial lack of B-29s. Reassigned to Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
in August 1944, it received B-29B Superfortresses for fast low-level bomb runs. It was reassigned to the Marianas and engaged in strategic bombardment missions over Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The squadron entered combat on 16 June 1945 with a bombing raid against an airfield on Moen
Moen (island)
Moen, also called Weno or Wono, is an island in Truk Lagoon, the main island group of the state of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia....
island. It first flew a mission against the Japanese home islands on 26 June 1945 and then operated principally against the enemy's petroleum industry. The squadron usually flew unescorted, attacking at night. It participated in the final B-29 mission of the war, attacking the Nippon Oil Refinery at Tsuchizaki on 15 August 1945.
After the war, the group dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners gf war in Japan, Manchuria and Korea, and participated in several show-of-force missions over Japan. The squadron demobilized in Guam during the fall of 1945; its aircraft were returned to the United States and sent to storage depots. It was inactivated as a paper unit in April 1946.
Lineage
- Constituted 17th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 28 March 1944
- Activated on 1 April 1944
- Inactivated on 15 April 1946
Stations
- Dalhart Army Airfield, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, 1 April 1944 - Fairmont Army AirfieldFairmont Army AirfieldFairmont State Airfield is a public use airport located three nautical miles south of the central business district of Fairmont, in Fillmore County, Nebraska, United States. It is owned by the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics. The airport serves the general aviation community, with no scheduled...
, NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, 15 August 1944-7 March 1945 - Northwest FieldNorthwest Field (Guam)Northwest Field is a former World War II airfield on Guam in the Mariana Islands. It was closed in 1949 and is unused.-History:Northwest Field was constructed in 1944–45 near Ritidian Point on the northwest end of the island of Guam as a base for Twentieth Air Force B-29 Superfortresses to carry...
, GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, 14 April 1945-15 April 1946