37th Bomb Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 37th Bomb Squadron is part of the 28th Bomb Wing
at Ellsworth Air Force Base
, South Dakota
. It operates B-1 Lancer
aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.
Reactivated in 1933 as a Pursuit Squadron, equipped with P-6 Hawks, A-8 Shrike and A-17A Nomad attack aircraft. Assigned to the Southeast Air District, flying coastal patrol missions from Langley Field, then Barksdale Field. Moved to Colorado and re-equipped with B-18 Bolo medium bombers; deploying to the Pacific Northwest.
The 37th It flew antisubmarine
patrols from, December 1941–c. March 1942. The squadron also contributed aircrews for the Doolittle Raid
on Tokyo, Japan on 6 April 1942. After the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
, the squadron flew antisubmarine
patrols over the Northwest Pacific coast until May 1942.
After the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, squadron was deployed to the Alaska Territory
. Flew combat missions during the Aleutian Campaign from forward bases on Adak
and Amchitka
during 1943 with B-25 Mitchell
s, attacking enemy targets on the occupied islands until their surrender.
Returned to the Continental United States in late 1943; re-equipped with B-24 Liberator
heavy bombers and trained under Second Air Force
. Deployed to European Theater of Operations
(ETO); being assigned to Eighth Air Force
in England. Engaged in various special operations missions as a CARPETBAGGER unit, assisting resistance forces by dropping supplies, weapons and personnel over Occupied Europe until August 1944. Engaged in PSYOPS warfare against Nazi Germany
, dropping leaflets and flying other combat missions until the German capitulation in May 1945.
Most of squadron personnel demobilized in England during the summer of 1945, unit returned to the United States and being redesignated as a Very Heavy B-29 Superfortress
bombardment squadron. War in Pacific Theater ended before unit completed training and the squadron was inactivated in October 1945.
Reactivated in 1947 under Tactical Air Command but not manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1948. As a result of the Korean War
, the squadron was reactivated again as part of Far East Air Force and equipped with B-26 Invader bombers equipped for night attacks. Carried out attacks on Communist forces primarily over South Korea until the Korean War armistice in 1953, then withdrawn to Japan where it remained until it was demobilized and administratively reassigned to Eglin #9 Field in 1955.
Re-equipped with Martin B-57A Canberra jet bombers and conducted evaluation testing of the aircraft at Eglin; transitioned to B-66B Destroyers in 1956, the first squadron to receive the new tactical bomber. Deployed to RAF Sculthorpe, England briefly in 1958 before returning to Eglin and performing more testing on B-66s with Jet Assisted Take Off (JATO) and until being inactivated due to budget cuts later in the year.
Reactivated as a B-52 Stratofortress squadron in 1977; inactivated in 1982 as part of the inactivation of the B-52D. Reactivated in 1987 as a B-1 Squadron
28th Bomb Wing
The 28th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force. It is stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota...
at Ellsworth Air Force Base
Ellsworth Air Force Base
Ellsworth Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota just north of Box Elder, South Dakota....
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. It operates B-1 Lancer
B-1 Lancer
The Rockwell B-1 LancerThe name "Lancer" is only applied to the B-1B version, after the program was revived. is a four-engine variable-sweep wing strategic bomber used by the United States Air Force...
aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.
History
Established as a World War I Aero Squadron in Texas; deployed to France in September 1917. The squadron participated in aircraft construction from 1917–1918 and conducted flying training in 1918. Returned to the United States and inactivated in 1919.Reactivated in 1933 as a Pursuit Squadron, equipped with P-6 Hawks, A-8 Shrike and A-17A Nomad attack aircraft. Assigned to the Southeast Air District, flying coastal patrol missions from Langley Field, then Barksdale Field. Moved to Colorado and re-equipped with B-18 Bolo medium bombers; deploying to the Pacific Northwest.
The 37th It flew antisubmarine
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
patrols from, December 1941–c. March 1942. The squadron also contributed aircrews for the Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
on Tokyo, Japan on 6 April 1942. After the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, the squadron flew antisubmarine
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
patrols over the Northwest Pacific coast until May 1942.
After the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, squadron was deployed to the Alaska Territory
Alaska Territory
The Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
. Flew combat missions during the Aleutian Campaign from forward bases on Adak
Adak Island
Adak Island is an island near the western extent of the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Alaska's southernmost town, Adak, is located on the island...
and Amchitka
Amchitka
Amchitka is a volcanic, tectonically unstable island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in southwest Alaska. It is part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The island is about long, and from wide...
during 1943 with B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
s, attacking enemy targets on the occupied islands until their surrender.
Returned to the Continental United States in late 1943; re-equipped with B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
heavy bombers and trained under Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
. Deployed to European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
(ETO); being assigned to Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
in England. Engaged in various special operations missions as a CARPETBAGGER unit, assisting resistance forces by dropping supplies, weapons and personnel over Occupied Europe until August 1944. Engaged in PSYOPS warfare against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, dropping leaflets and flying other combat missions until the German capitulation in May 1945.
Most of squadron personnel demobilized in England during the summer of 1945, unit returned to the United States and being redesignated as a Very Heavy B-29 Superfortress
B-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...
bombardment squadron. War in Pacific Theater ended before unit completed training and the squadron was inactivated in October 1945.
Reactivated in 1947 under Tactical Air Command but not manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1948. As a result of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, the squadron was reactivated again as part of Far East Air Force and equipped with B-26 Invader bombers equipped for night attacks. Carried out attacks on Communist forces primarily over South Korea until the Korean War armistice in 1953, then withdrawn to Japan where it remained until it was demobilized and administratively reassigned to Eglin #9 Field in 1955.
Re-equipped with Martin B-57A Canberra jet bombers and conducted evaluation testing of the aircraft at Eglin; transitioned to B-66B Destroyers in 1956, the first squadron to receive the new tactical bomber. Deployed to RAF Sculthorpe, England briefly in 1958 before returning to Eglin and performing more testing on B-66s with Jet Assisted Take Off (JATO) and until being inactivated due to budget cuts later in the year.
Reactivated as a B-52 Stratofortress squadron in 1977; inactivated in 1982 as part of the inactivation of the B-52D. Reactivated in 1987 as a B-1 Squadron
Lineage
- Organized as 37 Aero Squadron on 13 Jun 1917
- Demobilized on 15 Apr 1919
- Reconstituted, and redesignated 37 Pursuit Squadron, on 24 Mar 1923
- Activated on 1 Sep 1933
- Redesignated 37 Attack Squadron on 1 Mar 1935
- Inactivated on 31 Jan 1938
- Redesignated 37 Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 Dec 1939
- Activated on 1 Feb 1940
- Redesignated 37 Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 9 Oct 1944
- Inactivated on 26 Nov 1945
- Redesignated 37 Bombardment Squadron, Light, on 29 Apr 1947
- Activated on 19 May 1947
- Inactivated on 10 Sep 1948
- Redesignated 37 Bombardment Squadron, Light, Night Intruder, on 8 May 1952
- Activated on 10 May 1952
- Redesignated 37 Bombardment Squadron, Tactical, on 1 Oct 1955
- Inactivated on 25 Jun 1958
- Redesignated 37 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 16 Jun 1977
- Activated on 1 Jul 1977
- Inactivated on 1 Oct 1982
- Activated on 1 Jan 1987
- Redesignated 37 Bomb Squadron on 1 Sep 1991.
Assignments
- Unknown, 13 Jun-Sep 1917
- Third Aviation Instruction Center, Sep 1917-Jan 1919
- Unknown, Jan-15 Apr 1919
- 18th Pursuit Group (attached to 8th Pursuit Group), 1 Sep 1933
- 2d Wing (attached to 8th Pursuit Group), 1 Mar 1935-31 Jan 1938
- 28th Composite Group, 1 Feb 1940
- 17th Bombardment Group, 23 Apr 1941-26 Nov 1945; 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948; 10 May 1952-25 Jun 1958
- Attached to the 17th Bombardment Wing, 8 Jun 1957-25 Jun 1958
- 28th Bombardment Wing, 1 Jul 1977-1 Oct 1982; 1 Jan 1987
- 28th Operations Group28th Operations GroupThe 28th Operations Group is the flying component of the United States Air Force 28th Bomb Wing, stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota....
, 1 Sep 1991-.
Bases stationed
- Camp Kelly, Texas, 13 Jun-11 Aug 1917
- Étampes, France, 18 Sep 1917
- Issoudun, France, 23 Sep 1917
- Bordeaux, France, c. 6 Jan-c. 18 Mar 1919
- Mitchel Field, New York, c. 5-15 Apr 1919
- Langley Field, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 1 Sep 1933-31 Jan 1938 - Barksdale Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 1 Feb 1940 - Lowry Field, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, 10 Jul 1940 - Pendleton Field, OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, 29 Jun 1941 - Lexington County Airport, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 16 Feb 1942 - Barksdale Field, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, 24 Jun-18 Nov 1942 - Telergma Airfield, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, 21 Dec 1942 - Sedrata Airfield, AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, c. 13 May 1943 - Djedeida AirfieldDjedeida AirfieldDjedeida Airfield is an airfield in Tunisia, located approximately 10 km east-northeast of El Battan, and 30 km west of Tunis. The airfield was built prior to 1942 and used by the German Luftwaffe. It was attacked and seized by the American II Army on 25 November 1942...
, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, c. 25 Jun 1943
- Villacidro AirfieldVillacidroVillacidro is a town and comune in the province of Medio Campidano, Sardinia, Italy. From 2005 it is the administrative seat, with Sanluri, of this new province.-Geography:...
, SardiniaSardiniaSardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, c. 5 Dec 1943 - Poretta Airfield, CorsicaCorsicaCorsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, 21 Sep 1944 - Dijon Airfield (Y-9), France, 20 Nov 1944
- Linz AirportLinz AirportLinz Airport , also known as Blue Danube Airport , is an airport near Linz, Austria.-Airlines and destinations:-Cargo airlines:-Accidents and incidents:...
, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, c. 16 Jun 1945 - HorschingHörschingHörsching is a municipality in the district Linz-Land in Upper Austria, Austria. It is next to the Linz Airport which is served by a shuttle bus from the Hörsching train station....
, AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, (Ground echelon), 6 Jul 1945 - Clastres Airfield, France, c. 3 Oct-c. 17 Nov 1945
- Camp Myles StandishCamp Myles StandishCamp Myles Standish was a U.S. Army camp located in Taunton, Massachusetts. It functioned as a prisoner-of-war camp, a departure area for about a million U.S...
, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, 25-26 Nov 1945 - Langley Field (later, AFB), VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948 - Pusan-East AB (K-9), South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, 10 May 1952 - Miho AB, Japan, c. 9 Oct 1954-c. 19 Mar 1955
- Hurlburt FieldHurlburt FieldHurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
, Florida, 1 Apr 1955 - RAF AlconburyRAF AlconburyRAF Alconbury is an active Royal Air Force station in Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is adjacent to the Stukeleys [Great and Little] and located about northwest of Huntingdon; about north of London....
, England, 11 May 1958 - Hurlburt FieldHurlburt FieldHurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
, Florida, 12 May-25 Jun 1958 - Ellsworth AFB, South DakotaSouth DakotaSouth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, 1 Jul 1977-1 Oct 1982; 1 Jan 1987–present)
Aircraft operated
- Avro 504Avro 504The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
(1918) - Sopwith CamelSopwith CamelThe Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
(1918) - DH-4 (1918)
- Nieuport 27 (1918)
- P-6 Hawk (1933–1935)
- A-8 Shrike (1935–1936)
- A-17 NomadNorthrop A-17The Northrop A-17, a development of the Northrop Gamma 2F was a two seat, single engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the US Army Air Corps.-Development and design:...
(1936–1938)
- B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
(1940–1941) - B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
(1941–1942) - B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
(1942–1945, 1952–1956) - B-57 CanberraB-57 CanberraThe Martin B-57 Canberra was a United States-built, twin jet engine light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, which entered service with the United States Air Force in 1953. The B-57 was initially a version of the English Electric Canberra built under license. However, the Glenn L...
(1955–1956) - B-66 DestroyerB-66 Destroyer|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Baugher, Joe. USAAC/USAAF/USAF Bomber Aircraft: Third Series of USAAC/USAAF/USAF Bombers, 2001. Retrieved: 27 July 2006....
(1956–1958) - B-52 StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
(1977–1982) - B-1 LancerB-1 LancerThe Rockwell B-1 LancerThe name "Lancer" is only applied to the B-1B version, after the program was revived. is a four-engine variable-sweep wing strategic bomber used by the United States Air Force...
(1987–present))