46th Bomb Squadron
Encyclopedia
- see 22d Tactical Air Support Training Squadron22d Tactical Air Support Training SquadronThe 22d Tactical Air Support Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 602d Tactical Air Control Wing, based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona...
for the World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
46th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)
The 46th Bomb Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
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. It was last assigned to the 319th Operations Group
319th Operations Group
The 319th Operations Group is the flying component of the 319th Air Refueling Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command...
. It was last stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, and was inactivated on 1 October 1993.
History
Established in 1947 in the Air Force Reserve as an A-26 InvaderA-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
(later B-26 Invader) light bomb squadron. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget shortages.
Reactivated in 1962 as a Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
B-52H Stratofortress squadron at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
; being a re designation of the 30th Bombardment Squadron
30th Bombardment Squadron
The 30th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 4133d Strategic Wing, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-History:...
when SAC converted its provisional dispersed B-52 squadrons to AFCON squadrons which could carry a combat lineage.
Continued to train in strategic bombardment and participate in SAC exercises; standing nuclear alert. During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the squadron deployed aircrews and personnel to forward locations in the Western Pacific, participating in Operations Arc Light, Linebacker I and Linebacker II. In 1982 transitioned to the B-52G, and remained on nuclear alert until 1987 when the B-52s were sent to storage.
Re-equipped with the B-1B Lancer in 1987 and flew training missions with conventional and nuclear configurations. Inactivated in 1991 with the drawdown of USAF strategic forces at the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
Lineage
- Constituted as 46th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 1 Apr 1947
- Activated on 16 Apr 1947
- Inactivated on 2 Sep 1949
- Activated on 10 Oct 1949
- Inactivated on 22 Mar 1951
- Redesignated 46th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 15 Nov 1962
- Activated on 15 Nov 1962
- Organized on 1 Feb 1963; receiving personnel/aircraft/equipment from 30th Bombardment Squadron30th Bombardment SquadronThe 30th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 4133d Strategic Wing, stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-History:...
(Inactivated) - Redesignated 46th Bomb Squadron on 29 Aug 1991
- Inactivated on 1 Oct 1991.
Assignments
- 319th Bombardment Group, 1 Apr 1947-2 Sep 1949; 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951
- 319th Bombardment Wing, 15 Nov 1962
- 319th Operations Group319th Operations GroupThe 319th Operations Group is the flying component of the 319th Air Refueling Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command...
, 1 Sep-1 Oct 1991
Stations
- Mitchel Field, New York, 1 Apr 1947
- Reading Municipal Airport, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, 27 Jun-2 Sep 1949 - Birmingham Municipal Airport, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951 - Grand Forks AFB, North DakotaNorth DakotaNorth Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, 1 Nov 1962-1 Oct 1991
Aircraft
- A-26 InvaderA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
, 1947-1951 - 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...
, 1962-1987 - B-1B Lancer, 1987-1991