50th Fighter-Bomber Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 50th Fighter-Bomber Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 319th Fighter-Bomber Group. It was last stationed at New Orleans NAS, Louisiana
, and was inactivated on 16 November 1957
as a A-20 Havoc light bombardment squadron assigned to Third Air Force
. Participated in maneuvers in the southeast prior to World War II. After U.S. entry into the war, the group flew some antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico
early in 1942. Not deployed to combat duty, it later served as an operational training unit (OTU) until late in 1943, then became a replacement training unit (RTU). Disbanded on 1 May 1944 with the end of the A-20 training program
Assigned to the reserve in 1947 with second-line B-25 Mitchell medium bombers; upgraded to B-26 Invader light bombers in 1949. Moved from station to station until activated in 1951 due to the Korean War, it's personnel and aircraft being sent to Far East Air Forces as replacement aircraft and personnel; inactivated immediately afterward. Redesignated as a Fighter-Bomber squadron and planned for activation with F-84 Thunderstreaks in 1957. Not manned or equipped due to budget shortages and inactivated a few months later.
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 Fighter-Bomber Group. It was last stationed at New Orleans NAS, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana 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...
, and was inactivated on 16 November 1957
History
Activated during World War IIWorld War II
World 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...
as a A-20 Havoc light bombardment squadron assigned to Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
. Participated in maneuvers in the southeast prior to World War II. After U.S. entry into the war, the group flew some antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
early in 1942. Not deployed to combat duty, it later served as an operational training unit (OTU) until late in 1943, then became a replacement training unit (RTU). Disbanded on 1 May 1944 with the end of the A-20 training program
Assigned to the reserve in 1947 with second-line B-25 Mitchell medium bombers; upgraded to B-26 Invader light bombers in 1949. Moved from station to station until activated in 1951 due to the Korean War, it's personnel and aircraft being sent to Far East Air Forces as replacement aircraft and personnel; inactivated immediately afterward. Redesignated as a Fighter-Bomber squadron and planned for activation with F-84 Thunderstreaks in 1957. Not manned or equipped due to budget shortages and inactivated a few months later.
Lineage
- Constituted 50th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 20 Nov 1940
- Activated on 15 Jan 1941
- Disbanded on 1 May 1944
- Reconstituted on 10 Mar 1947
- Activated in the reserve on 16 Apr 1947
- Inactivated on 2 Sep 1949
- Activated in the reserve on 10 Oct 1949
- Ordered to active service on 10 Mar 1951
- Inactivated on 22 Mar 1951
- Redesignated 50th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 12 Feb 1957
- Activated in the reserve 8 Jun 1957
- Inactivated on 16 Nov 1957
Assignments
- 46th Bombardment Group46th Bombardment GroupThe 46th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Third Air Force, being stationed at Morris Field, North Carolina. It was inactivated on 1 May 1944....
, 15 Jan 1941-1 May 1944 - 319th Bombardment Group, 16 Apr 1947-2 Sep 1949; 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951
- 319th Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 Jun-16 Nov 1957
Stations
- Hunter Field, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, 15 Jan 1941 - Bowman Field, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 19 May 1941 - 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 1942 - Galveston 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...
, 2 Apr 1942 - Blythe Army Air Base, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 19 May 1942 - Will Rogers Field, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, 7 Nov 1942 - Drew Field, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 6 Oct 1943 - Morris FieldCharlotte/Douglas International AirportCharlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...
, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, 6 Nov 1943-1 May 1944 - Mitchel Field, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, 16 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 1949-2 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 - New Orleans NAS, 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...
, 8 Jun-16 Nov 1997
Aircraft
- A-20 Havoc, 1941-1944
- 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...
, 1944 - B-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...
, 1949-1951