646th Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 646th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 410th Bombardment Group. It was last stationed at Myrtle Beach Army Airfield, South Carolina
, and was inactivated on 7 November 1945
A-20 Havoc light bomber Operational Training Unit in mid-1943; Deployed to European Theater of Operations
(ETO) in mid-1944; assigned to Ninth Air Force
in England
.
Entered combat in May 1944 and helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by assaulting coastal defenses, airfields, and V-weapon sites in France
, and marshalling yards in France and Belgium
. Supported the invasion in June by bombing gun positions and railway choke points. Assisted ground forces at Caen
and St Lo in July and at Brest
in August and September by attacking bridges, vehicles, fuel and ammunition dumps, and rail lines.
Moved to France in Sept, and through mid-December struck defended villages, railroad bridges and overpasses, marshalling yards, military camps, and communications centers to support the Allied assault on the Siegfried Line
. Participated in the Battle of the Bulge
, December 1944-January 1945, by pounding marshalling yards, railheads, bridges, and vehicles in the battle area. Continued to fly support and interdictory missions, aiding the drive across the Rhine and into Germany
, February-April 1945, continuing attacks on enemy forces until the German Capitulation in May 1945.
Most of the squadron was demobilized during the summer of 1945; squadron returned to the United States and was assigned to Seymour Johnson Field, then Myrtle Beach Army Airfield, however was minimally manned and equipped. Inactivated in November 1945.
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 410th Bombardment Group. It was last stationed at Myrtle Beach Army Airfield, South Carolina
South Carolina
South 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...
, and was inactivated on 7 November 1945
History
Established as a Third Air ForceThird 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....
A-20 Havoc light bomber Operational Training Unit in mid-1943; 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) in mid-1944; assigned to Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Entered combat in May 1944 and helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by assaulting coastal defenses, airfields, and V-weapon sites in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and marshalling yards in France and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Supported the invasion in June by bombing gun positions and railway choke points. Assisted ground forces at Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
and St Lo in July and at Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
in August and September by attacking bridges, vehicles, fuel and ammunition dumps, and rail lines.
Moved to France in Sept, and through mid-December struck defended villages, railroad bridges and overpasses, marshalling yards, military camps, and communications centers to support the Allied assault on the Siegfried Line
Siegfried Line
The original Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I...
. Participated in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, December 1944-January 1945, by pounding marshalling yards, railheads, bridges, and vehicles in the battle area. Continued to fly support and interdictory missions, aiding the drive across the Rhine and into Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, February-April 1945, continuing attacks on enemy forces until the German Capitulation in May 1945.
Most of the squadron was demobilized during the summer of 1945; squadron returned to the United States and was assigned to Seymour Johnson Field, then Myrtle Beach Army Airfield, however was minimally manned and equipped. Inactivated in November 1945.
Lineage
- Constituted 646th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 16 Jun 1943
- Activated on 1 Jul 1943
- Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945
Stations
- 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...
, 1 Jul 1943 - Muskogee Army Airfield, 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...
, 4 Oct 1943 - Laurel Army Airfield, MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, 10 Jan 1944 - Lakeland Army Airfield, 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...
, 8 Feb-13 Mar 1944 - RAF BirchRAF BirchRAF Station Birch is a former World War II airfield in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately northeast of Tiptree; about northeast of London...
(AAF-149), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 4 Apr 1944 - RAF GosfieldRAF GosfieldRAF Station Gosfield is a former World War II airfield in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately north of Braintree; about north-northeast of LondonOpened in 1943, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force...
(AAF-154), EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 16 Apr 1944 - Coulommiers Airfield (A-58), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 27 Sep 1944 - Juvincourt AirfieldJuvincourt AirfieldJuvincourt Airfield is an abandoned military airfield, which is located near the commune of Juvincourt-et-Damary in the Aisne department of northern France....
(A-68), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 9 Feb 1945 - Beaumont sur Oise Airfield (A-60), FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 22 May-25 Jun 1945 - Seymour Johnson Field, 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...
, c. 24 Aug 1945 - Myrtle Beach Army Airfield, 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...
, 5 Oct-7 Nov 1945