669th Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 669th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 416th Bombardment Group. It was last stationed at Camp Patrick Henry
, Virginia
, and was inactivated on 12 October 1945
medium bomber Operational Training Squadron under Third Air Force
. Received A-20 Havoc light attack bombers and trained in attack and light bombardment tactics; deployed to European Theater of Operations
(ETO) in early 1944, assigned to Ninth Air Force
in England
.
From England, engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy targets mainly in coastal areas of France
and the Low Countries
. Attacked V-weapon sites in France. Flew a number of missions against airfields and coastal defenses to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy. Supported the invasion in June 1944 by striking road junctions, marshalling yards, bridges, and railway overpasses. Assisted ground forces at Caen
and St Lo in Jul and at Brest
later in the summer, by hitting transportation facilities, supply dumps, radar installations, and other targets. In spite of intense resistance, the group bombed bridges, railways, rolling stock, and a radar station to disrupt the enemy's retreat through the Falaise gap, 6–9 August 1944. Assisted the airborne attack on Holland in September. Supported the assault on the Siegfried Line by pounding transportation, warehouses, supply dumps, and defended villages in Germany.
Converted to A-26 Invader
aircraft in November 1944. Attacked transportation facilities, strong points, communications centers, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge
, December 1944-January 1945. Aided the Allied thrust into Germany by continuing its strikes against transportation, communications, airfields, storage depots, and other objectives, February—May 1945. Bombed flak positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. Demobilized in France after the German Capitulation during the summer of 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.
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 416th Bombardment Group. It was last stationed at Camp Patrick Henry
Camp Patrick Henry
Camp Patrick Henry is a decommissioned United States Army base which was located in Warwick County, Virginia. After World War II, the site was redeveloped as a commercial airport, and became part of City of Newport News in 1958 when the former City of Warwick and Newport News were politically...
, Virginia
Virginia
The 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...
, and was inactivated on 12 October 1945
History
Established in early 1943 as a B-25 MitchellB-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...
medium bomber Operational Training Squadron under 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....
. Received A-20 Havoc light attack bombers and trained in attack and light bombardment tactics; 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 early 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...
.
From England, engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy targets mainly in coastal areas of 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 the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
. Attacked V-weapon sites in France. Flew a number of missions against airfields and coastal defenses to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy. Supported the invasion in June 1944 by striking road junctions, marshalling yards, bridges, and railway overpasses. 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 Jul 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...
later in the summer, by hitting transportation facilities, supply dumps, radar installations, and other targets. In spite of intense resistance, the group bombed bridges, railways, rolling stock, and a radar station to disrupt the enemy's retreat through the Falaise gap, 6–9 August 1944. Assisted the airborne attack on Holland in September. Supported the assault on the Siegfried Line by pounding transportation, warehouses, supply dumps, and defended villages in Germany.
Converted to A-26 Invader
A-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...
aircraft in November 1944. Attacked transportation facilities, strong points, communications centers, and troop concentrations during 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. Aided the Allied thrust into Germany by continuing its strikes against transportation, communications, airfields, storage depots, and other objectives, February—May 1945. Bombed flak positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. Demobilized in France after the German Capitulation during the summer of 1945; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in November.
Lineage
- Constituted 669th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 25 Jan 1943
- Activated on 5 Feb 1943
- Inactivated on 11 Oct 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...
, 5 Feb 1943 - Lake Charles Army Air 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...
, 4 Jun 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...
, 1 Nov 1943-1 Jan 1944 - RAF WethersfieldRAF WethersfieldMDPGA Wethersfield is a Ministry of Defence facility in Essex, England; it is located north of the village of Wethersfield—about north-west of the town of Braintree...
(AAF-170), 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...
, 2 Feb 1944 - Melun Airfield (A-55), 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...
, 25 Sep 1944 - Laon/Athies Airfield (A-69), 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...
, 10 Feb 1945 - Cormeilles en Vexin Airfield (A-59), 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...
, c. 25 May 1945 - Laon/Athies AirfieldLaon-Athies Air BaseLaon-Athies Air Base is an abandoned military airfield, which is located near the city of Laon in the Aisne department of France.Its history begins before World War II, when it was originally a grass civil airdrome...
(A-69), France, 27 Jul-13 Sep 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...
, 10-11 Oct 1945