681st Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 681st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 70th Bombardment Wing. It was last stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base
, Arkansas
, and was inactivated on 25 June 1962.
. Deployed to Fifth Air Force
in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA), initially to Australia
, then flying long range unarmed combat aerial photography missions during the New Guinea Campaign from forward airfields in Papua New Guinea
with photographic versions of the P-38 Lightning
. Moved forward to support Mac Arthur's island hopping campaign to the Netherlands East Indies, then flying missions in support of the 1944-1945 Philippines Campaign. Later moving to Okinawa in August 1945 after the Japanese Capitulation. Flew aerial reconnaissance over Occupied Japan and Korea
, inactivating in early 1946.
Reactivated in 1947 in the reserve at Hamilton Field
, California
, but it is unclear whether or not the unit had any assigned aircraft of personnel. It was inactivated in 1949 due to budgetary reductions.
Reactivated under Strategic Air Command
in 1955 as a RB-47 Stratojet reconnaissance squadron flying strategic reconnaissance missions to meet SAC's global reconnaissance commitments from October 1955–1962. Flew many long-range clandestine missions with the RB-47, flying many ferret missions around the periphery of Soviet territory, and sometimes inside on penetration flights to map planned routes for B-52s if combat missions over the Soviet Union ever became necessary. Missions flown on a reduced scale after February 1958 when events showed the vulnerability of the RB-47 to Soviet air defenses and the development of the U-2
aircraft. Converted to standard B-47 medium bombers in late 1961 and redesignated as 681st Bombardment Squadron, but inactivated in 1962 prior to becoming combat ready.
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 70th Bombardment Wing. It was last stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base
Little Rock Air Force Base
Little Rock Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas.-Overview:...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, and was inactivated on 25 June 1962.
History
Established in early 1943 as the 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, trained under Second Air ForceSecond 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 Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA), initially to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, then flying long range unarmed combat aerial photography missions during the New Guinea Campaign from forward airfields in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
with photographic versions of the P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
. Moved forward to support Mac Arthur's island hopping campaign to the Netherlands East Indies, then flying missions in support of the 1944-1945 Philippines Campaign. Later moving to Okinawa in August 1945 after the Japanese Capitulation. Flew aerial reconnaissance over Occupied Japan and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, inactivating in early 1946.
Reactivated in 1947 in the reserve at Hamilton Field
Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay, south of Novato, California.-History:...
, California
California
California 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...
, but it is unclear whether or not the unit had any assigned aircraft of personnel. It was inactivated in 1949 due to budgetary reductions.
Reactivated under 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...
in 1955 as a RB-47 Stratojet reconnaissance squadron flying strategic reconnaissance missions to meet SAC's global reconnaissance commitments from October 1955–1962. Flew many long-range clandestine missions with the RB-47, flying many ferret missions around the periphery of Soviet territory, and sometimes inside on penetration flights to map planned routes for B-52s if combat missions over the Soviet Union ever became necessary. Missions flown on a reduced scale after February 1958 when events showed the vulnerability of the RB-47 to Soviet air defenses and the development of the U-2
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
aircraft. Converted to standard B-47 medium bombers in late 1961 and redesignated as 681st Bombardment Squadron, but inactivated in 1962 prior to becoming combat ready.
Lineage
- Constituted 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 5 Feb 1943
- Redesignated 26th Photographic Squadron (Light) on 6 Feb 1943
- Activated on 9 Feb 1943
- Redesignated 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 11 Aug 1943.
- Inactivated on 20 Feb 1946
- Redesignated 26th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range, Photographic-RCM) on 3 Ju1 1947
- Activated in the reserve on 1 Aug 1947
- Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949
- Redesignated 26th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 14 Jan 1955
- Activated on 24 Jan 1955
- Redesignated 681st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 25 Oct 1961.
- Discontinued, and inactivated, on 25 Jun 1962
Assignments
- 6th Photographic (later Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping; Photographic Reconnaissance; Photographic; Reconnaissance) Group6th Reconnaissance GroupThe 6th Reconnaissance Group is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with Fifth Air Force, stationed at Irumagawa Air Base, Japan...
, 9 Feb 1943
- Attached to 308th Bombardment Wing308th Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 308th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based at Nagoya, Japan. It was inactivated on 30 June 1948....
after 22 Oct 1945- 308th Bombardment Wing308th Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 308th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces, based at Nagoya, Japan. It was inactivated on 30 June 1948....
, 21 Nov 1945-20 Feb 1946 - 70th Reconnaissance Group, 1 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949
- 70th Strategic Reconnaissance (later Bombardment) Wing, 24 Jan 1955-25 Jun 1962
- 308th Bombardment Wing
Stations
- Colorado Springs Army Air Base, 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...
, 9 Feb-22 Oct 1943 - Sydney AirportSydney AirportSydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 19 Nov 1943 - Archerfield AirportArcherfield AirportArcherfield Airport is a small airport located 7 1/2 miles at Archerfield in the south west of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. For some time it was the primary airport in Brisbane. During World War II it was used as a Royal Australian Air Force station. Airport traffic peaked in the 1980s...
, BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 25 Nov 1943 - Dobodura Airfield Complex, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 26 Jan 1944
- Detachment at Port Moresby Airfield Complex, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, Feb-Mar 1944- Finschafen AirfieldFinschhafen AirportFinschhafen Airport is a general aviation airport in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. . It is located on the south-east tip of Huon Peninsula at Finschafen. A half mile inland, parallel to Schneider Harbor, with Dregerhaffen to the south-east...
, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 19 Feb 1944 - Nadzab Airfield Complex, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 28 Mar 1944
- Finschafen Airfield
- Air echelon at Hollandia Airfield Complex, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, after 25 Jun 1944- Hollandia Airfield Complex, New GuineaNew GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 23 Ju1 1944 - Mokmer Airfield, BiakBiakBiak features a tropical rainforest climate with nearly identical temperatures throughout the course of the year. The average annual temperature in the city is 27 degrees celsius, which is also generally the average temperature of each day in Biak...
, Netherlands East Indies, 5 Aug 1944 - Lingayen AirfieldLingayen AirportLingayen Airport is the airport serving the general area of Lingayen, the capital of the province of Pangasinan in the Philippines. It is one of two airports in the province: the other being Rosales Airport...
, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Philippines Commonwealth, 16 Jan 1945
- Hollandia Airfield Complex, New Guinea
- Air echelon at Clark Field, LuzonLuzonLuzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Philippines Commonwealth, 22 Jul-Sep 1945- Kadena AirfieldKadena Air Base, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena...
, Okinawa, 6 Aug 1945 - Kimpo Airfield, KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Oct 1945-20 Feb 1946 - Hamilton FieldHamilton Air Force BaseHamilton Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay, south of Novato, California.-History:...
, 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...
, 1 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949 - Little Rock AFB, ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, 24 Jan 1955-25 Jun 1962
- Kadena Airfield
Aircraft
- F-4 Lightning, 1943
- F-5 Lightning, 1944-1946.
- RB-47 Stratojet, 1955-1961
- B-47 StratojetB-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
,1961-1962.