6th Antisubmarine Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 6th Antisubmarine Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. Its last assignment was with the 479th Antisubmarine Group
, based at RAF Podington
, England
(Territory). It was inactivated on 11 November 1943
s as part of First Air Force
. After the United States entered World War II the group was ordered to search for German U-Boat
s and to fly aerial coverage of friendly convoys initially off the southeast coast, then moving to Mitchel Field, New York
and Westover Field, Massachusetts
to patrol the sea appraches to New York City
and Boston
.
Squadron was redesignated as 6th Antisubmarine Squadron, and reassigned to 25th Antisubmarine Wing
of Army Air Force Antisubmarine Command (AAFAC). Reassigned to Newfoundland
to fly antisubmarine patrols over North Atlantic convoy routes.
Reassigned to 479th Antisubmarine Group
in Southwest England
in August 1943 and flew killer hunts against German U-Boat
s in the Bay of Biscay
off the western coast of France
from Brest
south to the Spanish border
. Along this part of the occupied French coast were major Kriegsmarine
U-Boat bases at Brest, Lorient
, Saint-Nazaire
, La Rochelle
(La Pallice) and Bordeaux
.
Ground echelon ordered back to the United States in September 1943 just prior to inactivation of AAFAC. Air echelon inactivated in late October 1943 with aircraft being reassigned to the United States Navy
after inactivation of USAAF Antisubmarine Command. Squadron personnel remaining in England were reassigned to Eighth Air Force
units as replacement personnel.
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. Its last assignment was with the 479th Antisubmarine Group
479th Antisubmarine Group
The 479th Antisubmarine Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, based at RAF Podington, England...
, based at RAF Podington
RAF Podington
RAF Podington is a former World War II United States Army Air Force base in England. It is located six miles south-east of Wellingborough, in Bedfordshire.-Overview:...
, 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...
(Territory). It was inactivated on 11 November 1943
Lineage
- Constituted 3d Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 20 November 1940
- Activated on 15 January 1941
- Redesignated: 393d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 April 1942
- Redesignated: 6th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) on 29 November 1942
- Disbanded on 11 November 1943.
Assignments
- 2d Bombardment Wing, 15 January 1941
- Attached to 13th Bombardment Group13th Bombardment GroupThe 13 AEG was re-activated by Thirteenth AF as the air component of Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica . The 13 AEG includes the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and the 139th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron who fly the C-17 and LC-130 aircraft supporting the operation, respectively. ...
, 15 January 1941-5 June 1941- III Bomber Command, 5 June 1941
- Attached to 13th Bombardment Group13th Bombardment GroupThe 13 AEG was re-activated by Thirteenth AF as the air component of Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica . The 13 AEG includes the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and the 139th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron who fly the C-17 and LC-130 aircraft supporting the operation, respectively. ...
. 5 June 1941-25 February 1942- 13th Bombardment Group13th Bombardment GroupThe 13 AEG was re-activated by Thirteenth AF as the air component of Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica . The 13 AEG includes the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and the 139th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron who fly the C-17 and LC-130 aircraft supporting the operation, respectively. ...
, 25 February 1942 - 25th Antisubmarine Wing25th Antisubmarine WingThe 25th Anti-Submarine Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, based in New York City, New York. It was inactivated on 15 October 1943-History:...
, 30 November 1942 - Army Air Forces Antisubmarine CommandArmy Air Forces Antisubmarine CommandThe Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command was a direct reporting agency of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Its mission was to deal with the German Navy U-boat threat.-Lineage:...
, 8 June 1943 - 479th Antisubmarine Group479th Antisubmarine GroupThe 479th Antisubmarine Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, based at RAF Podington, England...
, 14 August-11 November 1943.
- 13th Bombardment Group
Stations
- Langley Field, VirginiaVirginiaThe 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...
, 15 January 1941 - Orlando AABOrlando Executive AirportOrlando Executive Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Orlando, a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is owned by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority...
, 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...
, 7 June 1941 - 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...
, 22 January 1942 - Westover Field, 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...
, 3 August 1942-1 April 1943 - RCAF Station GanderCFB GanderCanadian Forces Base Gander , is a Canadian Forces Base located in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is home to air/marine search and rescue operations that cover a vast swath of the western North Atlantic and southern Arctic...
, NewfoundlandDominion of NewfoundlandThe Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, c. 12 April 1943 - RAF Dunkeswell, 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...
, 21 August 1943
- Ground echelon moved in September to Salt Lake City AABSalt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, where it was inactivated on 30 October 1943- RAF PodingtonRAF PodingtonRAF Podington is a former World War II United States Army Air Force base in England. It is located six miles south-east of Wellingborough, in Bedfordshire.-Overview:...
, 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...
, November-11 November 1943
- RAF Podington
Aircraft
- B-18 BoloB-18 BoloThe Douglas B-18 Bolo was a United States Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force bomber of the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by Douglas Aircraft Company and based on its DC-2 and was developed to replace the Martin B-10....
, 1941–1943 - 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...
, 1941–1943 - A-29 Hudson, 1942
- B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
, 1943
Operations
Organized originally as the 3d Reconnaissance Squadron in early 1941, being equipped with 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...
s as part of First Air Force
First Air Force
The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
. After the United States entered World War II the group was ordered to search for German U-Boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s and to fly aerial coverage of friendly convoys initially off the southeast coast, then moving to Mitchel Field, New York
New York
New 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...
and Westover Field, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The 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...
to patrol the sea appraches to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
.
Squadron was redesignated as 6th Antisubmarine Squadron, and reassigned to 25th Antisubmarine Wing
25th Antisubmarine Wing
The 25th Anti-Submarine Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, based in New York City, New York. It was inactivated on 15 October 1943-History:...
of Army Air Force Antisubmarine Command (AAFAC). Reassigned to Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
to fly antisubmarine patrols over North Atlantic convoy routes.
Reassigned to 479th Antisubmarine Group
479th Antisubmarine Group
The 479th Antisubmarine Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, based at RAF Podington, England...
in Southwest 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...
in August 1943 and flew killer hunts against German U-Boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s in the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
off the western coast 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...
from 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...
south to the Spanish border
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Along this part of the occupied French coast were major Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
U-Boat bases at Brest, Lorient
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
, Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire , is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.The town has a major harbour, on the right bank of the Loire River estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean. The town is at the south of the second-largest swamp in France, called "la Brière"...
, La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
(La Pallice) and Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
.
Ground echelon ordered back to the United States in September 1943 just prior to inactivation of AAFAC. Air echelon inactivated in late October 1943 with aircraft being reassigned to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
after inactivation of USAAF Antisubmarine Command. Squadron personnel remaining in England were reassigned to Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
units as replacement personnel.