839th Bombardment Squadron
Encyclopedia
The 839th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force
unit. It was last assigned to the 487th Bombardment Group, stationed at Drew Field, Florida
. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.
for training. Trained in Nebraska and New Mexico for overseas duty. Deployed to European Theater of Operations
(ETO), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command
in England
in April 1944.
Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
, attacking transportation, industrial, Oil Industry and other targets as directed. Also engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy forces in France
in support of the Operation Overlord
landings in Normandy
, and the subsequent breakout at St-Lo in July 1944. Changed equipment from B-24 Liberators to B-17 Flying Fortresses in July 1944. Attacked enemy formations and armor during the Battle of the Bulge
, January 1945. Continued bombardment of strategic targets until the German Capitulation in May.
Largely demobilized in England during the summer of 1945; small cadre of personnel reassembled at Drew Field, Florida
in September as part of Third Air Force
, Continental Air Forces. Japanese Capitulation and general demobilization of the AAF led to the squadron's inactivation 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 487th Bombardment Group, stationed at Drew Field, Florida
Florida
Florida 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...
. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.
History
Established in mid-1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment squadron, assigned to II Bomber CommandII Bomber Command
The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
for training. Trained in Nebraska and New Mexico for overseas duty. 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), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command
VIII Bomber Command
The VIII Bomber Command is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit that is better known as the later appellation Eighth Air Force, as was popularized in post-World War II filmsand is frequently called the First Eighth Air Force by its veterans and successors in the services.The command was...
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...
in April 1944.
Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, attacking transportation, industrial, Oil Industry and other targets as directed. Also engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy forces 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...
in support of the Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
landings in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, and the subsequent breakout at St-Lo in July 1944. Changed equipment from B-24 Liberators to B-17 Flying Fortresses in July 1944. Attacked enemy formations and armor 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...
, January 1945. Continued bombardment of strategic targets until the German Capitulation in May.
Largely demobilized in England during the summer of 1945; small cadre of personnel reassembled at Drew Field, Florida
Florida
Florida 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...
in September as part of 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....
, Continental Air Forces. Japanese Capitulation and general demobilization of the AAF led to the squadron's inactivation in November.
Lineage
- Constituted 839th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 Sep 1943
- Activated on 20 Sep 1943
- Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945
Stations
- Bruning Army AirfieldBruning Army AirfieldBruning Army Airfield was a flight training installation of the United States Army Air Forces used during World War II and located in northeast Thayer County, Nebraska, at coordinates 40°20'25" North, 97°25'42" West, approximately six miles east of Bruning....
, NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, 20 Sep 1943 - Alamogordo Army Air Field, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, 15 Dec 1943-10 Mar 1944 - RAF LavenhamRAF LavenhamRAF Lavenham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located N of Sudbury in Suffolk, near the village of Alpheton.-USAAF use:Lavenham airfield was built during 1943...
(AAF-137), 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 1944-26 Aug 1945 - 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...
, 3 Sep-7 Nov 1945