710th Airlift Squadron

710th Airlift Squadron

A Lockheed C-141A Starlifter flown by the 710th Military Airlift Squadron over the Pacific Ocean near San Francisco
Active 1943-1945; 1973-1998
Country  United States
Branch  United States Air Force
Role Airlift
Part of Air Force Reserve Command
Engagements European Theater of Operations
Insignia
Patch showing 710th Airlift Squadron emblem
ETO Fuselage Code and Squadron Color[1] IF
Red
447th Bombardment Group tail marking Square K

The 710th Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 349th Operations Group, stationed at Travis Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 January 1998.

The squadron was established as a heavy bombardment squadron and participated in combat in the European Theater of World War II. It was reactivated in the reserves in 1973 and served until 1998 as an associate unit of the 60th Air Mobility Wing.

History

World War II

710th Bombardment Squadron emblem (approved 6 September 1943)[2]

Training in the United States

The squadron was first activated on 1 May 1943 at Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington as the 710th Bombardment Squadron, one of the squadrons of the 447th Bombardment Group.[2][3]

The original mission of the squadron was to be an operational training unit.[4] However, by the time the 447th group reached full strength in October it had been identified for overseas deployment and its key personnel were assigned to the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida for advanced tactical training. The cadre trained at Brooksville Army Air Field with the 1st Bombardment Squadron, engaging in simulated attacks against Mobile, Charleston and New Orleans. The squadron then trained at Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota with the 17th Bombardment Training Wing. In June 1943 the unit moved to Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska for Phase I training.[5] The unit sailed on the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 23 November 1943 and arrived at the Firth of Clyde on 29 November 1943.[6] The squadron's B-17s began to move from the United States to the European theater of operations in November 1943.[2]

Combat in the European Theater

B-17s of the 447th Bombardment Group attacking Koblenz 19 September 1944

The squadron was stationed at RAF Rattlesden, England, from December 1943 to August 1945. It flew its first combat mission on 24 December 1943 against a V-1 missile site near Saint-Omer in Northern France.[7]

From December 1943 to May 1944, the squadron helped prepare for the invasion of the European continent by attacking submarine pens, naval installations, and cities in Germany; missile sites and ports in France; and airfields and marshaling yards in France, Belgium and Germany.[8] The squadron conducted heavy bombardment missions against German aircraft industry during Big Week, 20 to 25 February 1944.[3]

The unit supported the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 by bombing airfields and other targets.[3] On D-Day the squadron bombed the beachhead area using pathfinder aircraft.[9]

The squadron aided in the breakthrough at St. Lo, France, and the effort to take Brest, France, from July to September 1944.[3] It bombed strategic targets from October to December 1944, concentrating on sources of oil production.[3] It assaulted marshalling yards, railroad bridges and communication centers during the Battle of the Bulge from December 1944 to January 1945.[3] In March 1945 the group bombed an airfield in support of airborne assault across the Rhine. The unit flew its last combat mission on 21 April 1945 against a marshalling yard at Ingolstadt, Germany.[10]

The 710th redeployed to the United States during the summer 1945. The air echelon ferried their aircraft and personnel back to the United States, leaving on 29 and 30 June 1945. The squadron ground echelon, along with the group headquarters and 708th squadron sailed on the SS Joseph T. Robinson on 1 August 1945, from Liverpool. Most personnel were discharged at Camp Myles Standish after arrival at the port of Boston. A small cadre proceeded to Drew Field, Florida[11] and the squadron inactivated on 7 November 1945.[3]

Reserve airlift operations

The squadron was redesignated the 710th Military Airlift Squadron and activated as reserve associated unit of Military Airlift Command's 60th Military Airlift Wing at Travis Air Force Base, California in the spring of 1973. The squadron flew the active duty wing's Lockheed C-141 Starlifters on worldwide transport mission. In 1992 the squadron provided support to the State of California during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.[12]

The squadron was inactivated in 1998 as part of phaseout of C-141s.

Lineage

Activated on 1 May 1943
Inactivated on 7 November 1945[13]
Activated in the reserve on 1 July 1973
Redesignated 710th Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 1 February 1992[14]
Redesignated 710th Airlift Squadron on 1 October 1994
Inactivated on 1 January 1998

Assignments

Stations

  • Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, 1 May 1943
  • Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, 13 June 1943
  • Harvard Army Airfield, Nebraska, 1 August 1943 - 11 November 1943
  • RAF Rattlesden (AAF-126),[15] England, 1 December 1943-c. 1 August 1945
  • Drew Field, Florida, 14 August-7 November 1945[13]
  • Travis Air Force Base, California, 1 July 1973 - 15 November 1997[14]

Aircraft

Awards and Campaigns

Award streamer Award Dates Notes
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1974-30 June 1975710th Military Airlift Squadron[16]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1992-30 June 1994710th Airlift Squadron[17]
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award1 July 1994-15 August 1996710th Airlift Squadron[17]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
American Theater1 May 1943 – 11 November 1943710th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Air Offensive, Europe29 November 1943 – 5 June 1944710th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Normandy6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944710th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Northern France25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944710th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Rhineland15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945710th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Ardennes-Alsace16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945710th Bombardment Squadron[2]
Central Europe22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945710th Bombardment Squadron[2]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force In World War II. Vol I (VIII) Bomber Command. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. pp. 92–93. ISBN 0-7643-1987-6.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 712. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. pp. 321–322. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
  4. ↑ Surridge, & Dooley, Edward C., ed. (1946). Pictorial History of the 447th Bombardment Group (H). World War II Regimental Histories No. 107. Tampa, FL. p. 18. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  5. ↑ Surridge & Dooley, pp. 19-21
  6. ↑ Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. p. 257. ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
  7. ↑ "Abstract, History 447 Bombardment Group May 1943-Apr 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  8. ↑ "447th Air Expeditionary Group". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Abstract, History 447 Bombardment Group Mar-Jun 1944". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Abstract, History 447 Bombardment Group Apr 1945". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  11. ↑ Surridge & Dooley, pp. 214-215
  12. ↑ "Abstract, Vol. 1 History 349 Airlift Wing 1993". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Lineage information, including assignments, stations and aircraft during World War II in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 712
  14. 1 2 3 4 See "Abstract, Vol. 1 History 349 Airlift Wing 1993". Air Force History Index. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  15. ↑ Station number in Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
  16. ↑ AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits, Vol II Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 30 Sep 1976 , p. 88
  17. 1 2 "Air Force Recognition Programs". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved January 22, 2014.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Further reading

External links

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