441st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron
| 441st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron | |
|---|---|
|
Emblem of the 441st Bombardment Squadron (B-52 era) | |
| Active | 1942-1989 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Type | Bombardment |
The 441st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron is a potentially active United States Air Force unit. Its known assignment was to the 320th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Mather Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 30 September 1989.
History
Established in mid-1942 as a B-26 Marauder medium bomber group. Trained under Third Air Force in Florida, deployed to England under the VIII Air Support Command, 3d Bombardment Wing.
Operated against targets on the continent during early fall of 1942; deployed to North Africa as part of Twelfth Air Force after Operation Torch landings in Algeria in November. Flew tactical bombing missions against Axis forces in North Africa until the end of the Tunisian Campaign in May 1943. Participated in the Sicilian and Italian Campaigns; liberation of Corsica and Sardinia and the Invasion of Southern France. Supported Allied ground forces in the Western Allied Invasion of Germany, spring 1945 and becoming part of the United States Air Forces in Europe Army of Occupation in Germany, fall 1945. Personnel demobilized in Germany and the squadron inactivated as a paper unit in December 1945.
Reactivated in the reserves in 1947. Never manned or equipped. Reactivated in 1952 as a B-47 Stratojet squadron,. Initially equipped with prototypes of the Boeing RB-47B Stratojet (YRB-47) to perform long-range photo-reconnaissance with a flight of B-29 Superfortress bombers assigned. In November 1953 began to receive production B-47E medium bomber aircraft; prototype reconnaissance aircraft already received exchanged for medium bomber versions. Participated in SAC REFLEX deployments to Europe and North Africa throughout the 1950s.
Squadron placed on non-operational status, 16 September 1960 and B-47 aircraft sent to storage at Davis-Monthan as part of phaseout of B-47. Remained as a paper unit while parent 320th Bombardment Wing in inactive status, 16 September 1960 – 15 November 1962. Reorganized and activated as a B-52F Stratofortress heavy bombardment squadron after 4134th Strategic Wing was redesignated as 320th Bombardment Wing, and 72d Bombardment Squadron of 4134th SW redesignated as 441st Bombardment Squadron. Operated B-52Fs until 1968 standing SAC nuclear alert duties, then upgraded to B-52G models. Performed rotational deployments to Western Pacific with B-52Gs, engaging in Arc Light combat missions over Indochina during Vietnam War. Maintained conventional bombing capabilities after end of United States involvement in Vietnam War until inactivation in 1989 as part of retirement of B-52G.
The squadron designation was converted to provisional status after 11 September 2001; being redesignated as the 441st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron (441 AEAS) and allocated to Air Education and Training Command. The 441 AEAS is deployed to Afghanistan as part of the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group and performs an advisory training mission for Afghanistan Air Force personnel at Kandahar Airfield. The lineage between the 441 AEAS and the 441st Bombardment Squadron has not been determined.
Lineage
- Constituted 441st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 19 June 1942
- Activated on 1 July 1942
- Inactivated on 6 December 1945
- Redesignated 441st Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 26 May 1947
- Activated in the reserve on 9 July 1947
- Inactivated on 27 June 1949
- Redesignated 441st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) and activated, on 1 December 1952
- Placed on non-operational status 15 September 1960
- Redesignated 441st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 15 November 1962
- Organized and activated on 1 February 1963, absorbing aircraft/equipment/personnel of 72d Bombardment Squadron
- Inactivated on 30 September 1989
- Redesignated 441st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron after September 2001
Assignments
- 320th Bombardment Group, 1 July 1942 – 4 December 1945
- 320th Bombardment Group, 9 July 1947 – 27 June 1949
- 320th Bombardment Wing, 1 December 1952
- Department of the Air Force, 15 September 1960 (Non-Operational)
- Strategic Air Command, 15 November 1962 (Non-Operational)
- 320th Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1989
Stations
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Aircraft
- B-26 Marauder, 1942–1945
- B-29 Superfortress, 1952–1953
- YRB-47B Stratojet, 1953
- B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1960
- Boeing B-52F Stratofortress (1963–1968)
- Boeing B-52G Stratofortress (1968–1989)
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
