878th Bombardment Squadron

The 878th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was activated in November 1943, equipped with Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers, and assigned to the 499th Bombardment Group. After training in the United States, it deployed to Saipan, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations. After V-J Day, it returned to the United States, where it was inactivated at March Field, California on 16 February 1946.

878th Bombardment Squadron
499th Group B-29 Superfortress over Mount Fuji in 1945
Active1943-1946
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleHeavy bomber
EngagementsPacific Ocean Theater of World War II
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation
Insignia
878th Bombardment Squadron emblem[lower-alpha 1][1]

History

The squadron was activated at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona in November 1943 as one of the original four squadrons of the 499th Bombardment Group. Ten days later, a cadre moved to Smoky Hill Army Air Field, Kansas to begin Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bomber training. The 878th trained in Kansas with early model B-29s, with frequent delays in training due to modifications of the aircraft correcting production deficiencies. When training was completed. the squadron moved to its combat base, Isely Field, Saipan, in the Mariana Islands in July 1944.[1][2]

The squadron did not arrive at its combat station until September 1944.[1] The squadron's first missions were flown against targets on Iwo Jima and Truk Island. On 24 November 1944, the squadron participated in the first raid on Japan by bombers based in the Mariana Islands. The squadron initially engaged in high altitude daylight attacks against industrial targets in Japan, It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for an attack on the Mitsubishi engine manufacturing plant in Nagoya on 23 January 1945.[2]

In March 1945, the tactics of Twentieth Air Force changed and the squadron began flying low level night attacks with incendiaries against area targets. The squadron was diverted from strategic operations when it conducted a series of raids on airfields in Kyushu to support Operation Iceberg, the landings on Okinawa in April 1945. The squadron earned a second DUC for this support. The squadron also dropped propaganda leaflets in enemy territory. After V-J Day, the squadron dropped food and supplies to Allied prisoners of war. It remained on Saipan until November and reassembled at March Field, California, where it was inactivated in February 1946.[1][2]

Lineage
  • Constituted as the 878th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 19 November 1943
Activated on 20 November 1943
Inactivated on 16 February 1946[1]

Assignments
  • 499th Bombardment Group, 20 November 1943 – 16 February 1946[1]

Stations

Aircraft

Awards and campaigns
Award streamerAwardDatesNotes
Distinguished Unit Citation23 January 1945Nagoya, Japan, 878th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Distinguished Unit Citation22–28 April 1945Japan, 878th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Campaign Streamer Campaign Dates Notes
Air Offensive, Japan22 September 1944–2 September 1945878th Bombardment Squadron[1]
Western Pacific17 April 1945–2 September 1945878th Bombardment Squadron[1]

See also

References

Notes
Explanatory notes
  1. Approved 8 September 1945. Description: On a light turquoise blue disc, border white, edged black, a caricatured, red pack horse facing to dexter, winged white, snorting flames from the nostrils, and having three, brown aerial bombs strapped on back by a brown and yellow band, all in front of a large white cloud formation; in dexter fess a yellow-orange five-point star, edged black.
Citations
  1. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 795
  2. Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 565-566

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

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