| 30th Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
.jpg) B-52H Stratofortress inSAC nuclear markings as flown by the squadron | |
| Active | 1917–1919; 1932–1944; 1944–1963 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Bombardment |
| Engagements | World War I Southwest Pacific Theater Korean War |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation |
| Insignia | |
| Patch with 30th Bombardment Squadron emblem(approved 8 September 1953)[1] |  |
| 30th Bombardment Squadron emblem(approved 9 January 1933)[2] |  |
The30th Bombardment Squadron is aUnited States Air Force unit. On 19 September 1985 it was consolidated with theUSAF Air Demonstration Squadron, also known as theUnited States Air Force Thunderbirds. Thesquadron was first activated in 1917 when the United States enteredWorld War I as the30th Aero Squadron. It deployed to France in the fall of 1917 and served as a construction unit throughout the war, returning to the United States at the end of 1918 fordemobilization. It was reconstituted as the30th Bombardment Squadron in March 1923 and served with reserve personnel during the decade. In 1932, the squadron became a regular unit, serving at bases in California.[3]
The squadron, which had equipped with early models of theBoeing B-17 Flying Fortress, deployed to the Philippines in the fall of 1941 to reinforce the American garrison there. The squadron's base at Clark Field wasattacked on 8 December 1941. During the month of December, the squadron withdrew through the Philippines toDarwin, Australia, although it continued to stage through Philippine bases through the spring of 1942.[4] In late 1942, the squadron was withdrawn from combat and reformed as anOperational Training Unit. In April 1944, the squadron began training withBoeing B-29 Superfortresses and deployed again to the Pacific, where it participated in thestrategic bombing campaign against Japan until the end of the war.
FollowingV-J Day, the squadron remained onGuam until the outbreak of theKorean War, when it moved to Okinawa to reinforce the bomber forces ofFar East Air Forces.[5] In 1954, after the armistice that ended hostilities in Korea, the squadron returned to the United States, where it became an element ofStrategic Air Command (SAC), flyingBoeing B-47 Stratojets, thenBoeing B-52 Stratofortresses. When SAC dispersed its B-52 force to reduce vulnerability to Soviet missile attack, the squadron moved toGrand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota as part of the4133d Strategic Wing. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963, when SAC discontinued itsMAJCON combat wings and their subordinate units and replaced them with wings that could continue their histories.[6]
The squadron's history dates to 13 June 1917 when the30th Aero Squadron was organized at Camp Kelly (laterKelly Field, Texas, less than a month after the United States' entry intoWorld War I. Most of the men of the squadron arrived at Kelly Field when it was nothing but a sand heap and a few tents and their first job was to dig trenches around the field for water and utility lines. The men received their indoctrination into the Army as soldiers, standing guard duty and other rudimentary duties. The lack of sanitary facilities and uniforms meant most men worked in the civilian clothing they arrived in and slept in them without bathing until latrines and washing facilities were constructed.[7][8]
On 11 August 1917, the squadron received orders for overseas duty, and it traveled by train toFort Totten, New York in preparation for service in France. On 22 August they were transported to the port of embarkation atHoboken, New Jersey, and boarded theRMSBaltic. The next day, they left forHalifax, Nova Scotia where theBaltic anchored awaiting for a convoy. On 5 September, the convoy was formed and the trans-Atlantic journey began.[7]
On the night of 14 September, an accompanyingdestroyer spotted a submarine periscope and fired two red rockets as a warning. As the destroyer dropped depth charges, theBaltic made a sudden turn to port that caused both men and anything loose aboard the ship to move. A large explosion was heard and everyone on board was ordered to report to their assignedlifeboats. A torpedo had struck the ship, but it had only made a glancing blow on the bow. The ship's emergency pumps were working and there was no danger.[7]
The next morning the ship arrived atLiverpool, England, the squadrons on theBaltic being the first American airmen to land there. The 30th boarded a train toSouthampton, where it was stationed at a rest camp. At Southampton, fifty men of the squadron were detached to theRoyal Flying Corps for three months training as aircraft mechanics. The remainder of the squadron proceeded to France. The squadron arrived atLe Havre, then continued by train to theEtampes aerodrome, France, arriving on the 18th. At Étampes, ten more men of the squadron were taken out and sent to Lyons, where they took a ten-week course inLe Rhone andHispano-Suiza aircraft engines.[7]
On 23 September, the remainder of the squadron moved toIssoudun Aerodrome, France, for the construction of an American school and severalairfields. What became theThird Aviation Instruction Center would be the largest airfield in the world at the time, its mission was to train Americanpursuit pilots to enter combat over the front against Germanaviators. As was the case at Kelly Field earlier, the men went to work in various construction tasks, and were joined by several other squadrons in their work. A power grid was installed along with various water and telephone lines. Streets were laid down and various wooden buildings were erected.[7]
The squadron began to work on what was later the largest machine shops of theAmerican Expeditionary Forces. The shop began as a simple hangar. As various equipment and specialized tools arrived the shop expanded until it could accommodate the large number of aircraft engines that were arriving. Members of the 30th Squadron worked in most of the shops of the school, assembling newly arrived aircraft, working on engines, machine guns and in the warehouses, stocking and receiving parts and other supplies. By the time of the Armistice on 11 November, the men of the squadron held responsible positions in many of the support areas of the center.[7]
The 30th remained at Issodun until the end of December 1918 when orders were received to proceed to the 1st Air Depot atColombey-les-Belles Airdrome, France. From Colombey, the squadron was moved to a staging camp under the Services of Supply atBordeaux, France, in January waiting for a date to report to a base port for transportation home. In mid-March, the squadron boarded a troop ship, arriving in New York on 5 April. From there, the 30th moved toMitchel Field, New York where the men were demobilized and returned to civilian life.[7][9][8]
The squadron was reconstituted as the30th Bombardment Squadron on 24 March 1923 and assigned to the7th Bombardment Group in inactive status. In June 1926, it was organized as a Regular Army Inactive (RAI) unit,[note 1] atLangley Field, Virginia, with its personnel serving as associates of the20th Bombardment Squadron there. This organization lasted only a few months, and in February 1927, the reservists were withdrawn from the unit, and it was reassigned fromThird Corps Area to Ninth Corps Area. On 15 January 1930, it was again organized as an RAI unit, training at Kelly Field.[10]
On 24 June 1932 the reservists assigned to the squadron were withdrawn and it was activated atRockwell Field, California and assigned to the19th Bombardment Group. At Rockwell, the squadron was equipped with a variety of amphibious aircraft and light bombers.[1] The squadron moved on 25 October 1935 toMarch Field, California when the Army and the Navy executed an agreement that transferred Rockwell and two other Army fields to the Navy.[11] At March, the squadron transitioned to theMartin B-10 bomber.[1] It participated in1st Wing maneuvers in 1935 and 1938 andGeneral Headquarters Air Force maneuvers in 1938. It also participated in joint exercises, including coastal defense exercises in 1937, an antiaircraft exercise in Pennsylvania in 1939 and an amphibious landing exercise nearFort Ord, California in 1940.[12]
The 30th became a heavy bombardment squadron in December 1939 when it received its firstBoeing B-17B Flying Fortresses. The B-17B was the first production version of the Flying Fortress, and the squadron was upgraded to the faster and better-armed B-17C in late 1940, and to the B-17D in 1941.[citation needed] Its primary mission was to train pilots and navigators in heavy bomber operations. In May 1941 the squadron ferried Flying Fortresses toHickam Field, Hawaii to transfer them to the11th Bombardment Group. The squadron remained in Hawaii for two weeks to train the 11th's aircrews on their new planes. This mission also provided the squadron with experience in long range overwater flights that would prove valuable in a few short months.[13]
In October, the squadron, along with the93d Bombardment Squadron and headquarters of the 19th Group undertook the first mass flight across the Pacific, as they flew to reinforce American forces in the Philippines. The 30th was in the lead for this movement, with all but one of the group's planes in place at its new station,Clark Field, onLuzon by 10 November. The 10,000-mile trip had been conducted almost entirely over water. The squadron's ground echelon was already at Clark, having sailed on theUSAT Willard A. Holbrook on 6 October.[14] When the 19th Bombardment Group arrived in the Philippines, it absorbed the two bomber squadrons already there, the14th and28th Bombardment Squadrons. The 28th was equipped with obsolescent planes and the decision was made to evenly distribute the group's B-17s among its squadrons. As a result, in November, the squadron lost two of its Flying Fortresses and absorbed aircrews with no experience on the B-17.[15]
The 30th Bombardment Squadron had its B-17D aircraft on the line at Clark Field on 8 December 1941 when word was received at headquarters from Hawaii about 0400 of theJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor.[note 3] A little before 0800, the radar atIba Airfield informed the Air Warning Service atNielson Field that at least 30 Japanese aircraft were flying south over Luzon apparently headed for Clark Field.[16] Immediate orders were to prepare the squadron's planes for attack, but that no offensive action could be taken until they were fired upon. In order to prevent them from being destroyed on the ground by a Japanese air attack, at about 0800, the 30th's planes began to launch, with orders to remain in the area on the Clark tower radio frequency. By 1030 Japanese bombers had attackedPhilippine Air Force bases, and the airborne B-17s returned to Clark.[17]
By 1200, orders had finally arrived for the squadron to prepare to attack targets onFormosa.[18] By 1230, plans for the attack on Formosa were being made and the squadron's planes were nearly loaded with bombs. At about this time, high altitude Japanese bombers struck Clark, followed shortly bystrafing fighters. Although the bombers did little damage to the squadron's planes, the strafing fighters destroyed or damaged all of the B-17s on the field.[19] Some of the squadron's enlisted men worked the guns on parked bombers in an attempt to use them against the strafing fighters. Within the next few days ground crews were able to patch together two or three B-17s from damaged and destroyed Flying Forts.[20]
On 10 December, the 19th Group's B-17s from its two squadrons atDel Monte Airfield staged through Clark to attack Japanese shipping. A B-17C flown by one of the squadron's pilots, CaptainColin P. Kelly dropped bombs from high altitude on what the crew thought to be a Japanese battleship. Hits were recorded, and an explosion was observed. Kelly's plane was immediately attacked byMitsubishi A6M Zeroes, one of which was flown bySaburo Sakai, who was later to become a famous ace. Kelly guided his heavily damaged plane back towards Clark Field. He ordered the crew to parachute to safety, but before Kelly himself could leave, the aircraft exploded and Kelly was killed. Capt Kelly was awarded theDistinguished Service Cross for this mission.[21] The mission of 10 December would be the last flown from Clark. Only two more would be flown from Del Monte before the squadron withdrew toBatchelor Airfield, about 45 miles south of Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory.[1]
The ground crews of the squadron at Clark were no longer needed to support the few planes left and were transferred to5th Interceptor Command, and fought as infantry duringBattle of Bataan. After their surrender, they were subjected to theBataan Death March, although some did escape to Australia and some presumably fought on as unorganized guerrilla forces during the Japanese occupation.[22]
The decimated 19th Bombardment Group in Australia considered itself fortunate to launch eight or nine planes, less than the strength of a single squadron from Australia. In January 1942, the heavy bomber force began to grow, as it was reinforced by the four squadrons of the7th Bombardment Group for attacks fromSingosari Airfield near Malang, Java, in the Netherlands East Indies.[23] The squadron officially moved to Singosari on the last day of 1941. Operating with whatever bombers were available, the squadron probably operated withB-24 and LB-30 Liberators during its time in Java. Its attacks on Japanese forces moving forward through the Philippines and Netherlands East Indies earned it twoDistinguished Unit Citations to add to the one it had been awarded for its actions in the Philippines and the one the squadron ground echelon was earning at Bataan. However, by late February, the position of Allied forces in Java had become untenable, and the squadron was evacuated on 2 March back to Australia when the Japanese defeated Allied ground forces in the Dutch East Indies.[1]
The 30th was sent to NorthernQueensland where it operated fromCloncurry andLongreach Airports. From Longreach, the squadron participated in theBattle of the Coral Sea in May 1942, and raided enemy transportation and communications targets as well as troop concentrations during the Japanese invasion ofPapua New Guinea. Moving toMareeba Airfield, along the coast of the Coral Sea in Queensland, the squadron bombed enemy airdromes, ground installations, and shipping nearRabaul, New Britain in August 1942. The squadron earned another DUC for these operations.[24]
By late 1942, theArmy Air Forces decided that no more B-17s would be sent to the Pacific, and that units would be withdrawn or re-equipped with the longer-ranged B-24 Liberator.[25] The men of the 30th Bombardment Squadron left Mareeba Airfield on 10 November 1942, and returned to the United States after nearly a year of continuous combat.[1]
The squadron arrived at its new base atPocatello Army Air Field, Idaho, where it became a B-17Replacement Training Unit (RTU). The RTU was an oversized unit to train individualpilots andaircrews for combat units.[26] The squadron continued its training mission when it moved toPyote Army Air Base, Texas in January 1943. However, theArmy Air Forces was finding that standard military units, which were organized based on relatively inflexibletables of organization were not proving well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, it adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[27] The squadron was inactivated on 1 April 1944 and its assets and those of other units at Pyote were transferred to the 236th AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Unit, Bombardment), which was organized the same day.[1]
The squadron was activated with new personnel atGreat Bend Army Air Field, Kansas the same day it was inactivated at Pyote. At Great Bend, the squadron began training as aBoeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron. It completed training by the end of the year and deployed toNorth Field, Guam, arriving in January 1945. The squadron flew its first combat mission on 12 February 1945 against a Japanese airfield onRota and began participating in thestrategic bombing campaign against Japan with a mission toTokyo on 25 February.[5]
The squadron initially conducted high altitude daylight raids against strategic targets in Japan such as aircraft factories, chemical plants, and oil refineries.[24] The results of high altitude B-29 raids on Japan, however, were disappointing. More than a month after a raid on 19 January 1945, no mission had been able to bomb visually, and radar bombing results were unsatisfactory. Low altitude night area attacks with incendiaries promised better results, and the squadron began the switch with the launch of a raid against Tokyo on 9 March 1945.[28] On 11 March, the squadron attackedNagoya. Six high altitude raids on aircraft production facilities there had failed to inflict significant damage. Although no aircraft factories were taken out of production by this attack, the Aichi plant was damaged enough to reduce its production.[29] A raid onOsaka followed on 13 March. Cloud cover forced the squadron to use radar bombing, but over 100 manufacturing facilities were destroyed in the raid.[30][note 5]Kobe was attacked on the 13th and a return to Nagoya occurred on the 19th.[31] Its participation in these raids earned the squadron another DUC.[24] The squadron earned another DUC for a low altitude daylight attack against Kobe on 5 June, which was heavily opposed by Japanese fighters. This attack eliminated Kobe as a target for future incendiary attacks.[24][32]
During April and May 1945, the squadron was diverted from the strategic campaign against Japan to supportOperation Iceberg, the invasion ofOkinawa. It struck air bases from whichkamikaze attacks were being launched. Many of these bases were located onKyushu, only 300 miles from Okinawa. The attacks directly impacted kamikaze launches, but also forced the Japanese military to retain fighter aircraft to defend theJapanese Special Attack Units that otherwise might have been used to challengeair superiority over Okinawa.[32][note 6]
After the Japanese surrender, the squadron flewairlift missions, dropping supplies toprisoners of war and participated inshow of force missions over Japan.[24]
FollowingV-J Day, the squadron remained on Guam as part of the 19th Bombardment Group. It was still stationed there whenKorean People's Army forces attacked across the38th Parallel. On 27 June, the squadron along with combat and maintenance elements of the19th Bombardment Wing toKadena Air Base, Okinawa as the first B-29 units to participate in theKorean War. It operated under the control of the provisionalFar East Air Forces Bomber Command after 8 July, when it combined with B-29 units deployed fromStrategic Air Command (SAC). It attacked petroleum storage facilities, and supported ground troops by attacks on the bridges over theHan River. It also struck targets in North Korea, particularly afterUnited Nations troops advanced. Including port facilities atWonsan,Yonpo Airfield and industrial and hydroelectric facilities, in addition toair interdiction targets.[33] The squadron earned an additional DUC for its actions in the first two months of the war.[1]
In June 1953, 19th Wingheadquarters moved on paper from Anderson Air Force Base to Kadena, replacing the 19th Group.[34] The squadron was assigned directly to the wing. The squadron remained on Kadena until 16 May 1954.[1]
In 1954, the squadron ferried its B-29s toDavis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona for storage. It continued without aircraft toPinecastle Air Force Base, Florida, arriving in on 30 May. At Pinecastle, it reformed as aBoeing B-47 Stratojet unit, drawing some of its first aircraft from the 4240th Flying Training Wing, which was inactivated on 1 June, and which had been a training unit for B-47s at Pinecastle. After training with the Stratojets at Pinecastle, the squadron moved toHomestead Air Force Base, Florida.[34]
The squadron deployed its B-47s with the entire wing to Morocco twice. It deployed from Pinecastle toSidi Slimane Air Base from January to April 1956, and from Homestead toBen Guerir Air Base from May to July 1957. After July 1957 the squadron began to participate inOperation Reflex, which placed Stratojets andBoeing KC-97s onalert at overseas bases for 90-day periods, although individuals rotated back to home bases during unit Reflex deployments[35] The squadron continued to deploy its bombers until 1961.[34][36] Starting in 1958, the squadron also began to assume an alert posture at its home base, reducing the amount of time it spent on alert overseas.[37][38]
In 1961, the 19th Bombardment Wing began converting from the B-47 to theBoeing B-52H Stratofortress. However,Strategic Air Command (SAC) determined to disperse its B-52 force to reduce its vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike[39] SAC bases with large concentrations of bombers made attractive targets. SAC's response was to break up its wings and scatter their aircraft over a larger number of bases.[40] As part of this program, the 30th moved toGrand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota and became part of the4133d Strategic Wing to complete its transition to the new bombers.[1] Once it was combat ready, its alert commitment was increased to half the squadron's aircraft.[38]
The squadron conducted worldwide strategic bombardment training missions and provided a nuclear deterrent. As tensions heightened during theCuban Missile Crisis, on 24 October 1962, SAC went toDEFCON 2, placing all its combat aircraft on alert.[41] On 21 November SAC returned to normal airborne alert posture and reduced its readiness status to DEFCON 3. On 27 November SAC returned to normal alert posture.[42] The 4133d Wing was aMajor Command controlled wing, which could not carry a permanent history or lineage,[43] and SAC wanted to replace it with a permanent unit. As a result, SAC activated the319th Bombardment Wing at Grand Forks.[44][45] The 30th inactivated and transferred its mission, personnel and equipment to the46th Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.[46]
On 19 September 1985 the Air Force consolidated the 30th Bombardment Squadron with theUSAF Air Demonstration Squadron, the USAF Thunderbirds, which had been organized on 25 February 1957.[45]
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Distinguished Unit Citation | 7 December 1941–10 May 1942 | Philippine Islands, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 8–22 December 1941 | Philippine Islands, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 1 January–1 March 1942 | Philippines and Netherlands Indies, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 6 January–8 March 1942 | Philippine Islands, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 23 July–c. 10 November 1942 | Papua, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 7–12 August 1942 | New Britain, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 9–19 March 1945 | Japan, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 5 June 1945 | Kobe, Japan, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 28 June–15 September 1950 | Korea, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
_Streamer.png) | Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation | 8 December 1941-10 May 1942 | Philippines, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
 | Korean Presidential Unit Citation | 7 Ju1y 1950–27 July 1953 | Korea, 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Theater of Operations | 19 November 1917 – 11 November 1918 | 30th Aero Squadron[1] |
.png) | American Theater without inscription | 9 December 1942 – 8 December 1944 | 30th Bombardment Squadrpm[48] |
 | Air Combat, Asiatic–Pacific Theater | 7 December 1941 – 10 November 1942, 15 January 1945 – 2 March 1946 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Philippine Islands | 7 December 1941 – 10 May 1942 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| East Indies | 1 January 1942 – 22 July 1942 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Guadalcanal | 7 August 1942 – 21 February 1943 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Papua | 23 July 1942 – 10 November 1942 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Air Offensive, Japan | 15 January 1945 – 2 September 1945 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Western Pacific | 17 April 1945 – 2 September 1945 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
 | UN Defensive | 27 June 1950 – 15 September 1950 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| UN Offensive | 16 September 1950 – 2 November 1950 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| CCF Intervention | 3 November 1950 – 24 January 1951 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| 1st UN Counteroffensive | 25 January 1951 – 21 April 1951 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| CCF Spring Offensive | 22 April 1951 – 9 July 1951 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| UN Summer-Fall Offensive | 9 July 1951 – 27 November 1951 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Second Korean Winter | 28 November 1951 – 30 April 1952 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Korea Summer-Fall 1952 | 1 May 1952 – 30 November 1952 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
| Third Korean Winter | 1 December 1952 – 30 April 1953 | 30th Bombardment Squadron[1] |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
| Leadership |  | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure |
| ||||||||||
| Personnel and training | |||||||||||
| Uniforms and equipment | |||||||||||
| History and traditions |
| ||||||||||
| Bases (current) |    | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units (current) |
| ||||||||||||||
| Units (wartime) |
| ||||||||||||||
| Airfields |
| .png) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units |
| ||||||||||
| Airfields |  | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units |
| ||||||||||||||
Previously: Philippine Department Air Force (1941); Far East Air Force (1941-1942) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Airfields |
| .svg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Units |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
