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733rd Military Airlift Squadron

(Redirected from 333d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron)

The 733rd Military Airlift Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was activated as the 333rd Bombardment Squadron during World War II. After training in the United States, it deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation. It was inactivated in England following V-E Day.

733d Military Airlift Squadron
Air Force Reserve C-124 Globemaster
Active1942–1945; 1947–1951; 1952–1955; 1957–1973
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleAirlift
Motto(s)The Only Way to Fly[1]
EngagementsEuropean Theater of Operations[1]
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation[1]
Insignia
Patch with 733d Troop Carrier Squadron emblem[note 1][1]
333d Bombardment Squadron emblem World War II[2]
World War II Fuselage code[2]TS

The squadron was reactivated in reserve in 1947. In 1951,it was mobilized for the Korean War, but was soon inactivated and its personnel used as fillers for other units. It was reactivated in reserve in June 1952. In 1957, it became the 733rd Troop Carrier Squadron. It was again mobilized in 1962, and continued to serve as a reserve airlift unit until it was inactivated at Hill Air Force Base, Utah on 1 January 1973.

History

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World War II

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Initial organization and training

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The squadron was activated at MacDill Field, Florida, on 15 June 1942 as the 332nd Bombardment Squadron, one of the original squadrons of the 94th Bombardment Group. The AAF had decided to concentrate training of heavy bomber units under Second Air Force,[3] and the squadron moved to Pendleton Field, Oregon, one of that command's bases, two weeks later to begin training with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.[1][4] The squadron cadre received its initial training at Pendleton. It moved to different bases for Phase I (individual training) and Phase II (crew training), completing Phase III (unit training) at Pueblo Army Air Base, Colorado.[1][5] The air echelon of the squadron began ferrying their aircraft to the European Theater of Operations around the first of April 1943. The ground echelon left Pueblo on 18 April for Camp Kilmer, New Jersey and the New York Port of Embarkation on 18 April. They sailed aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 5 May, arriving in Scotland on 13 May.[6]

Combat in the European Theater

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Squadron orderly room[note 2]

The squadron began assembling at RAF Earls Colne in mid May, but Eighth Air Force decided to transfer its new Martin B-26 Marauder units from VIII Bomber Command to VIII Air Support Command and concentrate them on bases closer to the European continent. As a result, the 323d Bombardment Group moved to Earls Colne on 14 June, forcing the 94th Group and its squadrons to relocate to RAF Bury St. Edmunds, which would be its combat station for the rest of the war.[7] It flew its first combat mission (and what would be its only mission from Earls Colne) on 13 June against the airfield at Saint-Omer, France. Until the end of the war, the squadron participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It attacked port facilities at Saint Nazaire, shipyards at Kiel, an aircraft plant at Kassel, oil facilities at Merseburg and ball bearing facilities at Eberhausen.[4]

During an attack on the Messerschmitt factory at Regensberg on 17 August 1943, the squadron was without escort after its escorting Republic P-47 Thunderbolts reached the limit of their range. It withstood repeated attacks, first by enemy Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 interceptors, then by Messerschmitt Bf 110 and Junkers Ju 88 night fighters, to strike its target, earning its first Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). This was a "shuttle" mission, with the squadron recovering on bases in north Africa, rather than returning to England.[4][8]

On 11 January 1944, it attacked a Messerschmitt aircraft parts manufacturing plant at Brunswick/Waggum Airfield. Weather conditions deteriorated during the flight to the target, preventing part of the escorting fighters from reaching the bombers and resulting in the squadron's bombers being recalled. However, the wing leader was unable to authenticate the recall message and continued to the target. In contrast, fair weather to the east of the target permitted the Luftwaffe to concentrate its fighter defenses into one of its largest defensive formations since October 1943. Despite heavy flak in the target area, the squadron bombed accurately and earned its second DUC for this action.[4][9] The squadron participated in Big Week, the concentrated campaign against the German aircraft manufacturing industry from 20 to 25 February 1944. It bombed transportation, communication and petroleum industrial targets during Operation Lumberjack the final push across the Rhine and into Germany.[4]

The squadron was occasionally diverted from its strategic mission to perform air support and interdiction missions. In the preparation for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, it flew Operation Crossbow attacks on V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket launch sites. On D-Day, it attacked enemy positions near the beachhead. It attacked enemy troops and artillery batteries during Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo in July 1944, and at Brest, France the following month. It attacked marshalling yards, airfields and strong points near the battlefield during the Battle of the Bulge in late December 1944 through early January 1945.[4]

The squadron flew its last mission on 21 April 1945.[6] Following V-E Day it dropped leaflets to displaced persons and German civilians on what were called "Nickling" flights The squadron was scheduled to be part of the occupation forces, but those plans were cancelled in September 1945. Starting in November, its planes were transferred to other units or flown back to the United States. Its remaining personnel sailed on the SS Lake Champlain on 12 December 1945. Upon reaching the Port of Embarkation, the squadron was inactivated.[1][6][4]

Air Force reserve

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The squadron was again activated under Air Defense Command (ADC) at Marietta Army Air Field, Georgia in May 1947 as a air reserve unit and again assigned to the 94th Bombardment Group. Although nominally a very heavy bomber unit, It is not clear whether or not the squadron was fully staffed or equipped.[10] In 1948 Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.[11] As Greenville was scheduled to go into standby status and as the reserves reorganized under the Wing Base Organization, the squadron moved to join its parent wing at Marietta.[1]

 
Air reserve B-26

In June 1949, the squadron was redesignated as a light bomber unit.[1] Reserve wings were authorized four operational squadrons, rather than the three of active duty wings. However, the squadrons were manned at 25% of normal strength.[12] The squadron began to equip with the Douglas B-26 Invader. All reserve combat units were mobilized for the Korean War.[13] The 331st was called to active duty on 10 March 1951. Its personnel and equipment were used to bring other units up to strength, and the squadron was inactivated ten days later.[1][14][15]

Reactivated in the reserves in 1952 as a tactical reconnaissance squadron. Inactivated in 1955, but reactivated in 1957 as a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar squadron; Activated during Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962; returned to reserve status after crisis was resolved. Equipped with Douglas C-124 Globemaster II strategic transports and performed strategic airlift until inactivated in 1973 with the final phaseout of the C-124.

Lineage

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  • Constituted as the 333d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
Activated on 15 June 1942
Redesignated 333d Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 1 December 1945
  • Redesignated 333d Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 13 May 1947
Activated in the reserve on 29 May 1947
Redesignated 333d Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 June 1949
Ordered to active service on 10 March 1951
Inactivated on 20 March 1951
  • Redesignated 333d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron on 26 May 1952
Activated in the reserve on 14 June 1952
Inactivated on 18 May 1955
  • Redesignated 733d Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 24 October 1957
Activated in the reserve on 16 November 1957
Ordered to active service on 28 October 1962
Relieved from active duty on 28 November 1962[16]
Redesignated 733d Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) on 1 January 1966
Inactivated on 1 January 1973

Assignments

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Stations

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Aircraft

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  • Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1945
  • Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1962–1965[16]
  • Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, 1965–1973

References

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Notes

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Explanatory notes
  1. ^ Approved 22 April 1960. Description: On an Air Force blue disc bordered Air Force golden yellow, two white cloud formations surmounted by an Air Force golden yellow Western Airlines TV bird in profile, resting comfortably against a white pillow as he sits in a chair, a helmet on his head, a cigarette in holder in his right hand, and with his left hand supporting a rifle against his left shoulder, all golden brown, all atop the tail section of an aircraft issuing from base, the tail fin rising in sinister white, shaded silver-gray; Outline and details Air Force blue throughout.
  2. ^ This image depicts another squadron emblem. This version was apparently used earlier, but neither version received official approval. Watkens, pp. 40–41.
Citations
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 410–411
  2. ^ a b Watkins, pp. 40–41
  3. ^ White, pp. 11-13, 27
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 162-163
  5. ^ White, pp. 27-28
  6. ^ a b c Freeman, p. 245
  7. ^ Freeman, p. 50
  8. ^ Freeman, p. 68
  9. ^ Freeman, pp. 104-105
  10. ^ See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 407-408 (no aircraft listed as assigned to the squadron)
  11. ^ "Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command". Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  12. ^ Cantwell, p. 74
  13. ^ Cantwell, p. 87
  14. ^ Cantwell, pp. 97, 137
  15. ^ Ravenstein, pp.132-133
  16. ^ a b c Lineage information, including assignments and aircraft through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 410–411.
  17. ^ Station number in Anderson, p. 25.
  18. ^ Station number in Anderson, p. 31.
  19. ^ Station information through May 1963 in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 410–411, except as noted.

Bibliography

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

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