596th Bomb Squadron

The 596th Bomb Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 2d Operations Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana on 1 October 1993.

History
The 596th was established in early 1943 as a B-26 Marauder medium bomber group. Initially it was an Operational Training Unit under the Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. It was realigned as an operational squadron and deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), and assigned to Ninth Air Force in England in early 1944.

Engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy targets in France and the Low Countries in the spring of 1944, also participated in the extensive bombardment of the D-Day invasion area in preparation for the Operation Overlord landings in France. After D-Day, moved from England to Advanced Landing Grounds in France, providing tactical bombardment of enemy strong points as well as bridges, railroads and other targets in support of Allied ground forces during the Northern France Campaign. Supported the Western Allied invasion of Germany during the spring of 1945, continuing combat operations against enemy targets in Germany until the German Capitulation in May 1945. Squadron demobilized in France during the summer of 1945, returning personnel and equipment to the United States. Inactivated as a paper unit during December 1945.

Reactivated as a Strategic Air Command B-52G Stratofortress intercontinental strategic bombardment squadron in 1963 as part of SAC program to provide Major Command controlled units with a combat lineage. It assumed the mission, personnel, and equipment of the 341st Bombardment Squadron, which was inactivated. Carried out operational training missions with the 397th Bombardment Wing at Dow AFB, Maine. Reassigned to Barksdale AFB in April 1968 with the closure of Dow. The squadron deployed aircraft and personnel to the 1708th Bombardment Wing, Provisional at Prince Abdullah AB, Saudi Arabia, from August 1990 to March 1991 for Operation Desert Storm. The 596th was inactivated when it was replaced by the 96th Bomb Squadron on 1 October 1993.

Lineage

 * Constituted as the 596th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 March 1943
 * Activated on 20 April 1943
 * Redesignated 596th Bombardment Squadron, Medium and activated on 15 November 1962
 * Inactivated on 31 December 1945


 * Redesignated 596th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy and activated on 15 November 1962 (not organized)
 * Organized on 1 February 1963


 * Redesignated 596th Bomb Squadron on 1 September 1991
 * Inactivated on 1 October 1993

Assignments

 * 397th Bombardment Group, 20 April 1943 - 31 December 1945
 * Strategic Air Command, 15 November 1962 (not organized)
 * 397th Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963
 * 2d Bombardment Wing, 25 April 1968
 * 2d Operations Group, 1 October 1993

Stations

 * MacDill Field, Florida, 20 April 1943
 * Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida, 14 October 1943
 * Hunter Field, Georgia, 1 Nov 1943-13 March 1944
 * RAF Gosfield (AAF-154), England, 5 April 1944
 * RAF Rivenhall (AAF-168), England, 15 April 1944
 * RAF Hurn (AAF-492), England, 4 August 1944
 * Gorges Airfield (A-26), France, 30 August 1944
 * Dreux/Vernouillet Airfield (A-41), France, c. 16 September 1944


 * Peronne Airfield (A-72), France, c. 8 October 1944
 * Venlo Airfield (Y-55), Netherlands, 25 April 1945
 * Peronne Airfield (A-72), France, 30 May 1945 - c. December 1945
 * Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, 30 - 31 December 1945
 * Dow AFB, Maine, 1 February 1963
 * Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, 25 April 1968 -1 October 1993

Aircraft

 * Martin B-26 Marauder, 1943-1945
 * Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, 1963-1993