736th Bombardment Squadron

The 736th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 454th Bombardment Wing. It was last stationed at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, and was inactivated on 2 July 1969.

History
Established in mid-1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron; trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in January 1944, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force in Southern Italy.

Engaged in very long range strategic bombardment missions against enemy strategic targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and the Balkans until April 1945. Bombed aircraft factories, assembly plants, oil refineries, storage areas, marshalling yards, airdromes, and other objectives until the German Capitulation in May 1945.

Most of squadron was demobilized in Italy in May 1945; returning to United States with skeleton staff. Re-equipped and redesignated a B-29 Superfortress very heavy bomb squadron, and received new personnel. Began training under Second Air Force for planned deployment to the Western Pacific Area (WPA), however Japanese Capitulation in August led to inactivation of squadron in October.

Reactivated in 1947 as a reserve Strategic Air Command B-29 Superfortress squadron; activated in 1951 and squadron aircraft and personnel being sent to Far East Air Forces Bomber Command as replacements. Squadron inactivated after personnel and equipment were deployed. Became a Tactical Air Command reserve Troop Carrier squadron shortly afterward; equipped with surplus C-46 Commandos. Personnel and equipment over by 403d Troop Carrier Wing and inactivated.

Reactivated under Strategic Air Command in 1963, replacing provisional B-52H Stratofortess squadron at Columbus AFB, Mississippi. Performed intercontinental training and deployments, also standing nuclear alert. Beginning in 1966, squadron deployed personnel to forward bases in the Western Pacific, where they engaged in combat missions over Indochina as part of Operation Arc Light.

Inactivated in 1969 when SAC pulled out Columbus and the base became an Air Training Command pilot training base.

Lineage

 * Constituted 736th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 May 1943
 * Activated on 1 Jun 1943
 * Redesignated 736th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 5 Aug 1945
 * Inactivated on 17 Oct 1945


 * Activated in the reserve on 27 Apr 1947
 * Redesignated 736th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 27 Jun 1949
 * Ordered to active service on 1 May 1951
 * Inactivated on 16 Jun 1951


 * Redesignated 736th Troop Carrier Squadron (Medium) on 26 May 1952
 * Activated in the reserve on 13 Jun 1952
 * Inactivated on 1 Jan 1953


 * Redesignated 736th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and activated, on 15 Nov 1962
 * Organized on 1 Feb 1963; assuming aircraft/personnel/equipment of 492d Bombardment Squadron (Inactivated)
 * Inactivated on 2 July 1969

Assignments

 * 454th Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1943-17 Oct 1945; 27 Apr 1947-16 Jun 1951
 * 454th Troop Carrier Group, 13 Jun 1952-1 Jan 1953
 * Strategic Air Command, 15 Nov 1962
 * 454th Bombardment Wing, 1 Feb 1963-2 Jul 1969

Stations

 * Alamogordo AAF, New Mexico, 1 Jun 1943
 * Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 Jul 1943
 * McCook AAF, Nebraska, 30 Jul 1943
 * Charleston AAF, South Carolina, 3 Oct-8 Dec 1943
 * Torretto Airfield, Italy, 16 Jan 1944
 * San Giovanni Airfield, Italy, 24 Jan 1944-Jul 1945
 * Sioux Falls AAF, South Dakota, 1 Aug 1945
 * Pyote AAF, Texas, 17 Aug-17 Oct 1945
 * McChord Field, Washington, 27 Apr 1947
 * Spokane AFB, Washington, 27 Jun 1949-16 Jun 1951
 * Portland International Airport, Oregon, 13 Jun 1952-1 Jan 1953
 * Columbus AFB, Mississippi, 1 Feb 1963-2 Jul 1969

Aircraft

 * B-24 Liberator, 1943-1945
 * B-29 Superfortress, 1949-1951
 * C-46 Commando, 1952-1953
 * B-52 Stratofortress, 1963-1968