46th Bomb Squadron


 * see 22d Tactical Air Support Training Squadron for the World War II 46th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)

The 46th Bomb Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 319th Operations Group. It was last stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, and was inactivated on 1 October 1994.

History
Established in 1947 in the Air Force Reserve as an A-26 Invader (later B-26 Invader) light bomb squadron. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget shortages.

Reactivated in 1962 as a Strategic Air Command B-52H Stratofortress squadron at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota; being a re designation of the 30th Bombardment Squadron when SAC converted its provisional dispersed B-52 squadrons to AFCON squadrons which could carry a combat lineage.

Continued to train in strategic bombardment and participate in SAC exercises; standing nuclear alert. During the Vietnam War, the squadron deployed aircrews and personnel to forward locations in the Western Pacific, participating in Operations Arc Light, Linebacker I and Linebacker II. In 1982 transitioned to the B-52G, and remained on nuclear alert until 1987 when the B-52s were sent to storage.

Re-equipped with the B-1B Lancer in 1987 and flew training missions with conventional and nuclear configurations. Inactivated in 1994 with the drawdown of USAF strategic forces at the end of the Cold War.

Lineage

 * Constituted as 46th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 1 Apr 1947
 * Activated on 16 Apr 1947
 * Inactivated on 2 Sep 1949
 * Activated on 10 Oct 1949
 * Inactivated on 22 Mar 1951


 * Redesignated 46th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 15 Nov 1962
 * Activated on 15 Nov 1962
 * Organized on 1 Feb 1963; receiving personnel/aircraft/equipment from 30th Bombardment Squadron (Inactivated)
 * Redesignated 46th Bomb Squadron on 29 Aug 1991
 * Inactivated on 1 Oct 1994.

Assignments

 * 319th Bombardment Group, 1 Apr 1947-2 Sep 1949; 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951
 * 319th Bombardment Wing, 15 Nov 1962
 * 319th Operations Group, 1 Sep-1 Oct 1994

Stations

 * Mitchel Field, New York, 1 Apr 1947
 * Reading Municipal Airport, Pennsylvania, 27 Jun-2 Sep 1949
 * Birmingham Municipal Airport, Alabama, 10 Oct 1949-22 Mar 1951
 * Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, 1 Nov 1962-1 Oct 1994

Aircraft

 * A-26 Invader, 1947-1951
 * B-52 Stratofortress, 1962-1987
 * B-1B Lancer, 1987-1994