484th Bombardment Squadron

The 484th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 505th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Clark Field, Philippines on 10 June 1946.

History
Established in 1917 as the 72d Aero Squadron, was redesignated as the 484th Aero Squadron early in 1918 before being deployed to France. The squadron was a civil engineering organization at the Western Front constructing airfields and related facilities in Zone of Advance during 1918 until the Armistice on 11 November. Remained in France until early 1919 when returned to the United States and demobilized.

B-29 Superfortress operations against Japan
Re-Activated in March 1944 as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North Field Tinian in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. It's mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.

Flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.

The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.

Squadron was largely de-mobilized on Tinian during the fall of 1945. Remained in Western Pacific, assigned to Twentieth Air Force. Moved to Clark Field to the Philippines in March 1946. Inactivated at Clark Field on Luzon on June 15, 1946; its low-hour aircraft flown to storage depots in the United States.

Operations and Decorations

 * Combat Operations: Constructed airfields and related facilities in Zone of Advance, 1 Apr-Nov 1918. Combat in Western Pacific, c. 30 Dec 1944-14 Aug 1945.


 * Campaigns: World War I: St. Mihiel. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific.


 * Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citations: Ota, Japan, 10 Feb 1945; Japan, 17 Jun-1 Jul 1945.

Lineage

 * Organized as 72d Aero Squadron on 15 Aug 1917
 * Redesignated 484th Aero Squadron on 1 Feb 1918
 * Demobilized on 8 Feb 1919


 * Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 484th Bombardment Squadron which was constituted and allotted to the reserve on 31 Mar 1924
 * Activated, date unknown
 * Disbanded on 31 May 1942


 * Reconstituted and consolidated (21 Apr 1944) with 484th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) which was constituted on 28 Feb 1944
 * Activated on 11 Mar 1944
 * Inactivated on 30 Jun 1946

Assignments

 * Unknown, 15 Aug 1947-Mar 1918
 * Advance Section, Service of Supply, Mar 1918
 * United States First Army, 23 Aug 1918
 * United States Second Army, 28 Oct-Nov 1918
 * unknown, Nov 1918-8 Feb 1919
 * Seventh Corps Area, 1924–1942
 * 505th Bombardment Group, 11 Mar 1944-30 Jun 1946

Stations

 * Kelly Field, Texas, 15 Aug 1947
 * Camp Morrison, Virginia, 1 Feb-4 Mar 1918
 * Vinets-sur-Aube, France, 26 Mar 1918
 * Longeaux, France, 15 Jul 1918
 * Lay-St. Remy, France, c. 26 Aug 1918
 * Detachments operated from several points in Toul and Verdun sectors, 1-11 Sep 1918
 * Unit operated from Noviant-aux-Pres and Grosrouvres after 14 Sep 1918


 * Saizerais, France, c. 10 Oct 1918
 * Unit operated from Noviant-aux-Pres and Grosrouvres to 13 Oct 1918
 * Detachments operated from Toul and Manonville, c. 5-c. 21 Nov 1918


 * Colombey-les-Belles, France, 24 Nov 1918
 * Brest, France, 16 Dec 1918-2 Jan 1919
 * Washington, DC, unkn-8 Feb 1919
 * Unknown. 1924-1942
 * Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas, 11 Mar 1944
 * Harvard Army Airfield, Nebraska, 12 Mar-6 Nov 1944
 * North Field, Tinian, 24 Dec 1944-5 Mar 1946
 * Clark Field, Luzon, 14 Mar-30 Jun 1946

Aircraft

 * B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944
 * B-29 Superfortress, 1944–1946