515th Bombardment Squadron

The 515th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 376th Bombardment Wing, stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. It was inactivated on 9 January 1962.

History
Established in the Middle East during late 1942 to aid British Forces during the Western Desert Campaign. Initially equipped with obsolete B-17C/D Flying Fortresses transferred from Tenth Air Force. Replaced with B-24 Liberators flown from Florida via South America; over to then across Central Africa then north to Egypt in early 1943. Became part of United States Middle East Air Forces (USMEAF), later Ninth Air Force.

Operating from bases in British Palestine, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, attacked shipping in the Mediterranean and harbor installations in Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy to cut enemy supply lines to North Africa. Struck airdromes, marshalling yards, and other objectives in Sicily and Italy after the fall of Tunisia in May 1943. Reassigned to Fifteenth Air Force in late 1943, and moved to southern Italy. Squadron flew long range strategic bombardment missions to targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans to bomb factories, marshalling yards, oil refineries, oil storage facilities, airdromes, bridges, harbors, and other objectives.

Demobilized and inactivated after the German Capitulation in June 1945.

The squadron was activated in 1958 as a result of Strategic Air Command phasing out the B-47, and additional squadrons were activated as part of the consolation of Stratojet wings, and the replacement of the B-47 by B-52 Stratofortresses. In March 1961, President John F. Kennedy directed that the phaseout of the B-47 be accelerated. and the squadron was inactivated on 1 January 1962 as part of the drawdown of the USAF B-47 force, with the aircraft were sent to AMARC storage at Davis-Monthan.

Lineage

 * Constituted 515th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 Oct 1942
 * Activated on 31 Oct 1942
 * Inactivated on 24 Jun 1945


 * Redesignated 515th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 20 Aug 1958
 * Activated on 1 Dec 1958
 * Discontinued, and inactivated on 1 Jan 1962

Assignments

 * 376th Bombardment Group, 31 Oct 1942-24 Jun 1945
 * 376th Bombardment Wing, 1 Dec 1958-1 Jan 1962

Stations

 * RAF Lydda, British Mandate of Palestine, 31 Oct 1942
 * RAF Abu Sueir, Egypt, 8 Nov 1942
 * RAF Gambut (Kambut), Libya, 10 Feb 1943
 * Soluch (Suluq) Airfield, Libya, 25 Feb 1943
 * Benina Airport, Benghazi, Libya, 16 Apr 1943
 * Enfidaville Airfield, Tunisia, c. 26 Sep 1943
 * Detachment operated from Benina Airport, Benghazi, Libya, 3-11 Oct 1943


 * San Pancrazio Airfield, Italy, 19 Nov 1943-19 Apr 1945
 * Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, 1 Dec 1958-1 Jan 1962

Aircraft

 * B-17 Flying Fortress (1942)
 * B-24 Liberator (1942–1945)
 * B-47 Stratojet, 1958-1962