838th Bombardment Squadron

The 838th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 487th Bombardment Group, stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

History
Established in mid-1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment squadron, assigned to II Bomber Command for training. Trained in Nebraska and New Mexico for overseas duty. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England in April 1944.

Engaged in long-range strategic bombardment of enemy targets in Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, attacking transportation, industrial, Oil Industry and other targets as directed. Also engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy forces in France in support of the Operation Overlord landings in Normandy, and the subsequent breakout at St-Lo in July 1944. Changed equipment from B-24 Liberators to B-17 Flying Fortresses in July 1944. Attacked enemy formations and armor during the Battle of the Bulge, January 1945. Continued bombardment of strategic targets until the German Capitulation in May.

Largely demobilized in England during the summer of 1945; small cadre of personnel reassembled at Drew Field, Florida in September as part of Third Air Force, Continental Air Forces. Japanese Capitulation and general demobilization of the AAF led to the squadron's inactivation in November.

Lineage

 * Constituted 838th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 Sep 1943
 * Activated on 20 Sep 1943
 * Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945

Assignments

 * 487th Bombardment Group, 20 Sep 1943-7 Nov 1945

Stations

 * Bruning Army Airfield, Nebraska, 20 Sep 1943
 * Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, 15 Dec 1943-10 Mar 1944
 * RAF Lavenham (AAF-137), England, 4 Apr 1944-26 Aug 1945
 * Drew Field, Florida, 3 Sep-7 Nov 1945

Aircraft

 * B-24 Liberator, 1943-1944
 * B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944-1945