743d Bombardment Squadron

The 743d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 455th Bombardment Group, stationed at Sheppard-Kell Municipal Airport, Texas. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949.

History
Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment unit in mid-1943; assigned to II Bomber Command for training. Primarily trained in New Mexico and Utah received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in November 1943. Moved to Virginia where the group flew long-range convoy escort missions over the Mid-Atlantic, October-November 1943 while station in Italy was being constructed.

Deployed to Southern Italy in January 1944; entered combat in January 1944, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force. Engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia, bombing railroad marshalling yards, oil refineries, airdrome installations, heavy industry, and other strategic objectives.

In addition to strategic missions in the Balkans, the group bombed troop concentrations, bridges, marshalling yards, and airdromes during the fall of 1944 to hamper the enemy’s withdrawal from the region. The group also supported ground forces at Anzio and Cassino in March 1944; knocked out gun positions in preparation for the invasion of Southern France in August 1944; and assisted the final Allied drive through Italy in April 1945 by hitting such targets as bridges, gun positions, and troop concentrations.

Remained in Italy after the German Capitulation in May, although unit personnel were demobilized throughout the summer of 1945. Group was inactivated in Italy on 9 September 1945.

Reactivated in the Air Force Reserve in 1947 with B-29 Superfortresses. Trained at Sheppard-Kell Municipal Airport, Texas. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget restrictions.

Lineage

 * Constituted 743d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 May 1943
 * Activated on 1 Jun 1943
 * Inactivated on 9 Sep 1945


 * Redesignated 743d Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 27 Dec 1946
 * Activated in the reserve on 10 Jan 1947
 * Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949

Assignments

 * 455th Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1943-9 Sep 1945
 * Tenth Air Force, 10 Jan 1947
 * 455th Bombardment Group, 25 Mar 1947-27 Jun 1949

Stations

 * Alamogordo Army Airfield, New Mexico, 1 Jun 1943
 * Kearns Army Air Base, Utah, 9 Sep 1943
 * Langley Field, Virginia, 5 Oct-13 Dec 1943
 * San Giovanni Airfield, Italy, 15 Jan 1944
 * Bari Airfield, Italy, c. Jul-9 Sep 1945
 * Sheppard-Kell Municipal Airport, Texas, 10 Jan 1947-27 Jun 1949

Aircraft

 * B-24 Liberator, 1943-1945
 * B-29 Superfortress, 1947-1949