739th Bombardment Squadron

The 739th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 454th Bombardment Group. It was last stationed at Spokane Air Force Base, Washington, and was inactivated on 16 June 1951.

History
Established in mid-1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment group; trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), being assigned to Southern Italy at San Giovanni Airfield under Fifteenth Air Force.

Engaged in very long range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transportation targets. Operations included attacks against such objectives as marshalling yards, aircraft factories, railroad bridges, and airdromes in Italy, Austria, and Rumania. Helped to prepare the way for and supported the invasion of Southern France during Jul and August 1944. At the same time, expanded previous operations to include attacks on oil refineries and storage facilities, locomotive works, and viaducts in France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, and the Balkans.

Returned to the United States after the German Capitulation in May 1945; re-manned and re-equipped as a B-29 Superfortress heavy bombardment squadron. Began training under Second Air Force in August 1945, however was inactivated in October after the Japanese Capitulation.

Activated in the reserves in 1947 as a B-29 Superfortress squadron, but neither manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget constraints.

Lineage

 * Constituted 739th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 May 1943
 * Activated on 1 Jun 1943
 * Redesignated 739th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 5 Aug 1945
 * Inactivated on 17 Oct 1945


 * Activated in the reserve on 16 Aug 1947
 * Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949

Assignments

 * 454th Bombardment Group, 1 Jun 1943-17 Oct 1945; 16 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949

Stations

 * Alamogordo AAF, New Mexico June 1, 1943
 * Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona July 1, 1943
 * McCook AAF, Nebraska c. July 31, 1943
 * Charleston AAF, South Carolina October 3 – December 1943
 * San Giovanni Airfield, Italy January 1944 – July 1945
 * Sioux Falls AAF, South Dakota August 1, 1945
 * Pyote AAF, Texas August 17 – October 17, 1945
 * McChord Field, Washington, April 27, 1947 – June 27, 1949

Aircraft

 * Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943-1945
 * B-29 Superfortress, 1945