865th Technical Training Squadron

The 865th Technical Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 1st Missile Division, based at Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville, Alabama. It was inactivated on November 1, 1959.

History
Established in late 1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron under II Bomber Command at Wendover Field, Utah; later moving to Mountain Home Army Air Field, Idaho to complete its final phase of training. At Mountain Home, the squadron received new very long range B-24J aircraft in early May.

Deployed to Hawaii Territory and assigned to VII Bomber Command. Remained in Hawaii with aircraft undergoing modifications while training for long range flights over the Pacific Ocean. Deployed to Angaur in the Palau Islands in October, flying very long range combat missions against Japanese airfields on Yap and Koror. Conducted strikes on other bypassed enemy installations in the Pacific and against the Japanese in the Philippines. Late in 1944 hit gun emplacements, personnel areas, ant storage depots on Corregidor and Caballo  at the entrance to Manila Bay; bombed radio installations and power plants at Japanese bases in the Philippines; and attacked enemy-held airfields, including Clark Field on Luzon. Early in 1945 struck airfields on Mindanao and ammunition and supply dumps in the Davao Gulf and Illana Bay areas.

Moved to Okinawa in June 1945. Engaged primarily in attacks against enemy airfields on Kyūshū until V-J Day. Also participated in incendiary raids, dropped propaganda leaflets over urban areas of Kyūshū and struck airfields in China, in southern Korea, and around the Inland Sea of Japan.

After the war's end in September, the unit remained on Okinawa as older units began to demobilize. The squadron was engaged in transporting personnel and supplies in the Southwest Pacific, and moving necessary occupation support elements from Manila to Tokyo. Began to demobilize in November and December, with personnel returning to the United States; inactivated as a paper unit in the United States on January 4, 1946.

Reactivated by Strategic Air Command in 1958 as Missile Training squadron at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Provided training for Italian Air Force personnel in the operation and launching of the PGM-19 Jupiter Intermediate-Range Missie. Inactivated 1 November 1959.

Lineage

 * Constituted 865th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on September 14, 1943
 * Activated on December 1, 1943
 * Inactivated on January 6, 1946


 * Redesignated 865th Strategic Missile Squadron on March 12, 1958
 * Activated on June 1, 1958
 * Redesignated 865th Technical Training Squadron on May 25, 1959
 * Inactivated on November 1, 1959.

Assignments

 * 494th Bombardment Group, December 1, 1943 – January 4, 1946
 * 704th Strategic Missile Wing, June 1, 1958
 * Attached to 1st Missile Division, November 1, 1958


 * 1st Missile Division, July 1 – November 1, 1959

Stations

 * Wendover Field, Utah, 1 December 1943 – 15 April 1944
 * Mountain Home Army Air Field, Idaho, 14 April 1944 – 15 June 1944
 * Barking Sands Army Airfield, Hawaii Territory, 15 June 1944 – 30 September 1944
 * Angaur Airstrip, Angaur, Palau Islands, 30 September 1944 – 24 June 1945
 * Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, 24 June 1945 – 13 December 1945
 * Vancouver, Washington, January 3–6, 1946
 * Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville, Alabama, June 1, 1958 – November 1, 1959

Aircraft

 * B-24 Liberator, 1944–1945