73d Bombardment Squadron (World War II)


 * See 73d Bombardment Squadron for the postwar United States Air Force squadron 

The 73d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the Second Air Force, stationed at Pyote Army Air Base, Texas. It was inactivated on 1 November 1943.

History
Established in 1918 and deployed to France. Served as air park with Second Army, c. 15 November 1919. Reactivated at March Field, California in 1931, equipped with variety of attack aircraft including Northrup A-17A. Flew reconnaissance flights in support of flood-relief in Southern California, 2–5 March 1938. Reassigned to Northwest Air District in 1940, training with B-18 Bolo medium bombers. Assigned to the new Elmendorf Field, near Anchorage, Alaska in early 1941; being one of the first Air Corps units assigned to the Alaska Territory. After the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Alaska.

When the Japanese invaded the Aleutian Islands in June 1942, the squadron was reassigned to Fort Glenn Army Airfield on Adak Island; and began combat missions over the captured islands of Kisku and Attu. Flew combat missions with B-26 Marauders and later B-25 Mitchell medium bombers during the Aleutian Campaign returning to the United States in August 1943.

Squadron inactivated at Pyote Army Airfield in November 1943; personnel retrained as replacement crews for B-17 Flying Fortresses; aircraft redeployed as replacement aircraft to overseas combat units.

Lineage

 * Organized as 73d Aero Squadron on 26 February 1918
 * Demobilized on 4 July 1919

. Redesignated 73d Pursuit Squadron on 8 May 1929
 * Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 73d Headquarters Squadron with was constituted on 18 October 1927
 * Activated on 15 Ju1 1931
 * Redesignated: 73d Attack Squadron on 1 March 1935
 * Redesignated: 73d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 17 October 1939
 * Disbanded on 1 November 1943

Assignments

 * Unknown 26 February–November 1918
 * 2d Day Bombardment Group, November 1918-1919
 * Unknown, 1919-4 July 1919.
 * 17th Pursuit (later Attack; Bombardment) Group, 15 July 1931
 * 28th Composite Group, 3 May 1941
 * Second Air Force, 6 October-1 November 1943

Stations

 * Waco, Texas, 26 February 1918
 * Call Field, Texas, 1 March 1918
 * Garden City, New York, 16 July-13 August 1918
 * St Maixent, France, c. 5 September 1918
 * Delouze, France, c. 20 September 1918
 * Colombeyles-Belles, France, c. 5 October 1918
 * Ourches, France, c. 15 November 1918-1919
 * Hazelhurst Field, New York, c. ig June-4 July 1919
 * March Field, California, 15 July 1931


 * McChord Field, Washington, 26 June 1940-10 March 1941
 * Elmendorf Field, Alaska Territory, 14 March 1941
 * Detachments operated from Fort Randall Army Airfield; Adak Army Airfield, and Amchitka Army Airfield, 1942-1943


 * Fort Randall Army Airfield, Alaska Territory, April 1943
 * Amchitka Army Airfield, Alaska Territory, June-30 August 1943
 * Paine Field, Washington, 14 September 1943
 * Pyote Army Air Base, Texas, 6 October-1 November 1943

Aircraft

 * Boeing P-12, 1931–1934, 1935–1936
 * P-26 Peashooter, 1934–1935
 * Northrop A-17, 1939–1942
 * B-18 Bolo, 1941–1942
 * B-26 Marauder, 1942–1943
 * B-25 Mitchell, 1942–1943