857th Bombardment Squadron

857th Bombardment Squadron
Consolidated B-24 Liberator 44-40071 of the 857th Bomb Squadron just after delivery to the unit.
Active	1943-1945
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Bombardment; Special Operations

The 857th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 492d Bombardment Group, based at Kirtland Field, New Mexico. It was inactivated on 17 October 1945.

History

Established in October 1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron; assigned to II Bomber Command for training. One of the last B-24 squadrons established. After training was deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England at RAF North Pickenham.

Entered combat in May 1944, engaging in long-ranger strategic bombardment of enemy industrial targets in central Germany. Attacked airfields and V-weapon launching sites in France during the first week in June. Bombed coastal defenses in Normandy on 6 June 1944 and attacked bridges, railroads, and other interdiction targets in France until the middle of the month. Resumed bombardment of strategic targets in Germany and, except for support of the infantry during the Saint-Lô breakthrough on 25 July 1944. The squadron suffered very high losses of personnel and equipment while engaged in combat; combat losses leading to withdrawal of unit from operations in August 1944 after only 89 days of combat. Remaining equipment and personnel were reassigned to other Eighth Air Fore units in England.

Squadron organization was transferred without personnel or equipment, to RAF Harrington on 5 August 1944 and assumed personnel, equipment, and the special operations "Carpetbagger" mission of the 406th Bombardment Squadron (Provisional). With black-painted aircraft configured with engine flame dampeners and optimized for night operations, the group operated chiefly over southern France with B-24's and C-47's, transporting agents, supplies, and propaganda leaflets to patriots. Flew its last Carpetbagger mission in early March 1945.

Was reassigned to 1st AD headquarters and re-equipped with long-range P-38 weather reconnaissance aircraft in March 1945. Flew unarmed recon missions over enemy territory until the German Capitulation in May.

Was redesignated a Very Heavy squadron for B-29 operations in Central Pacific, however became unnecessary when Pacific War ended. Inactivated on 17 October 1945.

Lineage

• Constituted as: 857th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 September 1943

Activated on 1 October 1943

Consolidated with 850th Bombardment Squadron (Provisional), 1 August 1944

Redesignated as: 857th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 5 August 1945

Inactivated on 17 October 1945.

Assignments

• 492d Bombardment Group, 1 October 1943 – 17 October 1945

Attached to 1st Air Division, 10 March-14 August 1945

Stations

• Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, 1 October 1943
• Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, October 1943
• RAF North Pickenham (AAF-143), England, 1 January 1944
• RAF Harrington (AAF-179), England, 10 August 1944
• Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 14 August 1945
• Kirtland Field, New Mexico, 17 August-17 October 1945.

Aircraft

• B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
• C-47 Skytrain, 1944–1945
• F-5 (P-38) Lightning, 1945
• A-26 Invader, 1945
• B-17 Flying Fortress, 1945

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.