428th Bombardment Squadron

Mission

The 428th Electromagnetic Warfare Flight is an associate to the regular 4th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron in partnership to train, equip, mobilize and employ space electromagnetic warfare capabilities to support national security objectives. The reservists provide knowledge of orbital mechanics, satellite command-and-control and mission planning concepts to bolster surge capacity for this mission.

History

World War II

Initial organization and training

The squadron was activated at Davis-Monthan Field in March 1942 as the 39th Reconnaissance Squadron, one of the four original squadrons of the 310th Bombardment Group. It moved the same day to Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi, where it began training with North American B-25 Mitchells. A little over a month later, the squadron became the 428th Bombardment Squadron.

Combat in the Mediterranean heater

In November 1942, the squadron flew its planes to Mediouna Airfield, French Morocco, to support Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, although some remained behind in England until as late as March 1943. The squadron engaged primarily in air support and interdiction in Tunisia, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Italy and Southern France. Through May 1943, it also attacked shipping and harbor facilities to cut the logistics lines of the Afrika Corps. It bombed marshalling yards, rail lines, highways, bridges, viaducts, troop concentrations, gun emplacements, shipping, harbors and other objectives in North Africa. It moved forward to Tunisia with the allied forces, locating at Dar el Koudia Airfield in June. It bombed airfields, landing grounds and gun emplacements, supporting Operation Corkscrew, the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusa islands during June 1943. The following month it supported Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.

On 27 August 1943, the squadron conducted a mission against marshalling yards in Benevento, Italy. Despite heavy antiaircraft artillery, it effectively bombed the target and destroyed several enemy interceptor aircraft making persistent attacks. For this action, it was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). From August 1943 to the end of hostilities in the spring of 1945, it struck German lines of communication, bridges, rail lines, marshalling yards, viaducts, tunnels and road junctions in Italy. From January through June 1944, it gave air support to ground forces in the drive toward Rome. The squadron also engaged in psychological warfare missions, dropping propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines.

In August 1944, it supported Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France from its base in Ghisonaccia Airfield, Corsica. On 10 March 1945, the squadron maintained close formation in the face of severe antiaircraft fire in successfully attacking the railroad bridge at Ora, a vital link in the German supply line to Italy. For this action, it was awarded its second DUC. In April 1945, it moved to Italy and was inactivated in theater in September 1945.

Strategic Air Command

From 1958, the Boeing B-47 Stratojet wings of Strategic Air Command (SAC) began to assume an alert posture at their home bases, reducing the amount of time spent on alert at overseas bases. The SAC alert cycle divided itself into four parts: planning, flying, alert and rest to meet General Thomas S. Power’s initial goal of maintaining one third of SAC’s planes on fifteen minute ground alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike. To implement this new system B-47 wings reorganized from three to four squadrons. The 428th was activated at Schilling Air Force Base as the fourth squadron of the 310th Bombardment Wing. The alert commitment was increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962 and the four squadron pattern no longer met the alert cycle commitment, so the squadron was inactivated on 1 January 1962.

Space operations

The squadron was redesignated the 428th Electromagnetic Warfare Flight and activated at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado on 28 February 2023. It absorbed the mission, personnel, and equipment of Detachment 1, 710th Operations Group, which had been organized on 17 September 2021.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 39th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) on 28 January 1942 : Activated on 15 March 1942 : Redesignated 428th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 April 1942 : Redesignated 428th Bombardment Squadron, Medium c. 20 August 1943 : Inactivated on 12 September 1945
• Activated on 1 February 1959 : Discontinued and inactivated on 1 January 1962
• Redesignated 428th Electromagnetic Warfare Flight : Activated on 28 February 2023

Assignments

• 310th Bombardment Group, 15 March 1942 – 12 September 1945
• 310th Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1959 – 1 January 1962
• 710th Operations Group, 28 February 2023 – present

Stations

• Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 15 March 1942
• Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi, 15 March 1942
• Key Field, Mississippi, 25 April 1942
• Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, c.18 May 1942
• Walterboro Army Air Field, South Carolina, 14 August 1942
• Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina, 18 September – 17 October 1942 (ground echelon)
• RAF Hardwick (Station 104), England, September – November 1942 (air echelon)
• Mediouna Airfield, French Morocco, 19 November 1942
• Telergma Airfield, Algeria, 21 December 1942
• Berteaux Airfield, Algeria, 1 January 1943
• Dar el Koudia Airfield, Tunisia, 6 June 1943
• Menzel Temime Airfield, Tunisia, 5 August 1943 (operated from Oudna Airfield 11 October – 14 November 1943)
• Philippeville Airfield, Algeria, c. 19 November 1943
• Ghisonaccia Airfield, Corsica, France, 4 January 1944
• Fano Airfield, Italy, 7 April 1945
• Pomigliano Airfield, Italy, c. 15 August – 12 September 1945
• Schilling Air Force Base, Kansas, 1 February 1959 – 1 January 1962
• Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, 28 February 2023 – present

Aircraft

• North American B-25 Mitchell, 1942-1945
• Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1959-1962

Awards and campaigns

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

Bibliography

References

1. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 525-526
2. Watkins, pp. 80-81
3. No byline. "710th Operations Group". 310th Space Wing Public Affairs.
4. Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 184-186
5. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 468-471, 525-526
6. A portion of the ground echelon sailed for the United Kingdom aboard the {{RMS. Queen Mary on 5 September 1942,{{efn. Freeman refers to this as the air echelon on page 265, but contradicts this on page 15, which has more detail on the 310th Group's time in England. while the remainder sailed directly for North Africa from the United States. The air echelon ferried the squadron's Mitchells via the [[North Atlantic air ferry route in World War II
7. Schake, p. 220 (note 43)
8. (1 April 1975). "Abstract (Unclassified), History of the Strategic Bomber since 1945 (Top Secret, downgraded to Secret)". Air Force History Index.
9. Lineage and assignment information through March 1963 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 525-526.
10. Station number in Anderson, p. 19.
11. Station information through March 1963 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 525-526, except as noted.