572d Bombardment Squadron

History

World War II

The first predecessor of the squadron, the 572nd Bombardment Squadron, was activated at MacDill Field, Florida on 21 January 1943 as one of the four original squadrons of the 391st Bombardment Group. After training with Martin B-26 Marauder in the United States, it departed for the European Theater of Operations in December 1943.

The squadron gathered at RAF Matching, its first combat station in theater in late January 1944 and flew its first combat mission on 15 February. It initially concentrated on attacks to support Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, by attacking airfields, bridges and marshalling yards. It attacked V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket launch sites as part of Operation Crossbow. On D-Day and the next day it struck German coastal defenses near the invasion beaches.

Until September, the squadron continued attacks from its English base. It supported Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo in late July by attacking fuel dumps and troop concentrations, then hit transportation and communications targets to slow the German retreat eastward. In late September it moved to Roye-Amy Airfield, France to be closer to the advancing ground forces it was supporting and extending its targets into Germany. From its continental bases, it hit bridges, railroads, highways, ammunition dumps and other targets.

During the Battle of the Bulge, it attacked heavily defended bridges and viaducts. Performing these attacks without fighter escort in the face of heavy flak and overwhelming attacks by enemy fighters earned the squadron a Distinguished Unit Citation for the period between 23 December and 26 December 1944.

The squadron continued its attacks, concentrating on German transportation and communications systems. It converted to the Douglas A-26 Invader in April and flew its last combat mission on 3 May 1945. The squadron left Europe in September 1945 and was inactivated on arrival at the port of embarkation, Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, on 29 October 1945.

Training for tactical fighter operations

The squadron's second predecessor is the 572nd Fighter-Day Squadron, which was activated in July 1956 as part of the 342nd Fighter-Day Group when the Air Force re-opened Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina. The squadron began training with Lockheed T-33 T-Bird advanced jet trainers in preparation for equipping with the North American F-100 Super Sabre. However, before the squadron could reach operational status, it was inactivated and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 355th Fighter-Day Squadron.

The 572nd Fighter-Day Squadron and 572nd Bombardment Squadron were consolidated as the 572nd Tactical Air Support Squadron on 19 September 1985, but the consolidated unit has not been active.

Lineage

; 572nd Bombardment Squadron

• Constituted 572nd Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 15 January 1943 : Activated on 21 Jan 1943 : Redesignated 572nd Bombardment Squadron, Medium c. 9 October 1944 : Redesignated 572nd Bombardment Squadron, Light on 23 June 1945 : Inactivated on 29 Oct 1945 : Consolidated with 572nd Fighter-Day Squadron as the 572nd Tactical Air Support Squadron on 19 September 1985

; 572nd Tactical Air Support Squadron

• Constituted as the 572nd Fighter-Day Squadron on 7 May 1956 : Activated on 25 July 1956 : Inactivated on 19 November 1956 : Consolidated with 572nd Bombardment Squadron as the 572nd Tactical Air Support Squadron on 19 September 1985

Assignments

• 391st Bombardment Group, 21 January 1943 – 25 October 1945
• 342nd Fighter-Day Group, 25 July–19 November 1956

Stations

• MacDill Field, Florida, 21 January 1943
• Myrtle Beach Bombing and Gunnery Range, South Carolina, 24 May 1943
• Godman Field, Kentucky, 4 September–31 December 1943
• RAF Matching (AAF-166), England 27 January 1944
• Roye-Amy Airfield (A-73), France c. 24 September 1944
• Asch Airfield (Y-29), Belgium c. 16 April 1945
• Vitry-En-Artois Airfield, France, c. 5 June 1945
• Laon-Athies Airfield (A-69), France, c. 31 July–13 September 1945
• Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, 29 October 1945
• Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina, 25 July–19 November 1956

Aircraft

• Martin B-26 Marauder, 1943-1945
• Douglas A-26 Invader, 1945
• Lockheed T-33 T-Bird, 1956

Awards and campaigns

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

Bibliography

References

1. Watkins, pp.108-109
2. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 667
3. Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 278-279
4. The unit was also tasked on occasion to drop [[propaganda]] leaflets.Rust, p. 112
5. ''See'', Ravenstein, p. 181
6. Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 1985, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons
7. ''See'', Ravenstein, p. 181 (342d Wing), Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 220-221 (342d Group).
8. Station number in Anderson, p. 22.
9. Station number in Johnson, p.21.
10. Station number in Johnson, p.28.
11. Station number in Johnson, p.20.
12. Station information through 1945 in Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', p. 667, except as noted.