813th Fighter-Bomber Squadron

History

World War II

Main article: 482d Operations Group

VIII Bomber Command's early operations in 1942 and 1943 had shown it that weather conditions in the European Theater of Operations were such that to conduct a successful bombing campaign, the command would need to have the capability of bombing through overcast. Following the Royal Air Force's example, Eighth Air Force formed a group with specially selected aircrews that would act as "Pathfinders", using radar-equipped bombers to lead each wing's bomber formation. The squadron was activated as the 813th Bombardment Squadron, one of the two Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress squadrons of the 482d Bombardment Group on 20 August 1943.

Squadron aircrews were specially selected from all VIII Bomber Command groups. In addition to its combat mission of acting as Pathfinders, the squadron's mission was to continue the development of tactics and techniques for the use of radar navigation and bombing systems and training crews of other bomber units as Pathfinders.

In addition to flying pathfinder missions, the squadron trained crews from other groups of VIII Bomber Command. Although it was formally withdrawn from combat in March 1944, it continued to fly occasional missions to test tactics and equipment. In addition, the squadron performed radar photographic mapping of parts of France, the Low Countries, and Germany for training and briefing combat crews. It changed the "Pathfinder" in its name to "Heavy" in November 1944.

The squadron's aircraft left England for the United States between 27 and 30 May 1945. The ground echelon sailed on the from Gourock, Scotland on 24 June 1945. The squadron regrouped at Victorville Army Air Field, California on 5 July 1945, but was inactivated on 1 September 1945.

Reserve operations

The squadron was redesignated the 813th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy and activated in the reserve at Harding Field, Louisiana on 24 September 1947, although its parent 482d Bombardment Group was stationed at New Orleans Municipal Airport. President Truman's 1949 defense budget also required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force, and reserve flying operations at Harding Field ended and the 813th was inactivated in the reorganization.

All reserve combat organizations had been mobilized for the Korean War, and it was not until the summer of 1952 that reserve units again began receiving aircraft. The squadron was redesignated the 813th Troop Carrier Squadron and activated at Miami International Airport, Florida on 14 June 1952, when the 482d Troop Carrier Wing replaced the 906th Reserve Training Wing, which had supervised reserve operations there since 1951. The squadron trained with Curtiss C-46 Commandos under the supervision of the 2585th Air Force Reserve Training Center. In December 1953, the 435th Troop Carrier Wing at Miami was released from active duty and assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of the 482d Wing. In this reorganization, the 77th Troop Carrier Squadron took over the mission, personnel and aircraft of the 813th, which was inactivated.

The squadron was redesignated the 813th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated with North American F-86 Sabres in July 1957. However, The Joint Chiefs of Staff were pressuring the Air Force to provide more wartime airlift. At the same time, about 150 Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars became available from the active force. Consequently, the Air Force directed Continental Air Command to convert three reserve fighter bomber wings to troop carrier units in 1957. Sabre training ended, and instead Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars arrived in October 1957. In November the squadron was inactivated and its troop carrier assets were transferred to the 700th Troop Carrier Squadron, which was simultaneously activated at Dobbins.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 813th Bombardment Squadron (Pathfinder) on 10 August 1943 : Redesignated 813th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 11 November 1944 : Inactivated on 1 September 1945
• Redesignated 813th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 5 September 1947 : Activated in the reserve on 24 September 1947 : Inactivated on 27 June 1949
• Redesignated 813th Troop Carrier Squadron, Medium on 26 May 1952 : Activated in the reserve on 14 June 1952 : Inactivated on 1 December 1952
• Redesignated 813th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 28 February 1957 : Activated in the reserve on 8 July 1957 : Inactivated on 16 November 1957

Assignments

• 482d Bombardment Group, 20 August 1943 – 1 September 1945
• 482d Bombardment Group, 24 September 1947 – 27 June 1949
• 482d Troop Carrier Group, 14 June-1 December 1952
• 482d Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 July–16 November 1957

Stations

• RAF Alconbury, England, 20 August 1943 – June 1945
• Victorville Army Air Field, California, July-1 September 1945
• Harding Field, Louisiana, 24 September 1947 – 27 June 1949
• Miami International Airport, Florida, 14 June-1 December 1952
• Dobbins Air Force Base, Georgia, 8 July-16 November 1957

Aircraft

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943–1945
• Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1952
• North American F-86 Sabre, 1957
• Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar, 1957

Awards and campaigns

References

Notes

; Explanatory notes

; Citations

Bibliography

References

1. Maurer, ''Combat Squadrons'', pp. 764–765
2. Freeman, p. 260
3. Maurer, ''Combat Units'', pp. 352–354
4. "482nd Bombardment Group (P): The 8th Army Air Force Pathfinders . . . They Led the Way: Berlin Mission". 482nd.org.
5. Cantwell, p. 87
6. Cantwell, p. 139
7. Ravenstein, pp. 267–268
8. Cantwell, p. 168
9. (28 December 2007). "Factsheet 482 Fighter Wing (AFRC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency.
10. Ravenstein, pp. 241–242