853d Bombardment Squadron Contents History Lineage References Navigation menuhttp://www.afhra.af.mil/Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War IIthe original"Ringmasters: A History of the 491st Bombardment Group (H)"Air Force Combat Units of World War II61060979Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II7060540272556
Bombardment squadrons of the United States Army Air ForcesMilitary units and formations established in 1943World War II strategic bombing units
United States Army Air Forcesheavy bomberEuropean Theater of Operationsstrategic bombing campaignDistinguished Unit CitationV-E DayMcChord FieldDavis-Monthan Field491st Bombardment GroupEl Paso Army Air FieldConsolidated B-24 Liberatorheavy bombersBoeing B-29 SuperfortressSecond Air ForcePratt Army Air FieldEighth Air Force2d Bombardment DivisionPueblo Army Air Base471st Bombardment GroupRAF MetfieldBretigny Airfieldairfieldscoastal defenseslines of communicationOperation OverlordD-Daystrategic bombing missionscommunications centersoil refineriesshipyardsBerlinBielefeldCologneGelsenkirchenHamburgHanoverKasselMagdeburgGerman General StaffZossen492d Bombardment Group801st Bombardment Group (Provisional)Operation CarpetbaggerRAF North PickenhaminterceptorsDistinguished Unit CitationOperation CobraSaint LoOperation Market GardenRhine RiverBattle of the BulgeOperation VarsityAlliedV-E DayRMS Queen MaryNew York CityMcChord Fieldpublic domain materialAir Force Historical Research Agencyhttp://www.afhra.af.mil/
| 853d Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
 853d Bombardment Squadron B-24 Liberatorputting bombs on target | |
| Active | 1943-1945 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Bombardment |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation |
| Insignia | |
| 853d Bombardment Squadron emblem[1] |  |
| Fuselage code[1] | T8 |
The 853d Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was activated in October 1943 as a heavy bomber unit. After training in the United States, the squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation in an attack against Misburg. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at McChord Field, Washington in September 1945.
Contents
1 History
2 Lineage
2.1 Assignments
2.2 Stations
2.3 Aircraft
2.4 Awards and campaigns
3 References
3.1 Notes
3.2 Bibliography
History
The 853d Bombardment Squadron was activated 1 October 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona as one of the four squadrons of the 491st Bombardment Group. The following month, the squadron moved to El Paso Army Air Field, Texas and began training with Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers.[2][3] In January, most of the ground echelon of the squadron was withdrawn and reassigned to Boeing B-29 Superfortress units being organized by Second Air Force, with the largest group moving to Pratt Army Air Field, Kansas. Many of the unit's remaining personnel were transferred to other B-24 groups as well, and by the end of December, the squadron had no assigned aircraft.[4] While the air echelon continued training in the United States, Eighth Air Force began organizing a new ground echelon in England, directing each of the four groups assigned to its 2d Bombardment Division to form a squadron ground echelon.[5][note 1] The air echelon moved to Pueblo Army Air Base, Colorado to complete its training with the 471st Bombardment Group.[4] Key personnel of the unit departed the United States on 11 April, while the crews began ferrying the squadron's B-24s via the southern ferry route on 21 April.[5]
The squadron was assembled at RAF Metfield with the arrival of the air echelon by 15 May 1944, although the last plane of the 491st Group did not arrive until the 30th.[6] It began operations starting on 2 June, with an attack on Bretigny Airfield.[7] It initially attacked airfields, coastal defenses and lines of communication to support Operation Overlord, the invasion of France. After the D-Day landings,[note 2] the squadron concentrated on the strategic bombing missions. Its targets included communications centers, oil refineries, shipyards, depots and other industrial targets. While targets included Berlin, Bielefeld, Cologne, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Hanover, Kassel and Magdeburg. On one occasion, the squadron was tasked with attacking German General Staff headquarters at Zossen, south of Berlin.[3][5]
In August 1944, the 492d Bombardment Group was taken off normal operations and moved on paper to replace the 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional) on Operation Carpetbagger operations. As a result, the 491st group, including the squadron, moved to the 492d's base at RAF North Pickenham.[8] On 26 November 1944, the group raided an oil refinery at Misburg. It was attacked by large numbers of enemy interceptors, which shot down approximately half of the aircraft in the 491st Group formation. The remaining aircraft fought off the enemy planes and successfully bombed the target, earning the unit a Distinguished Unit Citation.[3]
The squadron was occasionally diverted from the strategic bombing campaign. it supported ground forces during Operation Cobra the breakout at Saint Lo; dropped supplies to beleaguered paratroopers during Operation Market Garden, the attempt to seize a bridgehead across the Rhine River; and attacked supply lines and fortifications during the Battle of the Bulge. It supported Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine and Allied forces driving across Germany.[3] The squadron's final combat mission was flown on 25 April 1945.[5]
Following V-E Day, the squadron began flying its aircraft back to the United States on 17 June 1945. The ground echelon sailed on the RMS Queen Mary on 6 July, arriving in New York City five days later.[5] The squadron reassembled at McChord Field, Washington later that month and was inactivated there on 8 September.[2]
Lineage
- Constituted as the 853d Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 14 September 1943
- Activated on 1 October 1943
- Inactivated on 8 September 1945[2]
Assignments
- 491st Bombardment Group, 1 October 1943 – 8 September 1945[2]
Stations
- Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 1 October 1943
- El Paso Army Air Field, Texas, 11 November 1943 – 1 January 1944
Ketteringham Hall (Sta 147),[9] England (ground echelon), 1 January 1944[5]- RAF North Pickenham (Sta 143),[9] England (ground echelon), March 1944[note 3]
- Pueblo Army Air Base, Colorado, (air echelon) 1 January 1944[5]
- RAF Metfield (Sta 366),[9] England, c. 25 April 1944
- RAF North Pickenham (Sta 143),[9] England, 15 August 1944 – 5 July 1945
- McChord Field, Washington, 17 July-8 September 1945[10]
Aircraft
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945[2]
Awards and campaigns
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Distinguished Unit Citation | 26 November 1944 | Misburg, 853d Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Air Offensive, Europe | 25 April 1944–5 June 1944 | 853d Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Air Combat, EAME Theater | 25 April 1944–11 May 1945 | 853d Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Normandy | 6 June 1944–24 July 1944 | 853d Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Northern France | 25 July 1944–14 September 1944 | 853d Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Rhineland | 15 September 1944–21 March 1945 | 853d Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944–25 January 1945 | 853d Bombardment Squadron[2] |
| Central Europe | 22 March 1944–21 May 1945 | 853d Bombardment Squadron[2] |
References
Notes
- Explanatory notes
^ The four groups providing the ground echelon were the 93d 389th, 446th and 448th Bombardment Groups. Blue, p. 82.
^ The squadron's assigned target was obscured by cloud cover and it returned to base without bombing. Blue, p. 85.
^ Ketteringham Hall and North Pickenham were apparently only nominal bases. Ketteringham Hall was station headquarters for the 2d Bombardment Division. Ground personnel for the 491st Group were actually located at the four stations of the division's groups. Although North Pickenham was selected to be the 491st Group's initial station in England, this choice was revoked and the squadron ground echelons did not move until April, when they gathered at Metfield. Freeman, p. 261.
- Citations
^ ab Watkins, pp. 118-119
^ abcdefghijklm Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 782-783
^ abcd Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 360-261
^ ab Blue, p. 80
^ abcdefg Freeman, p. 261
^ Blue, p. 82
^ Blue, p. 83
^ Blue, p. 90
^ abcd Station number in Anderson.
^ Station information in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 782-783, except as noted.
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2017..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
Blue, Alan G. "Ringmasters: A History of the 491st Bombardment Group (H)" (PDF). AAHS Journal. American Aviation Historical Society. Vol. 9 (Number 2). Retrieved January 4, 2018.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
Watkins, Robert (2008). Battle Colors: Insignia and Markings of the Eighth Air Force In World War II. Vol I (VIII) Bomber Command. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7643-1987-6.
