389th Bombardment Squadron

History

Established in early 1942 as a light bomb squadron, equipped with A-24 Banshees, although equipped with export model A-31 Vengeance dive bombers for training. Trained under Third Air Force in the southeast United States, also used for antisubmarine patrols over the Atlantic southeast coast and then Gulf of Mexico.

Deployed to Southern California in early 1943 to the Desert Warfare Center, trained in light bombing while supporting Army maneuvers in the Mojave Desert until October.

Re-equipped with North American A-36 Apache dive bombers and deployed to New Guinea as part of Fifth Air Force. In the Southwest Pacific the squadron attacked Japanese strong points and tactical positions and targets of opportunity in support of MacArthur's campaign along the north coast of New Guinea; then advancing into the Netherlands East Indies and Philippines as part of the Island Hopping campaign. Re-equipped with P-40s; then later A-20 Havocs. Engaged in heavy fighting on Lete; Mindoro and Luzon in the Philippines during 1944-1945.

The squadron moved to Okinawa in mid August and after the Atomic Bomb missions had been flown; remained on Okinawa until December until returning to the United States with most personnel demobilizing. It was inactivated as a paper unit on 6 January 1946.

The squadron was reactivated as a B-29 Superfortress unit in the reserves in 1947, but lack of funding and personnel led to rapid inactivation.

Lineage

• Constituted 389th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 28 January 1942 : Activated on 15 March 1942 : Redesignated: 389th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 27 July 1942 : Redesignated: 388th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 6 December 1943 : Redesignated: 388th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 19 July 1945 : Inactivated on 18 December 1945
• Redesignated: 388th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 14 July 1947 : Activated in the reserve on 30 July 1947 : Inactivated on 27 June 1949

Assignments

• 312th Bombardment Group, 15 March 1942 – 18 December 1945
• Tenth Air Force, 30 July 1947
• 312th Bombardment Group, 13 August 1947 – 27 June 1949

Stations

• Bowman Field, Kentucky, 15 March 1942
• Will Rogers Airport, Oklahoma, 12 June 1942
• Hunter Field, Georgia, 18 August 1942
• DeRidder Army Airbase, Louisiana, 18 February 1943
• Rice Army Airfield, California, 13 April 1943
• Salinas Army Air Base, California, 13 August – 24 October 1943
• Jackson Airfield (7 Mile Drome), Port Moresby, New Guinea, 30 November 1943
• Gusap Airfield, New Guinea, 3 January 1944
• Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 11 June 1944
• Hollandia Airfield Complex, Netherlands East Indies, 4 July 1944
• Tanauan Airfield, Leyte, Philippines Commonwealth, 19 November 1944
• McGuire Field, San Jose, Mindoro, Philippines Commonwealth, 27 January 1945
• Mangaldan Airfield, Luzon, Philippines Commonwealth, c. 11 February 1945
• Floridablanca Airfield (Basa Air Base), Luzon, Philippines Commonwealth, 20 April 1945
• Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, C. 12 August – 13 December 1945
• Fort Lawton, Washington, 1–4 January 1946
• Ellington Field, Texas, 30 July 1947 – 27 June 1949.

Aircraft

• A-31 Vengeance, 1942–1943
• A-24 Banshee, 1942–1943
• North American A-36, 1943
• P-40 Warhawk, 1943–1944
• A-20 Havoc, 1944–1945

References

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .