441st Air Expeditionary Squadron

441st Bombardment Squadron
(Currently 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron)
441st Bombardment Squadron; (Currently 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron)
	Squadron Boeing B-52 dropping bombs in Vietnam
Active	1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1952–1960; 1963–1989
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Expeditionary support
Part of	Air Combat Command
Motto(s)	Finis Origine Pendet (Latin for 'The End Depends on the Beginning')
Engagements	Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award; French Croix de Guerre with Palm
Insignia
441st Air Expeditionary Squadron emblem
441st Bombardment Squadron emblem
441st Bombardment Squadron emblem
441st Bombardment Squadron emblem
441st Bombardment Squadron emblem

The 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It was converted to provisional status in May 2011. Its last assignment as a regular unit was to the 320th Bombardment Wing at Mather Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 30 September 1989. It has been active since, operating a small air base in Syria.

The squadron was first activated during World War II as the 441st Bombardment Squadron. It served in combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. After V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States for inactivation.

Although briefly active in the reserve from 1947-1949, the squadron was primarily a Strategic Air Command bomber unit, first with Boeing B-47 Stratojets, then with Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses. Although it did not serve as a unit, the squadron was one of the first to deploy aircraft and aircrew for Operation Arc Light missions in Vietnam. The squadron was inactivated in 1989, in connection with the reduction of strategic forces and the closure of Mather.

History[edit]

World War II[edit]

Established in mid-1942 as a B-26 Marauder medium bomber group. Trained under Third Air Force in Florida, deployed to England under the VIII Air Support Command, 3d Bombardment Wing.

Operated against targets on the continent during early fall of 1942; deployed to North Africa as part of Twelfth Air Force after Operation Torch landings in Algeria in November. Flew tactical bombing missions against Axis forces in North Africa until the end of the Tunisian Campaign in May 1943. Participated in the Sicilian and Italian Campaigns; liberation of Corsica and Sardinia and the Invasion of Southern France. Supported Allied ground forces in the Western Allied Invasion of Germany, spring 1945 and becoming part of the United States Air Forces in Europe Army of Occupation in Germany, fall 1945. Personnel demobilized in Germany and the squadron inactivated as a paper unit in December 1945.

Reserves[edit]

Reactivated in the reserves in 1947. Never manned or equipped.

Strategic Air Command bomber operations[edit]

Reactivated in 1952 as a Boeing B-47 Stratojet squadron,. Initially equipped with prototypes of the Boeing RB-47B Stratojet (YRB-47) to perform long-range photo-reconnaissance with a flight of Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers assigned. In November 1953 began to receive production B-47E medium bomber aircraft; prototype reconnaissance aircraft already received exchanged for medium bomber versions. Participated in SAC REFLEX deployments to Europe and North Africa throughout the 1950s. Squadron discontinued, 16 September 1960 and B-47 aircraft sent to storage at Davis-Monthan as part of phaseout of B-47.

Activated as a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombardment squadron, absorbing the mission aircraft and personnel of the 72d Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated. Operated B-52Fs until 1968 standing SAC nuclear alert duties, then upgraded to B-52G models. Performed rotational deployments to Western Pacific with B-52Gs, engaging in Operation Arc Light combat missions over Indochina during Vietnam War. Maintained conventional bombing capabilities after end of United States involvement in Vietnam War until inactivation in 1989 as part of retirement of B-52G.

Expeditionary unit[edit]

The squadron was converted to provisional status as the 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron and assigned to Air Combat Command to activate as needed.^[1]

Squadron expeditionary operations appear to be classified, although the Department of Defense has released a video of the squadron at an "undisclosed location" with a dirt runway supporting Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III operations.^[4] United States Central Command has released a photograph of an airman assigned to the squadron handing out clothing near the Kobani Landing Zone (LZ), although it did not say he was stationed at Kobani.^[5] The Kobani LZ was constructed near the village of Sarrin, with a 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) runway.^[6] US forces withdrew from northrn Syria in 2019

In 2018, it was reported by non-military sources that the squadron was operating in Sarrin, in the western portion of Raqqa Governorate, Syria to support Operation Inherent Resolve.^[7]^[8]

Lineage[edit]

Constituted as the 441st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 19 June 1942

Activated on 1 July 1942

Redesignated 441st Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 9 October 1944

Inactivated on 6 December 1945

Redesignated 441st Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 May 1947

Activated in the reserve on 9 July 1947

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

Redesignated 441st Bombardment Squadron, Medium and activated on 1 December 1952

Discontinued on 15 September 1960

Redesignated 441st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 15 November 1962 (not organized)

Organized on 1 February 1963

Inactivated on 30 September 1989

Redesignated 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron and converted to provisional status on 13 May 2011^[1]

* Activated c. 2015

* Inactivated c. 2019

Assignments[edit]

320th Bombardment Group, 1 July 1942 – 4 December 1945
320th Bombardment Group, 9 July 1947 – 27 June 1949
320th Bombardment Wing, 1 December 1952
Strategic Air Command, 15 November 1962 (not organized)
320th Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1989
Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed at any time after 13 May 2011^[1]

379th Air Expeditionary Wing c. 2015 – c. 2019

Stations[edit]

MacDill Field, Florida, 1 July 1942
Drane Field, Florida, 8–28 August 1942
RAF Hethel (AAF-114),^[9] England, 12 September 1942
RAF Tibenham (AAF-124),^[9] England, 1 October 1942
Oran Es Sénia Airport, Algeria, 9 January 1943
Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, 28 January 1943
Montesquieu Airfield, Algeria, 14 April 1943
Massicault Airfield, Tunisia, 29 June 1943
El Bathan Airfield, Tunisia, 28 July 1943

Decimomannu Airfield, Sardinia, Italy, 9 November 1943
Alto Airfield, Corsica, France, 20 September 1944
Dijon-Longvic Airfield (Y-9),^[10] France, 11 November 1944
Dôle-Tavaux Airfield (Y-7),^[10] France, 2 April 1945
AAF Station Fürth (R-28),^[10] Germany, 20 June 1945
Clastres Airfield (A-71),^[10] France, c. October-27 November 1945
Camp Shanks, New York, 4–6 December 1945
Mitchel Field, New York, 9 July 1947 – 27 June 1949
March Air Force Base, California, 1 December 1952
Mather Air Force Base, California, 1 February 1963 – 30 September 1989^[1]
Kobani Landing Zone, c. 2015 – C. 2019

Aircraft[edit]

Martin B-26 Marauder, 1942–1945
Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1952–1953
Boeing YRB-47B Stratojet, 1953
Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1960
Boeing B-52F Stratofortress (1963–1968)
Boeing B-52G Stratofortress (1968–1989)^[1]

References[edit]

Notes

^ Aircraft is Boeing B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress serial 57-162, nicknamed Casper The Friendly Ghost. This aircraft was the first B-52F used to test conventional bombing in 1964, and later dropped the 50,000th bomb of the Arc Light campaign. B-52Fs could carry 51 bombs and served in Vietnam from June 1965 to April 1966 when they were replaced by "Big Belly" B-52Ds which could carry 108 bombs.
^ Approved 23 January 2018.
^ Approved 3 June 1964.
^ approved 7 April 1954. Description: on a red disc with a white border, a gray aircraft tail with deep red markings supporting a caricatured black duck with yellow bill and feet holding with his right wing a green bomb pointing to base with deep red bands, all outlined with black.
^ Used from 1944 to 1945.
^ Used from 1943 to 1944.

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Robertson, Patsy (27 March 2018). "Factsheet 441 Air Expeditionary Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 545-546
^ ^a ^b Watkins, pp. 84-85
^ "441st Air Expeditionary Squadron Civil Engineer Runway Repair". United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
^ Armstrong, SSG Malissa (12 March 2019). "190312-F-SZ127-0249". U.S. Central Command. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
^ Sutea, Vlad. "Evacuation "Shattered Class" The US/Coalition Bases in Syria (Part 1)". T-Intelligence. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
^ Trevithick, Joseph [@FranticGoat] (7 June 2018). "Lotta interesting stuff happening in this picture, reportedly taken in Syria. Armored forklift loading the MV-22 reportedly belongs to the 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron, which runs the site. h/t @obretix" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 9 June 2018 – via Twitter.
^ No byline (7 June 2018). "Pictures: First Seen Ever Images Of Mini US Airbase In Syria's Al-Raqqa". Muraselon, the Syrian Reporters. Archived from the original on 9 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
^ ^a ^b Station number in Anderson.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Station number in Johnson

Bibliography[edit]

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

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 yes: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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 17 December 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 17 December 2016.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen, PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.

External links[edit]

Reisdorf, Franz (2003). "320th Bomb Group". 320th B. G. Reunion Association. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
Wong, Kristina (24 June 2013). "High expectations: Fledging Afghan air force pressured for readiness". Washington Times. Retrieved 5 July 2017.

[1] Aircraft is Boeing B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress serial 57-162, nicknamed Casper The Friendly Ghost. This aircraft was the first B-52F used to test conventional bombing in 1964, and later dropped the 50,000th bomb of the Arc Light campaign. B-52Fs could carry 51 bombs and served in Vietnam from June 1965 to April 1966 when they were replaced by "Big Belly" B-52Ds which could carry 108 bombs.

[3] Approved 23 January 2018.

[4] Approved 3 June 1964.

[5] roved 7 April 1954. Description: on a red disc with a white border, a gray aircraft tail with deep red markings supporting a caricatured black duck with yellow bill and feet holding with his right wing a green bomb pointing to base with deep red bands, all outlined with black.

[7] Used from 1944 to 1945.

[9] Used from 1943 to 1944.

[441AESfacts-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Robertson, Patsy (27 March 2018). "Factsheet 441 Air Expeditionary Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 9 December 2018.

[Maurer441BS-6] Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 545-546

[Watkins,_pp._84-85-8] Watkins, pp. 84-85

[10] "441st Air Expeditionary Squadron Civil Engineer Runway Repair". United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2024.

[11] Armstrong, SSG Malissa (12 March 2019). "190312-F-SZ127-0249". U.S. Central Command. Retrieved 19 May 2024.

[12] Sutea, Vlad. "Evacuation "Shattered Class" The US/Coalition Bases in Syria (Part 1)". T-Intelligence. Retrieved 19 May 2024.

[13] Trevithick, Joseph [@FranticGoat] (7 June 2018). "Lotta interesting stuff happening in this picture, reportedly taken in Syria. Armored forklift loading the MV-22 reportedly belongs to the 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron, which runs the site. h/t @obretix" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 9 June 2018 – via Twitter.

[14] No byline (7 June 2018). "Pictures: First Seen Ever Images Of Mini US Airbase In Syria's Al-Raqqa". Muraselon, the Syrian Reporters. Archived from the original on 9 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.

[Anderson-15] Station number in Anderson.

[Johnson-16] Station number in Johnson

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