534th Training Squadron

381st Group B-17 Flying Fortresses en route to a target[a]

Active| 1942–1945; 1947–1949; 1994–2003
Country|  United States
Branch|  United States Air Force
Role| Satellite control training
Engagements| European Theater of Operations
Decorations| Distinguished Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Insignia
534th Training Squadron emblem (c. 2000)|
534th Training Squadron emblem (c. 1995)|
534th Training Squadron emblem (1994)|
534th Bombardment Squadron emblem[b][1]|
World War II fuselage code[2]| GD

Military unit

The 534th Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 381st Training Group at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, where it conducted qualification training for airmen in satellite control operations and maintenance.

During World War II, the squadron engaged in combat in the European Theater of Operations as the 534th Bombardment Squadron, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations. It was inactivated after V-E Day, but was active in the reserve from 1947 to 1949, although it is not clear whether it was fully equipped or manned.

## History

[edit]

### World War II

[edit]

#### Training in the United States

[edit]

The squadron was first activated on 3 November 1942 at Gowen Field, Idaho as the 534th Bombardment Squadron, one of the four original squadrons of the 381st Bombardment Group. It gathered its initial cadre at Gowen, but only began training for combat with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress after moving to Pyote Army Air Field, Texas at the end of the year. On 8 May 1943, the ground echelon began moving to the port of embarkation at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, and boarded the RMS Queen Elizabeth for the European Theater of Operations on 27 May. The air echelon marshalled at Salinas Army Air Field, Kansas and began movement by the North Atlantic Ferry Route on 15 May.[1][3][4]

#### Combat in the European Theater

[edit]

The air echelon of the squadron arrived at RAF Bovingdon in late May 1943. The following month, the squadron was reunited at RAF Ridgewell, which was to be its combat station for the rest of the war. The squadron entered the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, when it flew its first mission on 21 June, a diversionary attack against Antwerp.[4][5] Its targets in France included an aircraft assembly plant near Villacoublay, and an engine plant at Le Mans, locks at Saint-Nazaire, and Amiens – Glisy Aerodrome. It also attacked an aircraft plant in Brussels, Belgium. During Blitz Week, it bombed nitrate factories in Heroya, Norway, stopping production for over three months.[3][6]

The squadron also flew deeper penetration missions into Germany. It hit oil refineries at Gelsenkirchen, submarine pens at Kiel, aircraft plants at Kassel and Leipzig, industrial targets in Münster, marshalling yards at Offenberg, and the ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt. On 8 October 1943, despite heavy enemy interceptor opposition, it accurately struck shipyards at Bremen, for which it was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).[3] All squadron bombers that returned from this mission[c] received battle damage.[7] It received a second DUC for attacks on aircraft plants in Germany on 11 January 1944. In late February 1944, the unit participated in Big Week, the intensive attacks on the German aircraft industry.[3]

The squadron was occasionally taken off strategic operations to perform air support and interdiction missions. It bombed bridges and airfields near the beachhead to support Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, in June 1944. The following month, it attacked positions of enemy forces opposing Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo. It supported Operation Market Garden, the airborne attacks in the Netherlands near Arnhem, in the fall. From December 1944, through January 1945, it attacked lines of communications and airfields near the battle zone during the Battle of the Bulge. It also supported the Allied crossing of the Rhine and push through central Germany in March 1945.[3]

#### Return to the United States and inactivation

[edit]

The squadron flew its last mission on 26 April 1945 and the majority of the unit's aircraft departed the theater on 24 May 1945. Ground personnel sailed on the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 24 June, arriving in the US by the end of the month. The squadron was located at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota a few days later and was inactivated on 24 August 1945.[1][4][3]

### Air Force reserve

[edit]

The squadron was activated in February 1947 in the reserve at Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa in the reserves, where its training was supervised by the 140th AAF Base Unit (later the 2470th Air Force Reserve Training Center) of Air Defense Command (ADC). It was originally assigned directly to Second Air Force, but the again became part of the 381st Group, which was located at Offutt Field, Nebraska. In May 1948, it was transferred to the 351st Bombardment Group, located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.[1] Although designated a very heavy bombardment group, it does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped.[8] In 1948 Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.[9] President Truman’s reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force,[10] and the 534th was inactivated In June 1949,[1] as reserve flying operations at Sioux City Airport ended.

### Space training

[edit]

The squadron was again activated in the fall of 1994 as the 534th Training Squadron when Air Education and Training Command expanded its space and missile systems training at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California from a single squadron to a group. The 534th was responsible for initial qualification training for crews in satellite command and control. In 2003, the 534th was inactivated and its training programs were transferred to the 533d Training Squadron.[11]

## Lineage

[edit]

* Constituted as the 534th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 October 1942

Activated on 3 November 1942
Redesignated 534th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 28 August 1945.

* Redesignated 534th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 28 January 1947

Activated in the reserve on 27 February 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949[1]

* Redesignated 534th Training Squadron on 4 August 1994

Activated on 1 October 1994
Inactivated in 2003[11]

### Assignments

[edit]

* 381st Bombardment Group, 3 November 1942 – 28 August 1945
* Second Air Force, 27 February 1947
* 381st Bombardment Group, 15 September 1947
* 351st Bombardment Group, 3 May 1948 – 27 Jun 1949[1]
* 381st Training Group, 1 October 1994 – 2003[11]

### Stations

[edit]

* Gowen Field, Idaho, 3 November 1942
* Ephrata Army Air Base, Washington, 1 December 1942
* Pyote Army Air Field, Texas, 27 December 1942
* Pueblo Army Air Base, Colorado, 6 April–10 May 1943
* RAF Ridgewell (AAF-167),[12] England, 2 June 1943 – 24 June 1945
* Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, 3 July–28 August 1945
* Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa, 27 February 1947 – 27 June 1949[1]
* Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, 1 October 1994 – 2003[11]

### Aircraft

[edit]

* Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942-1945[1]

### Awards and campaigns

[edit]

Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes

|
|
|

| Distinguished Unit Citation | 8 October 1943 | Bremen, 534th Bombardment Squadron[1]
| Distinguished Unit Citation | 11 January 1944 | Germany, 534th Bombardment Squadron[1]
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 May 1997-30 April 1999 | 534th Training Squadron[13]
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 July 2000-30 June 2001 | 534th Training Squadron[13]
Campaign Streamer  | Campaign  | Dates  | Notes

|
|
|

| Air Offensive, Europe | 2 June 1943 – 5 June 1944 | 534th Bombardment Squadron[1]
| Air Combat, EAME Theater | 2 June 1943 – 11 May 1945 | 534th Bombardment Squadron[1]
| Normandy | 6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944 | 534th Bombardment Squadron[1]
| Northern France | 25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944 | 534th Bombardment Squadron[1]
| Rhineland | 15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945 | 534th Bombardment Squadron[1]
| Ardennes-Alsace | 16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 | 534th Bombardment Squadron[1]
| Central Europe | 22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945 | 534th Bombardment Squadron[1]

## See also

[edit]

* B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces

## References

[edit]

### Notes

[edit]

Explanatory notes

1. ^ In formation with Boeing B-17G-70-BO Flying Fortress, serial 43-37675, Patches/Flak Magnet VE-N and Douglas Aircraft built Boeing B-17G-35-DL Flying Fortress, serial 42-107112, Sleepy Time Gal, VE-D. Baugher, Joe (7 March 2023). "1942 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 22 April 2023.Baugher, Joe (10 April 2023). "1943 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
2. ^ Approved 11 September 1944. Description: Over and through a yellow lemon disc, border triparted red, white, and blue, a prehistoric bat, in flight, red and white, with wings black, trimmed yellow, snorting steam from the nostrils, and grasping a small black aerial bomb in each foot.
3. ^ Eight of the 17 bombers dispatched by the 381st Group were shot down on this mission. Freeman, p. 75.

Citations

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 641
2. ^ Freeman, p. 288
3. ^ a b c d e f Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 268-269
4. ^ a b c Freeman, p. 253
5. ^ Freeman, p. 52
6. ^ Freeman, pp. 53, 63
7. ^ Freeman, p. 75
8. ^ See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 641 (no aircraft listed for unit during this time).
9. ^ "Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command". Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
10. ^ Knaack, p. 25
11. ^ a b c d "Vandenberg AFB Fact Sheets: 381st Training Group". 30th Space Wing Public Affairs. 8 November 2006. Archived from the original on 5 July 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
12. ^ Station number in Anderson.
13. ^ a b "Air Force Personnel Services: Unit Awards". Air Force Personnel Center. Retrieved 24 February 2020. (search)

### 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.
* Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
* Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems (PDF). Vol. 2, Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-59-5. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
* 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.

## External links

[edit]

* The 381st Bomb Group Website

* v
* t
* e

United States Air Force

Leadership|

* Department of the Air Force
* Secretary of the Air Force
* Under Secretary of the Air Force
* Air Staff
* Chief of Staff
* Vice Chief of Staff
* Director of Staff
* Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
* Four-star generals
* Three-star generals
* 1940–1959
* 2000–2009
* 2010–2019
* 2020–present
* House Armed Services Committee
* House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces
* House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
* Senate Committee on Armed Services
* Senate Subcommittee on Airland
* Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces

Structure|

| Commands|

* Reserve
* Air National Guard
* Field Operating Agencies
* Installations

|

Direct Reporting Units|

* District of Washington
* Operational Test and Evaluation Center
* USAF Academy

Major commands|

* ACC
* AETC
* AFGSC
* AFMC
* AFRC
* AFSOC
* AMC
* PACAF
* USAFE–AFAFRICA

Numbered Air Forces|

* First
* Second
* Third
* Fourth
* Fifth
* Seventh
* Eighth
* Ninth
* Tenth
* Eleventh
* Twelfth
* Thirteenth Expeditionary
* Fifteenth
* Sixteenth
* Eighteenth
* Nineteenth
* Twentieth
* Twenty-Second

* Wings
* ANG
* Groups
* ANG
* Squadrons
* ANG
* Security Forces
* Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol

Personnel and
training|

* Personnel
* Rank
* officers
* cadets
* enlisted
* Specialty Code
* Aeronautical ratings
* Judge Advocate General's Corps
* RED HORSE
* Security Forces
* Medical Service
* Chief of Chaplains
* Chief Scientist

* Training: Air Force Academy
* Officer Training School
* Reserve Officer Training Corps
* Basic Training
* Airman Leadership School
* SERE
* Fitness Assessment

Uniforms and
equipment|

* Awards and decorations
* Badges
* Equipment
* Aircraft
* Uniforms

History and
traditions|

* History
* Aeronautical Division / Aviation Section / Division of Military Aeronautics / Army Air Service / Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces
* "The U.S. Air Force"
* Air Force Band
* Airman's Creed
* Core Values
* Flag
* Symbol
* Memorial
* National Museum
* Women Airforce Service Pilots
* Air Force One / Air Force Two
* Honor Guard
* Thunderbirds
* Service numbers
* Air & Space Forces Association

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Air Education and Training Command (AETC)

Air Forces|

* Second
* Nineteenth
* Air University

Bases|

* Altus
* Columbus
* Goodfellow
* Gunter Annex
* Holloman
* Keesler
* Lackland
* Laughlin
* Luke
* Maxwell
* Randolph
* Sheppard
* Tyndall
* Vance

Wings|

* 12th Flying Training
* 14th Flying Training
* 17th Training
* 33d Fighter
* 37th Training
* 42d Air Base
* 47th Flying Training
* 49th Wing
* 56th Fighter
* 58th Special Operations
* 59th Medical
* 71st Flying Training
* 80th Flying Training
* 81st Training
* 82d Training
* 97th Air Mobility
* 314th Airlift
* 502d Air Base

Groups|

* 336th Training Group
* 381st Training Group

* v
* t
* e

USAAF Eighth Air Force in World War II

Stations

| United Kingdom|

* Alconbury
* Aldermaston
* Andrews Field
* Atcham
* Attlebridge
* Bassingbourn
* Bodney
* Bottisham
* Bovingdon
* Boxted
* Bungay
* Burtonwood Depot
* Bury St. Edmunds
* Bushey Hall
* Chalgrove
* Cheddington
* Chelveston
* Chipping Ongar
* Daws Hill
* Debach
* Debden
* Deenethorpe
* Deopham Green
* Duxford
* Earls Colne
* East Wretham
* Eye
* Fersfield
* Fowlmere
* Framlingham
* Glatton
* Goxhill
* Grafton Underwood
* Great Ashfield
* Great Dunmow
* Halesworth
* Hardwick
* Harrington
* Hethel
* Honington
* Horham
* Horsham St. Faith
* Ibsley
* Keevil
* Kimbolton
* Kings Cliffe
* Kirton In Lindsey
* Knettishall
* Lavenham
* Leiston
* Little Walden
* Martlesham Heath
* Membury
* Mendlesham
* Metfield
* Molesworth
* Mount Farm
* North Pickenham
* Nuthampstead
* Old Buckenham
* Podington
* Polebrook
* Rackheath
* Ramsbury
* Rattlesden
* Raydon
* Ridgewell
* Seething
* Shipdham
* Snetterton Heath
* Steeple Morden
* Sudbury
* Thorpe Abbots
* Thurleigh
* Tibenham
* Wattisham
* Watton
* Wendling
* Westhampnett
* Wormingford

|

Okinawa|

* Bolo
* Ie Shima
* Kadena
* Futenma
* Yontan

Units

| Commands|

* VIII Air Support
* VIII Bomber
* VIII

|

Air Divisions|

* 1st
* 2nd
* 3rdf

Wings|

| Bombardment|

* 1st
* 2nd
* 3rd
* 4th
* 5th
* 12th
* 316th

|

Fighter|

* 6th
* 65th
* 66th
* 67th
* 301st

Groups|

| Bombardment|

* 34th
* 44th
* 91st
* 92nd
* 93rd
* 94th
* 95th
* 96th
* 97th
* 100th
* 301st
* 303rd
* 305th
* 306th
* 310th
* 319th
* 320th
* 322nd
* 323rd
* 333rd
* 346th
* 351st
* 379th
* 381st
* 382nd
* 383rd
* 384th
* 385th
* 386th
* 387th
* 388th
* 389th
* 390th
* 392nd
* 398th
* 401st
* 445th
* 446th
* 447th
* 448th
* 452nd
* 453rd
* 457th
* 458th
* 466th
* 467th
* 482nd
* 486th
* 487th
* 489th
* 490th
* 491st
* 492nd
* 493rd
* 801st (Provisional)

|

Fighter|

* 1st
* 4th
* 14th
* 20th
* 31st
* 48th
* 55th
* 56th
* 78th
* 318th
* 339th
* 350th
* 352nd
* 353rd
* 354th
* 355th
* 356th
* 357th
* 358th
* 361st
* 362nd
* 364th
* 413th
* 479th
* 495th
* 496th
* 507th

Troop Carrier|

* 60th
* 62nd
* 315th

Reconnaissance|

* 3rd
* 7th
* 25th
* 67th

* United States Army Air Forces

* First
* Second
* Third
* Fourth
* Fifth
* Sixth
* Seventh
* Eighth
* Ninth
* Tenth
* Eleventh
* Twelfth
* Thirteenth
* Fourteenth
* Fifteenth
* Twentieth

* v
* t
* e

USAAF Second Air Force in World War II

Airfields|

* Airfields

Units|

| Commands|

* II Air Support Command
* II Bomber Command
* II Fighter Command
* IV Air Support Command
* XX Bomber Command
* XXI Bomber Command
* XXII Bomber Command

|

Wings|

* 5th Bombardment
* 15th Bombardment Training
* 16th Bombardment Operational Training
* 17th Bombardment Training
* 18th Replacement
* 21st Bombardment
* 46th Bombardment Operational Training
* 58th Bombardment
* 73rd Bombardment
* 315th Bombardment
* 316th Bombardment

Groups|

| Bombardment|

* 2nd Bombardment
* 6th Bombardment
* 7th Bombardment
* 9th Bombardment
* 12th Bombardment
* 16th Bombardment
* 17th Bombardment
* 19th Bombardment
* 25th Bombardment
* 29th Bombardment
* 34th Bombardment
* 39th Bombardment
* 40th Bombardment
* 42nd Bombardment
* 46th Bombardment
* 47th Bombardment
* 48th Bombardment
* 85th Bombardment
* 86th Bombardment
* 86th Bombardment
* 88th Bombardment
* 94th Bombardment
* 95th Bombardment
* 96th Bombardment
* 99th Bombardment
* 100th Bombardment
* 301st Bombardment
* 302nd Bombardment
* 303rd Bombardment
* 304th Bombardment
* 305th Bombardment
* 306th Bombardment
* 307th Bombardment
* 308th Bombardment
* 312th Bombardment
* 330th Bombardment
* 331st Bombardment
* 333rd Bombardment
* 346th Bombardment
* 351st Bombardment
* 376th Bombardment
* 379th Bombardment
* 381st Bombardment
* 382nd Bombardment
* 383rd Bombardment
* 384th Bombardment
* 385th Bombardment
* 388th Bombardment
* 390th Bombardment
* 393rd Bombardment
* 395th Bombardment
* 396th Bombardment
* 398th Bombardment
* 399th Bombardment
* 400th Bombardment
* 401st Bombardment
* 407th Bombardment
* 415th Bombardment
* 418th Bombardment
* 444th Bombardment
* 445th Bombardment
* 446th Bombardment
* 447th Bombardment
* 448th Bombardment
* 449th Bombardment
* 450th Bombardment
* 451st Bombardment
* 452nd Bombardment
* 453rd Bombardment
* 454th Bombardment
* 455th Bombardment
* 456th Bombardment
* 457th Bombardment
* 458th Bombardment
* 459th Bombardment
* 460th Bombardment
* 461st Bombardment
* 462nd Bombardment
* 464th Bombardment
* 467th Bombardment
* 468th Bombardment
* 469th Bombardment
* 470th Bombardment
* 471st Bombardment
* 472nd Bombardment
* 484th Bombardment
* 485th Bombardment
* 486th Bombardment
* 487th Bombardment
* 488th Bombardment
* 489th Bombardment
* 490th Bombardment
* 491st Bombardment
* 493rd Bombardment
* 494th Bombardment
* 497th Bombardment
* 498th Bombardment
* 499th Bombardment
* 500th Bombardment
* 501st Bombardment
* 502nd Bombardment
* 504th Bombardment
* 505th Bombardment
* 509th Composite

|

Fighter|

* 20th Fighter
* 54th Fighter
* 84th Fighter
* 85th Fighter
* 507th Fighter
* 508th Fighter

Reconnaissance|

* 2nd Reconnaissance
* 3rd Reconnaissance
* 4th Reconnaissance
* 5th Reconnaissance
* 6th Reconnaissance
* 7th Reconnaissance
* 8th Reconnaissance
* 71st Reconnaissance
* 77th Reconnaissance

Troop Carrier|

* 443nd Troop Carrier

* United States Army Air Forces

* First
* Second
* Third
* Fourth
* Fifth
* Sixth
* Seventh
* Eighth
* Ninth
* Tenth
* Eleventh
* Twelfth
* Thirteenth
* Fourteenth
* Fifteenth
* Twentieth

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template