380th Bombardment Squadron emblem (World War II)[3]
Unofficial 380th Bombardment Squadron emblem (World War II)[citation needed]
Military unit
The squadron was organized in March 1942 as the 380th Bombardment Squadron and trained in the Southeastern United States with North American B-25 Mitchells. In September, the air echelon of the unit moved to the United Kingdom in preparation for Operation Torch, the allied invasion of North Africa. In November, the squadron was reunited in French Morocco. It continued in combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until V-E Day, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations. It was inactivated in September 1945 in Italy.
From 1947 to 1949, the squadron was active in the reserve, but does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped during this time. It was activated again in March 1952, and operated Boeing B-47 Stratojets until inactivating at the end of 1965 as the B-47 was withdrawn from service.
The 380th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron is the reserve Associate Unit to the 16th Space Control Squadron. They jointly conduct space electronic warfare support operations to enable U.S. offensive and defensive space control capabilities. The squadrons utilize the Rapid Attack Identification Detection Reporting System Block 10 systems to rapidly achieve flexible and versatile space superiority in support of theater Unified Combatant Commands, such as European or Central Commands, and United States Strategic Command's space superiority mission.[citation needed]
Equipment Operated
The squadron will operate the RB-10 Central Operating Location, five RAIDRS Deployable Ground Segments. The units monitor, intercept and geolocate satellite communications jammers, sources of electromagnetic interference and other signals of interest. When fully operational, RB-10 will detect and geolocate signals in the C-, X-, Ku- and UHF frequency bands.[citation needed]
The squadron was activated at Davis-Monthan Field in March 1942 as the 380th Bombardment Squadron, one of the four original squadrons of the 310th Bombardment Group.[5][6] It moved the same day to Jackson Army Air Base, Mississippi, where it began training with North American B-25 Mitchells.[1] A portion of the ground echelon sailed for the United Kingdom aboard the RMS Queen Mary on 5 September 1942[c], while the remainder sailed directly for North Africa from the United States. The air echelon ferried the squadron's Mitchells via the North Atlantic ferry route, but bad weather delayed their movement, with the bombers arriving at RAF Hardwick between October and December 1942.[7]
Combat in the Mediterranean heater
Four squadron B-25J Mitchells beginning their attack run over a target in Northern Italy in late 1944.
In November 1942, the squadron flew its planes to Mediouna Airfield, French Morocco, to support Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, although some remained behind in England until as late as March 1943.[7] The squadron engaged primarily in air support and interdiction in Tunisia, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Italy and Southern France. Through May 1943, it also attacked shipping and harbor facilities to cut the logistics lines of the Afrika Corps. It bombed marshalling yards, rail lines, highways, bridges, viaducts, troop concentrations, gun emplacements, shipping, harbors and other objectives in North Africa.[5] It moved forward to Tunisia with the allied forces, locating at Dar el Koudia Airfield in June. It bombed airfields, landing grounds and gun emplacements, supporting Operation Corkscrew, the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusa islands during June 1943. The following month it supported Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.[5]
On 27 August 1943, the squadron conducted a mission against marshalling yards in Benevento, Italy. Despite heavy antiaircraft artillery, it effectively bombed the target and destroyed several enemy interceptor aircraft making persistent attacks. For this action, it was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). From August 1943 to the end of hostilities in the spring of 1945, it struck German lines of communication, bridges, rail lines, marshalling yards, viaducts, tunnels and road junctions in Italy. From January through June 1944, it gave air support to ground forces in the drive toward Rome. The squadron also engaged in psychological warfare missions, dropping propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines.[5]
In August 1944, it supported Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France from its base in Ghisonaccia Airfield, Corsica. On 10 March 1945, the squadron maintained close formation in the face of severe antiaircraft fire in successfully attacking the railroad bridge at Ora, a vital link in the German supply line to Italy. For this action, it was awarded its second DUC.[5] In April 1945, it moved to Italy and was inactivated in theater in September 1945.[1]
Air Force reserve
The squadron was activated at Bedford Army Air Field, Massachusetts on 9 August 1947 as part of the reserve, moving to T. F. Green Airport, Rhode Island in March 1948. It is unclear whether or not the squadron was fully manned or equipped with operational aircraft before it was inactivated in 1949.[2]
Strategic bomber operations
The squadron was activated in 1952 as a Strategic Air Command squadron, receiving Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombardment training from 90th Bombardment Wing from April to August 1952. It acted as a training squadron until 1954 when it replaced its propeller-driven B-29s with new Boeing B-47E Stratojet swept-wing medium bombers, capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the airspace of the Soviet Union. In the early 1960s, the B-47 was considered to be reaching obsolescence, and was being phased out of SAC's strategic arsenal. B-47s began being sent to AMARC at Davis-Monthan in early 1965;[citation needed] and the squadron was inactivated in March.[2]
Space Operations
Reactivated as the 380th Space Control Squadron in 2008,[1] assuming the personnel and equipment of Detachment 1, 310th Space Group.[citation needed] Redesignated 380th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron in December 2022.[1]
Lineage
Constituted as the 380th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 28 January 1942
Activated on 15 March 1942
Redesignated 380th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 20 August 1943
Inactivated on 12 September 1945
Redesignated 380th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 11 March 1947
Activated in the reserve on 9 August 1947
Inactivated on 27 June 1949
Redesignated 380th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 15 March 1952
Activated on 28 March 1952
Inactivated on 25 March 1965
Redesignated 380th Space Control Squadron on 1 February 2008
Activated on 7 March 2008
Redesignated 380th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron on 22 December 2022[1]
Assignments
310th Bombardment Group, 15 March 1942 – 12 September 1945
310th Bombardment Group, 9 August 1947 – 27 June 1949
310th Bombardment Wing (later 310th Strategic Aerospace Wing), 28 March 1952 – 25 March 1965
^Approved 10 January 1955. Description: On a disc sky blue, bordered with golden orange and white, between two cloud formations of the last, a tiger in proper colors, riding a stylized black stovepipe, highlighted white, with jet exhaust in white, golden orange and sky blue.
^Freeman refers to this as the air echelon on page 265, but contradicts this on page 15, which has more detail on the 310th Group's time in England.
^Per Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 469. Musser indicates the squadron was activated at Jackson.
^Maurer gives 6 June as date of move. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 470.
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. ISBN978-0-87938-638-2.
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. ISBN978-0-7643-3401-6.
