The squadron was first activated during World War II. After training in the United States, it deployed to the European Theater of Operations, and served in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany with the 448th Bombardment Group. After V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States, where it converted to the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. It was inactivated in August 1946 and replaced by another unit. The squadron was active in the reserve from 1947 until 1951, when it was mobilized for the Korean War and inactivated after its personnel were used to man other units.
The squadron was occasionally diverted from its strategic bombing mission to fly interdiction and close air support missions. It bombed V-weapon launch sites, airfields and transportation facilities to support Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, and on D-Day attacked coastal defenses and choke points on German lines of communication. It struck enemy positions to assist the allied attacks on Caen and Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo. It dropped supplies to allied troops during Operation Market Garden, the attempt to seize a bridgehead across the Rhine in the Netherlands. During the Battle of the Bulge, it attacked transportation and communications targets in December 1944 and January 1945. In the spring of 1945, it again dropped supplies to airborne troops in Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine near Wesel. The squadron flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945, an attack on a railroad yard near Salzburg, Austria.[3]
The air echelon began returning to the United States with their planes in June 1945, while the ground echelon sailed from Greenock on the RMS Queen Mary on 6 July. Squadron members were given leave upon arrival in the States and the squadron began to assemble at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota in the middle of the month. After training with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the squadron moved to Fort Worth Army Air Field, Texas in December 1945. At Fort Worth, it became one of the first units of Strategic Air Command in March 1946. However, in August the squadron was inactivated and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the 327th Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.[1][4][5]
Air Force reserve
The squadron was reactivated as a reserve unit under Air Defense Command (ADC) at Long Beach Army Air Field, California in August 1947, where its training was supervised by the 416th AAF Base Unit (later the 2347th Air Force Reserve Training Center).[6] Although nominally a B-29 unit, it is not clear whether or not the squadron was fully staffed or equipped.[7] In 1948 Continental Air Command (ConAC) assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.[8] In June 1949 ConAC reorganized its reserve units under the wing base organization, and the squadron became a Douglas B-26 Invader unit of the 448th Bombardment Wing.[9] However, it was staffed at 25% of normal strength.[10]
In August 1950, the 448th Wing's companion reserve unit at Long Beach, the 452d Bombardment Wing, was mobilized for Korean War service. In order to bring the 452d Wing to combat strength, skilled reservists and reservists who required 60 or fewer days training to qualify them as fully skilled assigned to the 448th Wing were transferred to the 452d Wing.[11] The 714th Squadron itself was called to active duty in the second wave of mobilization in March 1951 and its personnel who had not been transferred to the 452d Wing were used as fillers for other Air Force organizations, while the squadron was inactivated four days later.[1][12]
Lineage
Constituted as the 714th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 April 1943
Activated on 1 May 1943
Redesignated 714th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 August 1943
Redesignated 714th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 5 August 1945
Inactivated on 4 August 1946
Activated in the reserve on 12 July 1947
Redesignated 714th Bombardment Squadron, Light on 27 June 1949
^Approved 25 November 1943. Description: On a light turquoise blue disc, border dark red, a caricatured Indian boy deep flesh color, hair black, and having an expression of ferocity on his face, wearing headdress with one feather, loin cloth and moccasins, all yellow, shaded yellow orange, stalking across a white cloud formation, casting a grayed blue violet drop shadow, carrying a large blue violet aerial bomb on the left shoulder, and holding a tomahawk grayed blue violet with yellow orange handle in the right hand.
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. ISBN978-0-7643-1987-7.
