The squadron arrived at Gioia del Colle Airfield, Italy at the beginning of January, although the air echelon remained at Telergma Airfield, Algeria until 20 January to conduct additional training.[5] The squadron functioned primarily as a strategic bombing unit, attacking targets like oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories and airfields in Italy, Germany, France, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Greece and Albania. It earned a Distinguished Unit Citation during Big Week, Eighth Air Force's campaign against German aircraft manufacturing plants, for an attack on a Messerschmitt aircraft factory at Regensburg, Germany on 25 February 1944. It added oak leaf clusters to this award for an attack on oil refineries and marshalling yards at Ploesti, Romania on 5 April 1944 and on Markersdorf-Haindorf Airfield near Vienna, Austria on 23 August 1944. On each of these missions the squadron was opposed by large numbers of enemy interceptor aircraft and heavy flak, but fought its way through to inflict serious damage on the targets and destroy many enemy aircraft.[2]
When returning from the Regensburg attack, runway conditions at Gioia del Colle were so poor that the aircraft of the 451st Group were unable to land there, but spread out among a number of bases in Italy. These poor conditions continued and on 8 March the squadron moved to San Pancrazio Airfield, Italy. The 451st Group's 724th Bombardment Squadron was also relocated there[1][6]
On 6 April, the 726th moved to Castelluccio Airfield, where it joined the remainder of the group. From its new base, the squadron also flew air support and interdiction missions. It helped prepare the way for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in August 1944. The following month its bombers transported supplies to forces operating in Italy, It also supported Operation Grapeshot the final advance of Allied armies in northern Italy.[2] The squadron flew its last mission on 26 April 1945 against marshalling yards at Sachsenburg, Austria.[7]
The squadron left Italy in June 1945. The air echelon ferried their planes back to the United States, while most of the ground echelon sailed on the USS General M. C. Meigs to Newport News, Virginia.[8] The squadron assembled later in the month at Dow Field, Maine, where it was inactivated on 26 September 1945.[1] Personnel that were not discharged from the service on return to the United States were transferred to Air Transport Command units at Dow.[8]
Lineage
Constituted as the 726th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 April 1943
Activated on 1 May 1943
Redesignated 726th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 10 May 1943
^Approved 8 July 1944. Description: Over and through a light turquoise blue disc with light golden orange border, a caricatured Indian, affronte, proper, running with large black aerial bomb held aloft in right hand, while grasping a white shield with black, yellow, and red circular markings, and wearing brown shoes, gold arm band, bracelet, and ear rings, and two feathers in the hair of red, blue, and black.
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