The Second Bombardment Wing,[1] abbreviated as 2nd Bombardment Wing[2] of the United States Army Air Forces is a disbanded unit whose last assignment was with the Continental Air Forces, based at McChord Field, Washington. It was last active in November 1945.
| 2nd Bombardment Wing | |
|---|---|
93rd Bombardment Group B-24D Liberator 41-23711, at RAF Alconbury, England, 1942
| |
| Active | 1919–21, 1922–41, 1942–45 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch | United States Army Air Forces |
| Role | Bomber operational command & control |
| Engagements | European Theater of World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Maj Gen Oscar Westover Lt Gen Edward Timberlake Colonel James Stewart |
| Insignia | |
| 2nd Bombardment Wing emblem |  |
The wing was organized in 1919 at Langley Field, Virginia and assumed control of all Air Service units on the Atlantic Coast.[3] It was inactivated at Langley in 1921 and most of its personnel were assigned to Air Park No.3.[3] It was reactivated the following year and conducted mostly bombardment operations.[4] As the 2nd Wing, the unit became one of the original wings of the GHQ Air Force on 1 March 1935. It once again conducted much of the United States Army's pursuit, bombardment and observation operations in the eastern part of the United States. The wing's 2nd Bombardment Group was the first group of the Air Corps to equip with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.[1] The wing provided cadres for new tactical units activating as the Air Corps expanded under the Woodring Plan.[1] It participated in maneuvers during 1940 that influenced Air Corps doctrine on the employment of airpower.[5] The wing was inactivated in 1941 and its personnel used as the cadre for 1st Bomber Command.[6]
The group was reactivated as a heavy bomber operational command and control organization in June 1942. It moved to England, August–September 1942, and became a heavy bombardment wing of Eighth Air Force. In the fall of 1942, it helped to train bombardment groups assigned to Twelfth Air Force. It served in combat in the European theater from November 1942 to June 1943. The wing ceased combat temporarily during July and August 1943 while its groups were detached to the Mediterranean theater. The wing resumed combat in the European theater in October 1943 and continued operations until April 1945. In August 1945 it returned to the US and was inactivated in November.[4]
Groups
|
|
Squadrons
Company
Except as noted, lineage and station information is in Maurer, Combat Units.
|
|
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency