The first predecessor of the squadron was organized in 1917 as the 70th Aero Squadron. After being redesignated as the 482d Aero Squadron, it deployed to France as a construction unit, returning to the United States in 1919, where it was demobilized.
The second predecessor of the squadron was the 482d Bombardment Squadron, which was constituted in the Organized Reserve in 1924. The two units were consolidated in 1936 and, along with other reserve units, disbanded in May 1942, shortly after the United States entered World War II.
The first predecessor of the squadron was established at Kelly Field, Texas in August 1917 as the 70th Aero Squadron.[c] While at Camp Morrison, Virginia, the squadron was renumbered along with other aero squadrons that were construction units as the 482d Aero Squadron. The squadron was a civil engineering organization at the Western Front constructing airfields and related facilities in the Zone of Advance from its arrival in France in March 1918 until the Armistice on 11 November. It remained in France until early 1919 when it returned to the United States and was demobilized at Garden City, New York.[1]
The 482d Bombardment Squadron was organized at Baltimore, Maryland as a reserve unit in March 1925. It was inactivated in July 1929. The unit was consolidated with the 482d Aero Squadron in 1936, but remained in inactive status until the end of May 1942, when it was disbanded along with all other Organized Reserve units.[3]
505th Bombardment Group B-29 Superfortresses at North Field, Tinian
The second 482d Bombardment Squadron was activated at Dalhart Army Air Field, Texas in March 1944 as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron. The following month, it was consolidated with the reserve squadron that had been disbanded in 1942. When training was completed moved to North Field (Tinian) in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability.
Flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs.
The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B-29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria.
The squadron remained in the Western Pacific, assigned to Twentieth Air Force. It moved to Clark Field in the Philippines in March 1946. It was inactivated at Clark on 15 June 1946. Its low-hour aircraft were flown to storage depots in the United States.
^Approved 16 December 1944. Description: On a gold disc, wide border dark red brown, an aerial bomb in drawn bow, all of the last [color mentioned], pointing toward dexterbase, surmounted by a side view of an Indian head, proper, with head band and plait loop red brown, trimmed gold, holding two white feathers tipped and trimmed red brown in the headdress.
^After the squadron was renumbered as the 482nd, a second 70th Aero Squadron was organized at the end of February 1918 at Ellington Field. Texas. It was redesignated Squadron B, Ellington Field in July 1918 and Flying School Detachment, Ellington Field in December. The detachment was demobilized in September 1919 and later (27 July 1932) consolidated with the 70th Service Squadron. Clay 1422-3.
^Probably to Post Headquarters, Kelly Field until December 1917.
United States
United States Air Force
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This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
