553d Fighter-Bomber Squadron

553d Fighter-Bomber Squadron

Emblem of the 553d Fighter-Bomber Squadron
Active 1942-1945; 1955-1957
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
Type Fighter-Bomber
A-26C-2-DL Invader 41-39199 553rd BS, 386th BG, 9th AF Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield (A-60), France, 2 December 1944

The 553d Fighter-Bomber Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 386th Fighter-Bomber Group, stationed at Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana. It was inactivated on 8 July 1957.

History

Activated as a B-26 Marauder Medium Bomber squadron in late 1942; trained under Third Air Force in southeastern United States. Reassigned to European Theater of Operations in June 1943, first being assigned to VIII Air Support Command; then to IX Bomber Command in 1944. Engaged in tactical bombardment of enemy targets in Occupied Europe initially from stations in England, then after D-Day, moved to Advanced Landing Grounds in France and Belgium; advancing eastward as Allied ground forces advanced. Supported Eighth Air Force strategic bombardment missions over Nazi Germany and Occupied Europe; striking enemy airfields to obtain maximum interference in Luftwaffe day interceptor attacks on heavy bomber formations returning to England. Also participated in Western Allied Invasion of Germany, March–April 1945, combat ending with German Capitation in May 1945.

Squadron demobilized personnel in Europe during Summer of 1945; squadron returned to the United States for re-equipping with A-26 Invader and prepared for tactical operations over Japan as part of planned invasion force. Inactivated in November 1945 after Japanese Capitulation and end of World War II.

Reactivated in 1955 as a Tactical Air Command F-100 Super Sabre squadron; inactivated in 1955 due to budget reductions.

Lineage

Activated on 1 December 1942
Redesignated 553d Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 23 June 1945
Inactivated on 7 November 1945
Activated on 8 April 1956
Inactivated on 8 July 1957

Assignments

Stations

Aircraft

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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