320th Bomb Squadron Wwii W Pac Svc Pins and Buttons

The B-24 Liberators of 90th Bomb Group were a natural metal finish. They were marked with the Skull and Cross Bombs markings of the Jolly Roger. The insignia was designed by Sgt. Leonard Baer. Each Squadron had a different color background: 319th Squadron Blue background 320th Squadron Red background 321st Squadron Green background 400th Squadron Black background

Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron in mid-1943, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), October 1943, becoming a Fifteenth Air Force heavy bomb squadron, attacking enemy targets both in the MTO and European Theater of Operations (ETO). After end of war in Europe, used B-24s for transport of personnel from various points in Europe to Waller Field, Trinidad, being attached to Air Transport Command. Inactivated 31 July 1945.

During World War II, the 341st Bombardment Squadron was a B-17 Flying Fortress squadron, assigned to the 97th Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. It earned Two Distinguished Unit Citations.

422nd Bomb Squadron - WWII wo Txtect matter expert in his or her field, but may also hold other positions depending on the type of unit. Established in June 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment squadron; it trained under the Second Air Force. The squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations in September 1942, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England. It began flying long-range strategic bombardment missions on 17 November 1942 and attacked such targets as submarine pens, docks, harbours, shipyards, motor works and marshalling yards in France, Germany and the Low Countries

Established in mid-1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment group; trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), being assigned to Southern Italy at Manduria Airfield under Fifteenth Air Force. Engaged in very long range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transportation targets. Operations included attacks against such objectives as marshalling yards, aircraft factories, railroad bridges, and airdromes in Italy, Austria, and Romania. Helped to prepare the way for and supported the invasion of Southern France during Jul and August 1944. At the same time, expanded previous operations to include attacks on oil refineries and storage facilities, locomotive works.

The 44th Bomb Group was assigned to 8th Air Force at Cheddington from 11-Sep-1942 to 28-Jun-1943. The Group was known as the 'Flying Eight-Balls' and each B-24 Liberator it flew was decorated with a winged bomb cartoon of an 8-Ball (pool ball) over which were superimposed eyes and the nose of a bomb in the squadron colour.

The 64th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 43d Bombardment Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, where it was inactivated on 31 January 1970. Between May and September 1943, the squadron's B-17s were replaced with Consolidated B-24 Liberators, believed to be more suited to the long ranges of many Pacific missions. In November 1944 the squadron moved to the Philippines, helping the ground campaign on Luzon as well as conducting long range strategic bombing missions against targets in China and Formosa.

The 863d Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was first organized as the 518th Bombardment Squadron in October 1942, when it replaced a National Guard unit participating in antisubmarine patrols off the Atlantic coast, becoming the 13th Antisubmarine Squadron in November.. When the Navy took over the coastal antisubmarine mission in August 1943, the squadron moved to the western United States, where it formed the cadre for the 493d Bombardment Group and was redesignated as the 863d. It moved to England in the spring of 1944 and participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany until April 1945.

AAC - 324th Bomb Squadron - WWII w EU SVC

On 23 December 1943 aircraft from the 27th Bombardment Squadron became the first American heavy bombers to use Hawkins Field on Tarawa, when the squadron used it as a staging base while escorting US Navy reconnaissance aircraft to Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands during the preparation for the invasion of that atoll. The squadron took part in the island hopping campaign, making three hops itself - to Abemama Airfield in the Gilbert Islands at the start of 1944, to Kwajalein Airfield in March 1944 and to East Field, Saipan in the Mariana Islands in August 1944. During this period the squadron had attacked targets in the Marshall, Gilbert and Truk Islands, as well attacking Wake Island, Guam and Saipan.

Deployed to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in May 1943, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England. Engaged in long range strategic bombing attacks on enemy targets over occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, such as industries, oil refineries, storage plants, submarine pens, airfields and communications centers in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Poland.

Redesignated 19th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). Activated on 1 Apr 1944. Trained for combat with B-29's. Moved to Guam, Dec 1944-Feb 1945, for duty with Twentieth AF. Entered combat on 12 Feb 1945 with an attack against a Japanese airfield on Rota. Flew its first mission against the Japanese home islands by striking Tokyo on 25 Feb 1945. Conducted daylight raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan.

The 754th Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. The squadron was first activated in July 1943. After training with Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers in the United States, it deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States, where it began training with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, but was inactivated in October 1945.

The 324th deployed to the European Theater of Operations, where it became part of VIII Bomber Command in England. It was one of earliest American heavy bomber squadrons to arrive in England.

WWII USAAF 318th Bomb Squadron (Heavy), 88th Bomb Group, The patch shows a boxer with bat wings taking care of a missile.

The 502d Bombardment Group was a World War II Army Air Forces (AAF) strategic bombardment organization. The unit was one of the last few combat groups formed by the AAF, activating on 1 June 1944. After nearly a year training with Boeing B-29 Superfortress, it moved to Guam in April 1945. It flew its first combat mission on 30 June 1945 and its first strike on the Japanese home islands in July. It was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for attacks on the Japanese oil industry between 5 August and 15 August 1945. After V-J Day it flew show of force missions and evacuated prisoners of war. It remained in the Pacific until it was inactivated on 15 April 1946

AAC - 40th Bomb Squadron - WWII w PAC SVC

Engaged in strategic bombardment operations over Occupied Europe and Germany, sustaining very heavy losses of personnel and aircraft while conducting many unescorted missions over enemy territory attacking airfields, industries, naval facilities and transportation hubs. During the summer of 1944, aircrews bombed enemy positions at Saint-Lô, followed by similar campaigns at Brest, France in August and September. In October 1944, the squadron attacked enemy and ground defenses in the allied drive on the Siegfried Line, then bombed marshaling yards, German occupied villages, and communication targets in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge from December 1944 to January 1945. Attacked enemy targets in Germany during the spring of 1945.

Constituted 332d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942 Activated on 15 Jun 1942 Redesignated 332d Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 20 Aug 1943 Inactivated on 15 Dec 1945 Redesignated 332d Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 13 May 1947 Activated in the reserve on 29 May 1947 Redesignated 332d Bombardment Squadron, Light on 26 Jun 1949 Ordered to active service on 10 Mar 1951 Inactivated on 20 Mar 1951 ASSIGNED: 94th Bombardment Group, 15 Jun 1942-29 Nov 1945 Aircraft Operated: B-17 Flying Fortress (1942–1945)

From 14 May 1943 to 21 April 1945, the squadron conducted strategic bombardment of shipyards, submarine bases, marshaling yards, oil facilities, airfields, and aircraft plants. On occasion, it flew tactical sorties against gun emplacements, rocket sites, enemy troops, and communications centers. On 17 August 1943, it earned its first Distinguished Unit Citation, striking targets at Regensburg and Schweinfurt, Germany. Soon after, on 14 October 1943, the squadron participated in World War II's single most important raid on ball-bearing factories at Schweinfurt. On 9 April 1944, it earned a second DUC in an attack on aircraft component factories at Poznań, Poland. The squadron subsequently attacked enemy field batteries and miscellaneous targ

Established as a B-29 Superfortress heavy bomb group in early 1944; trained under Second Air Force in Nebraska. Initially trained with B-17 Flying Fortresses until B-29 aircraft were manufactured and assigned to the unit. Deployed to Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands in December 1944. Entered combat by flying navigational escort for a major attack force bound for Iwo Jima.

The B-24 Liberators of 90th Bomb Group were a natural metal finish. They were marked with the Skull and Cross Bombs markings of the Jolly Roger. The insignia was designed by Sgt. Leonard Baer. Each Squadron had a different color background: 319th Squadron Blue background 320th Squadron Red background 321st Squadron Green background 400th Squadron Black background

The 21st Bombardment Squadron was one of the first squadrons to make a land-based attack on the Japanese home islands on 18 July 1943, flying B-24 Liberators. This raid, against Shimushu and Paramushiru in the Kuril Islands, caused little or no damage, but was only the first of a long series of attacks on Japan from the north.

Activated in early 194 under Fourth Air Force; after a brief organizational period in Southern California where it was equipped with reconnaissance P-38 Lightnings (F-4) it deployed to the Southwest Pacific Area (SPA), being assigned to Fifth Air Force in Australia. Engaged in long-range tactical reconnaissance missions over New Guinea; later the Dutch East Indies and in late 1944, over the Philippines in support of Mac Arthur's Island-Hopping campaign (1942–1945).

The 17th Photo Recon Squadron departed overseas bound for the South Pacific. Assigned to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 13th Air Force, 4th Photographic Reconnaissance Group (4th PRG). On January 16, 1942 transfered to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. The squadron flew its first combat missions on February 5, 1943 and the next day was redesignated the 17th Photographic Squadron (Light) and began operating from Fighter 2 (Kukum) on Guadalcanal. In early 1943, the the squadron flew photographic missions over the Central Solomons, Northern Solomons and Bougainville, photographing Japanese airfields and bases.