| Unit Name: | 371st Bombardment Squadron |
| Dates: | 1942–1946; 1946–1965 |
| Role: | Medium bomber |
| Battles: | Southwest Pacific Theater |
| Decorations: | Distinguished Unit Citation Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Patch with 371st Bombardment Squadron emblem[1] |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | 371st Bombardment Squadron emblem (World War II) |
The 371st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 307th Bombardment Wing at Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska, where it was inactivated on 25 March 1965.
The squadron was first activated in April 1942 as one of the original four squadrons of the 307th Bombardment Group. After training in the United States, it deployed to the Pacific, serving mainly in the Southwest Pacific Theater. The squadron earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions in combat. Following V-J Day, it returned to the United States for inactivation.
The squadron was reactivated as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) bomber squadron in 1946. During the Korean War, it deployed to Okinawa and engaged in combat missions under the control of Far East Air Forces. Following the end of hostilities in Korea, it returned to the United States, converting to Boeing B-47 Stratojets. It flew the Stratojet until it was inactivated in 1965 as that plane was withdrawn from the SAC inventory.
The squadron was activated at Geiger Field, Washington on 15 April 1942 as the 371st Bombardment Squadron, one of the original four squadrons of the 307th Bombardment Group.[2] [3] It was first equipped with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, but while still in training converted to Consolidated B-24 Liberators. In addition to training with these heavy bombers, it also flew some antisubmarine patrols off the Pacific northwest coast. In October 1942, it began its movement to Hawaii.[1] [3]
The squadron arrived at Wheeler Field, Hawaii in November 1942, continuing its training in the Liberator and flying search and antisubmarine patrols in defense of Hawaii as part of Seventh Air Force. In December 1942, it staged through Naval Air Station Midway to attack Wake Island.[3]
In February 1943, the squadron was relieved from assignment to Seventh Air Force and began to operate under the control of Thirteenth Air Force, although it did not move forward to Luganville Airfield, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, until June.[1] From Guadalcanal, it struck enemy airfields and military installations along with shipping in the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago. It helped neutralized enemy bases in Yap, Truk and Palau. On 29 March 1944, the squadron made an unescorted daylight attack on heavily defended airfields in the Truk Islands for which it was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).[3]
As American forces moved forward, it supported operations in the Philippines by strikes against enemy shipping in the southern Philippines and striking airfields on Leyte, Luzon, Negros, Ceram and Halmahera and supported Allied operations in the Netherlands East Indies. It flew an unescorted mission attacking the oil refineries at Balikpapan on Borneo on 3 October 1944, for which it was awarded a second DUC.[3]
In the closing months of the war in the Pacific, it supported Australian forces on Borneo and attacked targets in Indochina. After V-J Day, it ferried liberated prisoners from Okinawa to the Philippines and flew patrols along the coast of China. It moved to Clark Field in the Philippines in September 1945 and returned to the United States for inactivation at the Port of Embarkation in January 1946.[3] [1]
It was reactivated as Boeing B-29 Superfortress squadron at MacDill Field, Florida in August 1946 as part of Strategic Air Command. It was a training unit for antisubmarine warfare. It deployed to Okinawa during the Korean War, carrying out combat operations over Korea throughout the conflict. It remained in Okinawa until November 1954 when it moved without personnel to Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska, as a Boeing B-47 Stratojet medium jet bomber squadron, performed Operation Reflex deployments to North Africa. And was inactivated with the of the B-47 in 1965 and inactivated.
Activated on 15 April 1942
Redesignated 371st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. March 1944
Inactivated on 18 January 1946
Redesignated 371st Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 28 May 1948
Inactivated on 25 March 1965[4]