| Unit Name: | 482d Attack Squadron |
| Dates: | 1917–1919; 1925–1942; 1944–1946; 2018–present |
| Role: | Unmanned aerial vehicle |
| Command Structure: | Air Combat Command |
| Garrison: | Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina |
| Motto: | la|Aut Vinci Aut Mori|Either Conquer or Die (2019–present) |
| Battles: | World War I Pacific Ocean Theater[1] |
| Decorations: | Distinguished Unit Citation |
| Identification Symbol Label: | 482nd Attack Squadron emblem |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | 482d Bombardment Squadron emblem[2] |
The 482d Attack Squadron is a United States Air Force unit, stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it is an operational squadron of the 25th Attack Group, operating the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle.
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.
In 1944, the 482d Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy was activated and assigned to the 505th Bombardment Group. Shortly after it was activated, the two 482d Bombardment Squadrons were consolidated. After training in the United States, it served in the strategic bombing campaign against Japan with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations. Following V-J Day, it was inactivated at Clark Field, Philippines in June 1946. It was redesignated as an attack unit and activated in October 2018.
The first predecessor of the squadron was established at Kelly Field, Texas in August 1917 as the 70th Aero Squadron. 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.
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.
The squadron was redesignated the 482nd Attack Squadron and activated at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where it is equipped with the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper and is the operational component of the 25th Attack Group.[1]
Redesignated 482d Aero Squadron (Construction) on 1 February 1918
Demobilized on 8 February 1919
Reconstituted and consolidated with the 482d Bombardment Squadron on 2 December 1936[1] [3]
Activated in March 1925
Inactivated 23 July 1929[3]
Consolidated with the 482d Aero Squadron on 2 December 1936[3]
Disbanded on 31 May 1942
Activated on 11 March 1944
Inactivated on 30 Jun 1946
Activated on 2 October 2018[1] [4]