392nd Strategic Missile Wing

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 392d Strategic Missile Wing


caption= |dates= 1943-1945, 1949-1961
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= United States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force
type=
role= Bombardment
Intercontinental Missile
size=
command_structure= Eighth Air Force
Strategic Air Command
current_commander=
garrison= European Theatre of World War II
Vandenburg AFB, California
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=|motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=
anniversaries=The 392d Strategic Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit last active at Vandenburg AFB, California in 1961.

During World War II, the 392d Bombardment Group was a United States Army Air Forces combat organization. It served primarily in the European Theatre of World War II.

History

Lineage

* Constituted as 392d Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 15 Jan 1943
** Activated on 26 January 1943
** Deactivated on 13 September 1945
* Established as "'392d Bombardment Wing, Light", on 16 May 1949.
** Activated in the Reserve on 27 Jun 1949.
** Inactivated on 10 Nov 1949
* Redesignated 392d Fighter-Day Wing on 23 Mar 1953.
* Redesignated "'392d Strategic Missile Wing", and activated on 6 Oct 1961.
** Organized on 18 Oct 1961.
** Discontinued, and inactivated, on 20 Dec 1961.

Stations Assigned

* Davis-Monthan Field, AZ 26 Jan 1943
* Biggs Field, TX 1 Mar 1943
* Alamogordo AAB, NM 18 Apr-18 Jul 1943
* RAF Wendling, England Jul 1943-15 Jun 1945 118
* Charleston AAFld, SC 25 Jun-13 Sep 1945
* Barksdale AFB, La, 27 Jun - 10 Nov 1949.
* Vandenberg AFB Calif, 18 Oct - 20 Dec 1961.

Aircraft Flown

* Consolidated B-24 Liberator
* B-26 Invader, 1949

Operational Units

* 576th Bomb Squadron (CI)
* 577th Bomb Squadron (DC)
* 578th Bomb Squadron (EC)
* 579th Bomb Squadron (GC)

Operational History

Constituted as 392d Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 15 Jan 1943 and activated on 26 January at Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, equipped with B-24 Liberators, trained at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas and Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. The group was moved to England in August 1943 and was assigned to the Eighth Air Force at RAF Wendlingin East Anglia. The group was assigned to the 14th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a "Circle-D".

The 392d BG entered combat on 9 September 1943 and engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic objectives on the Continent until April 1945. The group attacked such targets as an oil refinery at Gelsenkirchen, a marshalling yard at Osnabruck, a railroad viaduct at Bielefeld, steel plants at Brunswick, a tank factory at Kassel, and gas works at Berlin.

The group took part in the intensive campaign of heavy bombers against the German aircraft industry during Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944, being awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for bombing an aircraft and component parts factory at Gotha on 24 February. The unit sometimes supported ground forces or carried out interdictory operations along with bombing airfields and V-weapon sites in France prior to the Normandy invasion in June 1944 and struck coastal defenses and choke points on D-Day.

The group hit enemy positions to assist ground forces at St Lo during the breakthrough in July 1944. Bombed railroads, bridges, and highways to cut off German supply lines during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945. Dropped supplies to Allied troops during the air attack on Holland in September 1944 and during the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945.

The 392d Bomb Group flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945, then carried food to the Dutch. The unit returned to Charleston AAF South Carolina on 25 June 1945 and was deactivated on 13 September 1945.

The group flew 285 combat missions, suffering 1552 casualties including 835 killed in action or line of duty and 184 aircraft lost.

Reactivated as a reserve corollary of the 47th Bombardment Wing, Light in 1949.

Reformed in 1961 to control missile training operations, but eliminated by a reorganization of 1st Strategic Aerospace Division.

ee also

* Eighth Air Force
* Strategic Air Command

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1978) Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913096
* Freeman, Roger A. (1991) The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record. Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35708-1
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.

External links