Active 1942–1943 Role anti-submarine warfare | Country United States | |
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Branch United States Army Air Forces Part of Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command Engagements American Theater of World War II | ||
The 14th Antisubmarine Squadron is a disbanded United States Army Air Forces unit, which patrolled the East Coast of the United States for enemy submarines during World War II. Its last assignment was with Second Air Force at Biggs Field, Texas. It was disbanded on 5 November 1943.
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History
The squadron was established in October 1942 as the 519th Bombardment Squadron, a heavy bombardment squadron that was one of the four squadrons assigned to the 377th Bombardment Group. The following month the squadron's name was changed to the 14th Antisubmarine Squadron reflecting its mission to patrol the coastline and offshore waters for enemy submarines. The squadron was initially equipped with light observation aircraft. Before the end of the year it was assigned North American B-25 Mitchells. At the end of the year, the 377th Group was inactivated and the squadron was assigned directly to the 25th Antisubmarine Wing, which was responsible for anti-submarine operations off the Atlantic coast of the United States.
The following year the unit received some Lockheed B-34 Ventura medium bombers and Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. The squadron deployed in 1943 to patrol the Mid-Atlantic from Langley Field. In September 1943 the anti-submarine mission was taken over by United States Navy patrol aircraft and the squadron moved to Texas where it was reassigned to Second Air Force, which disbanded it and used its personnel as cadres for new heavy bomber units.