52d Bombardment Squadron

History

Established in 1947 as a weather recon squadron; it was equipped with second-line observation aircraft and flew weather flights along the California coastline. It was inactivated in 1949 due to budget restrictions, but reactivated under Strategic Air Command (SAC) as an RB-29 Superfortress very long range reconnaissance squadron which flew missions primarily over the Arctic mapping flight routes if needed for B-36 Peacemaker bombers to fly over the North Pole to attack targets in the Soviet Union.

Re-designated in June 1952 as a B-47 Stratojet medium bomber squadron, its aircraft were not received until April 1953 when the squadron received the first production block of B-47Es. It conducted routine deployments and training during the 1950s and early 1960s. It was inactivated in 1963 with the phaseout of the B-47.

Lineage

Established as the 52d Reconnaissance Squadron, Weather Scouting and activated on 12 Jul 1947

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

Redesignated as the 52d Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Photographic and activated on 10 Oct 1951

Redesignated as the 52d Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 16 Jun 1952 Inactivated on 15 April 1963

Assignments

68th Reconnaissance Group, 12 Jul 1947 – 27 Jun 1949

68th Strategic Reconnaissance Group, 10 Oct 1951

68th Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun 1952 – 15 Apr 1963

Stations

Hamilton Field (later, AFB), California, 9 April 1947 – 27 June 1949

Lake Charles (later, Chennault) AFB, Louisiana, 10 October 1951 – 15 April 1963

Aircraft

Consolidated A-11, 1947-1949

RB-29 Superfortress, 1951-1953

B-47 Stratojet, 1953–1963