848th Strategic Missile Squadron

History

Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron in mid-1943; trained under Second Air Force in the northwestern United States. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO) in April 1944. Engaged in strategic bombardment raids over Occupied Europe and Nazi Germany, attacking enemy military and industrial targets until the German capitulation in May 1945.

Most of squadron personnel demobilized in Europe, small cadre of personnel returned B-17s to the United States and reformed as a unit in Florida. Programmed for conversion to a B-29 Superfortress heavy bombardment squadron and deployment to Central Pacific Area (CPA) for strategic bombardment raids over the Japanese Home Islands; however never re-equipped and was inactivated after the Japanese Capitulation in November 1945.

Reactivated by Strategic Air Command in 1960 as a HGM-25A Titan I ICBM launch squadron, however never fully manned and ICBMs never made operational. Inactivated, personnel and equipment reassigned to 724th Strategic Missile Squadron.

Lineage

Constituted 848th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 September 1943

Activated on 1 October 1943 Inactivated on 7 November 1945

Redesignated 848th Strategic Missile Squadron and activated, on 29 February 1960

Organized on 1 August 1960 with activation of parent Wing Discontinued and inactivated on 1 July 1961

Assignments

490th Bombardment Group, 1 October 1943-7 November 1945

Strategic Air Command, 29 February 1960

703d Strategic Missile Wing, 1 August 1960-1 July 1961.

Stations

Salt Lake City AAB, Utah, 1 October 1943

Mountain Home AAF, Idaho, 4 December 1943-April 1944

RAF Eye (USAAF-138), England c. 1 May 1944-August 1945

Drew Field, Florida 3 September-7 November 1945

Lowry AFB, Colorado, 1 August 1960-1 July 1961

Aircraft and missiles

B-24 Liberator, 1944

B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944–1945

HGM-25A Titan I, 1960-1961 (Never activated)