731st Bombardment Squadron


The 731st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last active during the Korean War, assigned to the 452d Bombardment Group but attached to the 3d Bombardment Group at Iwakuni Air Base, Japan, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1951.
The squadron was first activated in 1943. After training in the United States with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, the squadron deployed to the European Theater of Operations, participating in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. It earned a Distinguished Unit Citation during an attack on a German jet fighter base near Kaltenkirchen in April 1945. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated.
The squadron was activated again in the reserves in 1947. Two years later, it began to train with Douglas B-26 Invaders. In August 1950, the squadron was one of the first reserve units mobilized for the Korean War. After filling its ranks and undergoing intensive training, the squadron deployed to Far East Air Forces and began flying combat missions. It was awarded two additional DUCs for its operations in Korea. In June 1951, the squadron was inactivated and its personnel and equipment were transferred to a regular unit that was simultaneously activated.

History

World War II

The squadron was first activated in June 1943 at Geiger Field, Washington as one of the four original squadrons of the 452d Bombardment Group. Later that month, it moved to Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota and began to train with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. It continued training with Second Air Force until December, when it began its movement to the European Theater of Operations. The ground echelon staged through Camp Shanks and sailed on the on 2 January 1944. The air echelon deployed via the South Atlantic air ferry route
The squadron established itself at RAF Deopham Green in January 1944, and began operations on 4 February 1944 with a strike on an aircraft assembly plant near Brunswick. Its strategic targets included railroad marshalling yards near Frankfurt, aircraft factories near Regensberg and Kassel. the ball bearing factory at Schweinfurt and an oil refinery near Bohlen. In September 1944, the squadron participated in the third shuttle mission, striking Chemnitz before landing in bases in the Soviet Union.
The 731st was occasionally diverted to support tactical operations. It hit airfields, V-weapon launching sites, bridges and other objectives in preparations for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. It bombed enemy positions to support Operation Cobra, the breakout at Saint Lo, in July 1944 and the attacks on Brest, France in August. It supported Operation Market Garden, airborne attacks attempting to establish a bridgehead across the Rhine in the Netherlands, in September and, during the Battle of the Bulge, struck German lines of communication. It struck an airfield to support Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine in Germany.
Shortly before the end of the war, on 7 April, the squadron struck the jet fighter base at Kaltenkirchen, pressing the attack despite strong fighter opposition, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation. It flew its last mission of the war on 21 April against marshalling yards at Ingolstadt.
After V-E Day, in August 1945, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota.

Reserve duty and Korean War call-up

The squadron was reactivated in the reserve at Long Beach Army Air Field, California in 1947 as a very heavy bomber squadron, but conducted proficiency flying with a variety of trainer airplanes under the supervision of the 416th AAF Base Unit. In a 1949 reorganization of the reserves, it became a light bomber squadron and began to equip and train with Douglas B-26 Invaders. The squadron was manned at only 25% of its authorized strength.
The squadron was mobilized for the Korean War in August 1950 in the first wave of reserve mobilizations. To help bring it up to strength, the squadron was augmented by reservists assigned to the 448th Bombardment Wing, which was also stationed at Long Beach, but remained in reserve status until the following year. The 731st was a squadron of one of the first two reserve wings to be mobilized, and administrative provisions for mobilization proved inadequate, with numerous reservists never receiving the telegrams calling them to active duty.
The unit moved to George Air Force Base, California for intensive training and to be brought up to full strength. In October, the squadron deployed to Iwakuni Air Base, Japan to begin combat operations. The Air Force decided that, unlike the three other squadrons of the 452d Group, the 731st would be trained for night intruder operations. Although the squadron remained part of the 452d until inactivated, it was attached to the understrength 3d Bombardment Group upon its arrival in theater. Four of its crews left George in mid-September and participated in combat operations with the 3d Group during October, although the first mission by the squadron was on 24 November. The 731st flew night bombing missions at all altitudes, using both visual and radar techniques. Its invaders also flew close air support and armed reconnaissance flights. It also flew flare drop missions, operating Douglas C-47 Skytrains. By June 1951, the 731st had flown more than 9,000 hours of combat and 2,000 combat sorties.
The remaining two squadrons assigned to the 3d Bombardment Group had also been put on night operations. In June 1951, the 3d was brought up to strength by the activation of the 90th Bombardment Squadron, and the 731st Squadron was inactivated while its personnel and aircraft transferred to the 90th and other elements of the 3d Group.

Lineage

Campaign StreamerCampaignDatesNotes
Air Offensive, Europe8 January 1944 – 5 June 1944
Normandy6 June 1944 – 24 July 1944
Northern France25 July 1944 – 14 September 1944
Rhineland15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945
Ardennes-Alsace16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945
Central Europe22 March 1944 – 21 May 1945
Air Combat, EAME Theater7 December 1941 – 11 May 1945
CCF Intervention24 November 1950 – 24 January 1951
1st UN Counteroffensive25 January 1951 – 21 April 1951
CCF Spring Offensive22 April 1951 – 25 June 1951