572d Bombardment Squadron

572d Bombardment Squadron (Later 572d Tactical Air Support Squadron)
B-26 Marauders of the 391st Bombardment Group
Active	1943-1945; 1956
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Light bomber
Engagements	European Theater of Operations
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation
Insignia
World War II fuselage code	P2

The 572d Tactical Air Support Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was formed by the consolidation of two earlier units bearing the number 572, but has not been active since the consolidation.

The first predecessor of the squadron is the 572d Bombardment Squadron, a World War II unit assigned to the 391st Bombardment Group. After training in the United States, the squadron moved to England, and participated in operations against Germany from there and the European Continent as part of IX Bomber Command. It earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for its combat actions. Following V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated at the Port of Embarkation.

The squadron's second predecessor is the 572d Fighter-Day Squadron, which formed part of the 342d Fighter-Day Wing, when the Air Force reopened Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. A few months after it was activated, the squadron transferred its personnel and equipment to another squadron and was inactivated. The two squadrons were consolidated in 1985.

History

World War II

The 572d Bombardment Squadron was first activated at MacDill Field, Florida on 21 January 1943 as one of the four original squadrons of the 391st Bombardment Group. After training in the United States, it departed for the European Theater of Operations in December 1943.

Engaged in combat beginning in early 1944, attacked tactical targets in France, Low Countries and Germany supporting Allied ground forces advancing after D-Day in Northern France Campaign and the Western Allied invasion of Germany, 1945. Received A-26 Invaders in April 1945, however did not use in combat. After V-E Day, demobilized personnel while stationed in France during the summer of 1945, inactivated as a paper unit in Virginia, October 1945.

Lineage

572d Bombardment Squadron

• Constituted 572d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 15 January 1943

Activated on 21 Jan 1943

Redesignated 572d Bombardment Squadron, Medium c. 9 October 1944

Redesignated 572d Bombardment Squadron, Light on 23 June 1945

Inactivated on 29 Oct 1945

Consolidated with 572d Fighter-Day Squadron as the 572d Tactical Air Support Squadron on 19 September 1985

572d Tactical Air Support Squadron

• Constituted as the 572d Fighter-Day Squadron on 7 May 1956

Activated on 25 July 1956

Inactivated on 19 November 1956

Consolidated with 572d Bombardment Squadron as the 572d Tactical Air Support Squadron on 19 September 1985

Assignments

• 391st Bombardment Group, 21 Jan 1943-25 Oct 1945

Stations

• MacDill Field, Florida, 21 January 1943
• Myrtle Beach General Bombing and Gunnery Range, South Carolina, 24 May 1943
• Godman Field, Kentucky, 4 September-31 December 1943
• RAF Matching (AAF-166), England 25 January 1944
• Roye-Amy Airfield (A-73), France 19 September 1944

• Asch Airfield (Y-29), Belgium 16 April 1945
• Vitry-En-Artois Airfield, France, c. 1 Jun 1945
• Lyon-Bron Airport, Laon, France, c. 31 Jul-13 Sep 1945
• Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia, 29 Oct 1945.

Aircraft

• B-26 Marauder, 1943-1945
• A-26 Invader, 1945.

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

Citations

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
• Johnson, 1st Lt. David C. (1988). U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO) D-Day to V-E Day (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2017. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Rust, Kenn C. (1967). The 9th Air Force in World War II. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, Inc. LCCN 67-16454. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)