Initial organization and training The
squadron was first established in March 1942 at
Gowen Field, Idaho, one of the original four squadrons of the
306th Bombardment Group. In April, its personnel moved to
Wendover Field, Utah, where it began training with
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers.
Combat in Europe The squadron settled into its combat station,
RAF Thurleigh, England, in early September. Although several bomber units arrived in England before the 369th, when these units left England to participate in
Operation Torch it became, along with its companion squadrons of the 306th Group, the oldest bombardment squadrons of
VIII Bomber Command. It few its first combat mission on 9 October 1942 against a steel factory near
Lille, France, but with poor results. This was the first mission on which VIII Bomber Command assembled a strike force of over 100 bombers. The squadron operated primarily against strategic targets, including the locomotive factory at Lille,
marshalling yards at
Rouen, France, and
Stuttgart, Germany. The squadron took part in the first strike into Germany by bombers of
Eighth Air Force on 27 January 1943 when it struck
U-boat yards at
Wilhelmshaven. It struck
shipbuilding yards at
Vegesack, ball bearing plants at
Schweinfurt, the aircraft factory at
Leipzig, Germany, and similar facilities. For this mission, the squadron was awarded the
Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). The following month the squadron earned a second DUC for its performance during
Big Week, an intensive bombing campaign against the German aircraft industry. Despite adverse weather on 22 February that led supporting elements to abandon the mission the squadron and group effectively bombed the aircraft assembly plant at
Bernburg, Germany. In February 1946, the squadron moved to
Istres-Le Tubé Air Base, France, where it absorbed elements of the inactivating
92d and
384th Bombardment Groups, returning to Germany in July. : Inactivated on 25 December 1946 • Redesignated
369th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 11 June 1947 : Activated on 1 July 1947 : Redesignated
369th Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 11 August 1948 : Inactivated on 1 April 1963
Assignments • 306th Bombardment Group, 1 March 1942 – 25 December 1946 • 306th Bombardment Group, 1 July 1947 •
306th Bombardment Wing, 16 June 1952 – 1 April 1963 England, c. 6 September 1942 •
AAF Station Giebelstadt (Y-90), Germany, 25 December 1945 •
Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (Y-17), France, 26 February-29 June 1946 •
Andrews Field (later Andrews Air Force Base), Maryland, 1 July 1947 •
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, 1 August 1948 – 1 April 1963
Aircraft • Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1942–1946 • Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1948–1951 • Boeing B-50 Superfortress, 1950–1951 • Boeing B-47 Stratojet, 1951–1963 ==References==