445th Air Expeditionary Squadron


The 445th Air Expeditionary Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned as a regular Air Force unit to the 321st Bombardment Wing at Pinecastle Air Force Base, Florida, where it was inactivated on 25 October 1961.

History

World War II

Activated in mid-1942 as a North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber squadron, trained by Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations being assigned to Twelfth Air Force in Algeria in early 1943. In North Africa, the squadron engaged primarily in support and interdictory operations, bombing marshalling yards, rail lines, highways, bridges, viaducts, troop concentrations, gun emplacements, shipping, harbors, and other objectives in North Africa.
The squadron also engaged in psychological warfare missions, dropping propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines. Took part in the Allied operations against Axis forces in North Africa during March–May 1943, the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusain islands during June, the invasion of Sicily in July, the landing at Salerno in September, the Allied advance toward Rome during January–June 1944, the invasion of Southern France in August 1944, and the Allied operations in northern Italy from September 1944 to April 1945. Inactivated in Italy after the German Capitulation in September 1945.

Reserve

Reactivated as part of the Air Force Reserve in 1947 and equipped with Douglas B-26 Invader medium bombers, then inactivated in 1949 due to budget cuts.

Strategic Air Command

Was reactivated in 1953 as a Strategic Air Command Boeing B-47 Stratojet squadron. Trained in air refueling and strategic bombardment operations with the B-47. in 1961, the squadron began transferring its B-47s to other SAC wings and became non-operational as part of the phaseout of the B-47.

Lineage