586th Flight Test Squadron - History

History

Formed under III Bomber Command in early 1943 as a B-26 Marauder medium bomber squadron. Trained for duty in Europe with Ninth Air Force. 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 being part of the Army of Occupation in Germany and inactivated in early 1946.

It provided operational and maintenance support for all Department of Defense test aircraft staging out of Holloman Air Force Base from, 1982-1990. The squadron flew developmental test and evaluation missions and has supported DOD test flights on White Sands Missile Range since 1991.

Read more about this topic:  586th Flight Test Squadron

Famous quotes containing the word history:

    “It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature.”
    —Henry James (1843–1916)

    “When the history of this period is written, [William Jennings] Bryan will stand out as one of the most remarkable men of his generation and one of the biggest political men of our country.”
    —William Howard Taft (1857–1930)

    “A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.”
    —Aristide Briand (1862–1932)