History
Established as a B-18 Bolo reconnaissance squadron; assigned to Third Air Force although stationed in California for maritime patrol duty off the west coast. Deployed to Louisiana after the Attack on Pearl Harbor, engaged in antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico.
Redesignated as the 392d Bombardment Squadron in April 1942, returned to California and flew antisubmarine patrols off the west coast while also conducting replacement training from, January 1942–c. July 1943 .
Re-equipped with Very Long Range (VLR) B-24 Liberators and deployed to the Central Pacific in November 1943 to take part in the island hopping campaign. Moved to Funafuti Airfield, Nanumea in the Gilbert Islands. Mounted bombing raids against enemy installations on those islands. It also raided airfields in the Marshall Islands to help prevent the launching of Japanese planes against the amphibious assault on Tarawa.
Staging through the recently captured Tarawa and Mankin Islands, the squadron attacked several atolls in the Marshalls, including Kwajalein. Between November 14, 1943 and April 1, 1944, the squadron carried out bombing missions over the Marshall Islands and participated in the actual invasion of Kwajalein in February 1944.
As the war moved closer to Japan, the squadron attacked Truk. The 392d also bombed Wake Island, Guam, Saipan, and harassed other islands in the Carolines and Marianas, bypassed by American amphibious forces.
In August 1944, the squadron moved to East Field, Saipan in the Mariana Islands. During the next six months, the 38th conducted intensive bombing strikes against airfields and shipping at Bonin and Volcano Islands, Iwo Jima, ChiChi Jima, and Yap. Its final bombing mission was at Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, the same day three Marine divisions invaded the island.
In March 1945, the 392d returned to Hawaii on the popular but mistaken rumor that it was to be reequipped with B-32 Dominators. Instead, many of the crews and planes were reassigned to the 11th Bombardment Group and subsequently served with it. The remaining elements waited out the war conducting training sorties and routine patrols. Inactivated on 20 March 1946.
Re-established as the 92d Air Refueling Squadron in 1959; assigned to Strategic Air Command. Has flown worldwide air refueling since reactivation. It furnished tankers and crews to support combat in Southeast Asia between 1965 and 1975 and to Southwest Asia from, 15 August 1990–15 April 1991.
Read more about this topic: 92d Air Refueling Squadron
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