Jump to content
Logging In to USMF has changed from using your USERNAME to requiring the EMAIL ADDRESS associated with your USMF account. Click to read more.

Help With WWII AAF Squadron Patch ID

tigerfan

By tigerfan,
in CAN YOU IDENTIFY THIS PATCH?

 Share

Recommended Posts

tigerfan

tigerfan

Posted
Posted

Just acquired a WWII A2 with a squadron patch I can't ID. I looked through the reference I have but no luck. Any help is appreciated. Thanks !

 

post-2609-0-98573300-1395585117.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Patchcollector

Patchcollector

Posted
Posted

I have this patch.I can't remember exactly which unit it is,but I believe it is a Pathfinder element of a B-29 unit that firebombed Japan.I got mine several years back,and shortly after getting it was watching the Military(or History) Channel when a program came on called something like "The last Bombing mission of the war" and it showed the unit that this patch represents.I was blown away!

I'll try and do some online research and see what I come up with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sabrejet

Sabrejet

Posted
Posted

Cool patch! I don't know exactly what it is, but I'd say it definitely has a 20th AF connection by virtue of its basic design.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tigerfan

tigerfan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the ID. I was just going through all of the squadrons attached to the 315th wing. I started with the highest number first. I wouldn't have found the 15th until the very end!! Now for the next quest to ID the name on the A2.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Patchcollector

Patchcollector

Posted
Posted

15th Bombardment Sq.

 

HOLY CRAP! I beat Johnny to the ID. LOL!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_Bombardment_Squadron_(VH)

 

 

Is this correct?I remember that this unit was in the Pacific,but just can't remember the unit number.The 15th does'nt ring a bell from what I recall seeing before.

Maybe Johnny will chime in on it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Patchcollector

Patchcollector

Posted
Posted

Here is one of a few links showing the patch.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_Bombardment_Squadron_(VH)

 

 

Now that's more like it!The link that FF posted took me to a unit that was active in another theatre! :lol:

 

Here's some info I gleaned from the link that you posted:

 

History

Activated 1 April 1944 at Dalhart Army Airfield, Texas. Initially equipped with B-17 Flying Fortresses for training, due to shortage of B-29 Superfortresses. Moved to Fairmont Army Airfield, Nebraska, in August 1944 and equipped with B-29B limited production aircraft.

After completion of training deployed to Central Pacific Area (CPA), assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Northwest Field (Guam) for operational missions. B-29Bs were standard production aircraft stripped of most defensive guns to increase speed and bomb load, The tail gun was aimed and fired automatically by the new AN/APG-15B radar fire control system that detected the approaching enemy plane and made all the necessary calculations.

Mission of the squadron was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands. Entered combat on 16 June 1945 with a bombing raid against an airfield on Moen. Flew first mission against the Japanese home islands on 26 June 1945 and afterwards operated principally against the enemy's petroleum industry. Flew primarily low-level, fast attacks at night using a mixture of high-explosive and incendary bombs to attack targets.

Flew last combat mission on 15 August 1945, later flew in "Show of Force" mission on 2 September 1945 over Tokyo Bay during formal Japanese Surrender. Inactivated on Guam 15 April 1946, personnel returned to the United States and aircraft sent to storage in Southwest United States.

Reactivated in Air Force Reserve 1947. Equipped with B-29s and provided reserve training until 1949 when inactivated due to budget reductions.

 

 

I bolded the line about the "last combat mission".This unit actually was flying combat bombing missions after the A-bomb was dropped!

I recommend watching the History Channel program about this unit and it's last mission,it's a great show that describes the bombing mission as well as what was happening on the ground in Japan,as elements of the Japanese Army were trying to keep fighting,and were planning a coup against the Emperor.Very suspenseful and fascinating aspect of history that few know about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Patchcollector

Patchcollector

Posted
Posted

I just wanted to add that my patch looks a bit different than yours.Yours appears to be hand painted.Mine is a decal on leather,I think.I'll have to dig it out and post it sometime.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
firefighter

firefighter

Posted
Posted

 

Patchcollector.Not sure why that showed up.Thats not what I copied.Here is what I copied.I don't know why the other showed up.

 

 

 

15th Bombardment Squadron (VH)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2012)

This article is about the 15th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy. For the 15th Bombardment Squadron (Light), see 915th Air Refueling Squadron.

15th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy)

 

Emblem of the 15th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy)

Active 1944-1949

Country United States

Branch United States Air Force

The 15th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 445th Bombardment Group, based at Hill Field, Utah. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949.

Contents [hide]

1 History

1.1 Operations and Decorations

1.2 Lineage

1.3 Assignments

1.4 Stations

1.5 Aircraft

2 References

3 External links

History[edit]

 

Activated 1 April 1944 at Dalhart Army Airfield, Texas. Initially equipped with B-17 Flying Fortresses for training, due to shortage of B-29 Superfortresses. Moved to Fairmont Army Airfield, Nebraska, in August 1944 and equipped with B-29B limited production aircraft.

After completion of training deployed to Central Pacific Area (CPA), assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Northwest Field (Guam) for operational missions. B-29Bs were standard production aircraft stripped of most defensive guns to increase speed and bomb load, The tail gun was aimed and fired automatically by the new AN/APG-15B radar fire control system that detected the approaching enemy plane and made all the necessary calculations.

Mission of the squadron was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands. Dntered combat on 16 June 1945 with a bombing raid against an airfield on Moen. Flew first mission against the Japanese home islands on 26 June 1945 and afterwards operated principally against the enemy's petroleum industry. Flew primarily low-level, fast attacks at night using a mixture of high-explosive and incendary bombs to attack targets.

Flew last combat mission on 15 August 1945, later flew in "Show of Force" mission on 2 September 1945 over Tokyo Bay during formal Japanese Surrender. Inactivated on Guam 15 April 1946, personnel returned to the United States and aircraft sent to storage in Southwest United States.

Reactivated in Air Force Reserve 1947. Equipped with B-29s and provided reserve training until 1949 when inactivated due to budget reductions.

Operations and Decorations[edit]

Combat Operations: Combat in Western Pacific, 16 Jun-14 Aug 1945

Campaigns: Air Offensive; Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific.

Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citation, Japan 6-13 Jul 1945

Lineage[edit]

Constituted 15th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 28 Mar 1944

Activated on 1 Apr 1944

Inactivated on 15 Apr 1946

Activated in the reserve on 1 Aug 1947

Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949.

Assignments[edit]

16th Bombardment Group, 1 Apr 1944-15 Apr 1946

445th Bombardment Group, 1 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949

Stations[edit]

Dalhart AAF, Texas, 1 April 1944

Fairmont AAF, Nebraska, 15 August 1944 – 7 March 1945

Northwest Field, Guam, Mariana Islands, 14 April 1945 – 15 April 1946

Hill Field, Utah, 1 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949

Aircraft[edit]

B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944-1945 (Training)

B-29 Superfortress, 1944-1946; 1947-1948

References[edit]

 

United States Air Force portal

Military of the United States portal

World War II portal

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.

External links[edit]

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tigerfan

tigerfan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the info. Although this A2 has a name tag, finding any info will be a real challenge that I will leave to someone else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...