33rd Bomb Squadron | 22nd Bomb Group | "The Red Raiders" | 5th AAF

1,132 · April 18, 2020

33rd Bomb Squadron | 22nd Bomb Group | "The Red Raiders" | 5th AAF

LINEAGE. Constituted 33d Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Redesignated 33d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 3 Feb 1944.

ASSIGNMENTS. 22d Bombardment Group, 1 Feb 1940.

STATIONS. Patterson Field, Ohio, 1 Feb 1940; Langley Field, Va, 16 Nov 1940; Muroc, Calif, 9 Dec 1941-28 Jan 1942; Brisbane, Australia, 25 Feb 1942; Ipswich, Australia, 1 Mar 194.2; Antil Plains, Australia, 7 Apr 1942; Woodstock, Australia, 20 Jul 1942; Iron Range, Australia, 29 Sep 1942; Woodstock, Australia, 4 Feb 1943; Dobodura, New Guinea, 15 Oct 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, c. 10 Jan 1944; Owi, Schouten Islands, 14 Aug 1944; Leyte, c. 10 Nov 194.4; Angaur, 26 Nov 1944; Samar, 21 Jan 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, 12 Mar 1945; Okinawa, 15 Aug 1945.

AIRCRAFT. B-18, 1940-1941; B-26, 1941-1943; B-25, 1943-1944; B-24, 1944-1945.

OPERATIONS. Antisubmarine patrols, Dec 1941-Jan 1942; combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 6 Apr 1942-7 Jan 1943, 7 Oct 1943-3 Aug 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. Antisubmarine, American Theater; East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; Papua; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

Type I | Silkscreened on leather.

Type II | Theater-made. Australian embroidery on wool.

Type III | Painted leather.

Type IV | Theater-made. Australian embroidery on wool.

22nd Bomb Group | "The Red Raiders" | 5th AAF

Each of the four squadrons in the 22 Bomb Group had a variation of the "Red Raiders" insignia, the border color its assigned color used on aircraft markings. At some point, the 2d Bomb Squadron's color was changed to blue to reduce friendly-fire incidents.

SQUADRONS: 2nd (Red), 19th (White), 33rd (Yellow) and 408th (Green)

Related Posts:

Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II.

Watkins, Robert A. Battle Colors. Volume V.

33bs 22bg 5aaf