Established in mid-1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment group; trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), being assigned to Southern Italy at San Giovanni Airfield under Fifteenth Air Force.



Engaged in very long range strategic bombardment of enemy military, industrial and transportation targets. Operations included attacks against such objectives as marshalling yards, aircraft factories, railroad bridges, and airdromes in Italy, Austria, and Romania. Helped to prepare the way for and supported the invasion of Southern France during Jul and August 1944. At the same time, expanded previous operations to include attacks on oil refineries and storage facilities, locomotive works, and viaducts in France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, and the Balkans.



Returned to the United States after the German Capitulation in May 1945; re-manned and re-equipped as a B-29 Superfortress heavy bombardment squadron. Began training under Second Air Force in August 1945, however was inactivated in October after the Japanese Capitulation.



Activated in the reserves in 1947 as a B-29 Superfortress squadron, but neither manned or equipped. Inactivated in 1949 due to budget constraints. Reactivated in 1952 as a troop carrier squadron, it was inactivated on 1 Jan 1953 with personnel being reassigned to the 403d Troop Carrier Wing.



Reactivated as a C-130 Hercules airlift squadron as part of the Global War on Terrorism