347th Bomb Squadron

The 347th Bombardment Squadron

The 347th Bombardment Squadron was transferred from Westover AFB on 1 September 1961 to operate the strategic aircraft of the 4047th Strategic Wing and, subsequently the 306th Bombardment Wing. Although the 4047th and 306th history at McCoy AFB dates back only to 1 July 1961, its operatiomal squadron, the 347th Bomb Squadron was active during World War II. It is interesting to note that after 12 stateside, four overseas stations of assignments and 20 years later the 347th Bomb Squadron returned to its place of birth.

On 1 June 1942 the 347th BS was originally activated at the Orlando Army Air Field, Florida. The following six months were spent at various bases in the United States training air and ground personnel. On 22 January 1943 the aircrews picked up their B-17 aircraft at DeRitter Army Air Base, Louisiana and departed for Navarin Air Base in Algeria one week later. The ground echelon followed later and by the time it reached Navarin on 26 May the squadron was credited with 22 combat missions. The first strike was against the enemy held airdrome at Villacidaro, Sardinia on 31 March 1943. On 5 July 1947 the 347th participated in the bombing of Gerbini Airdrome in Sicily with other units of the 99th Bomb Group. For this action it shared in the Distinguished Unit Citation award for demolition of the airdrome and destruction of airborne enemy aircraft.

The squadron was awarded a second Distinguished Unit Citation for its mission against the aircraft factory at Wiener Neustadt, Austria on 23 April 1944. The 347th flew its last mission of the war on 26 April 1945. This was mission number 395. Aside from the two Distinguished Unit: Citations, the 347th has ten battle credits for offensives against targets in two continents and 11 countries.

The 347th Bomb Squadron was deactivated at Camp Marcianise, Italy, on 8 November 1945. In May 1947 it was reactivated as a Class C Reserve unit at Birmingham, Alabama, and remained in this status until June 1949 when the 347th was again inactivated.

On 1 January 1953 the unit was redesignated the 347th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Heavy, and was returned to active service in the Air Force at Travis AFB, California. It was assigned to the 99th Strategic ReconnaissJnce Wing. The unit was equipped with the giant RE-36 type aircraft. During the latter part of August 1953 the squadron was transferred to Fairchild AFB, Washington. In May 1956 the 99th Bomb Wing entered a conversion program designed to replace the B-36's in the 347th and the other squadrons with B-52's. At the same time the entire wing was scheduled to move to Westover AFB. The move was accomplished and the B-36's phased out by early September 1956. However, the first B-52's were not assigned until about three months later. The 347th Bomb Squadron remained at Westover AFB as a unit of the 99th Bomb Wing until it was officially transferred to McCoy AFB on 1 September 1961.

...McCoy AFB, Directory and Guide, circa 1961