The squadron arrived at its combat station,
Isely Field,
Saipan in September 1944.[1] The squadron's first missions were flown against targets on
Iwo Jima and
Truk Island. On 24 November 1944, the squadron participated in the first raid on Japan by bombers based in the Mariana Islands. The squadron initially engaged in high altitude daylight attacks against industrial targets in Japan. It was awarded a
Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for an attack on an aircraft manufacturing plant in
Nagoya on 13 December 1944.[2]
In March 1945, the
Twentieth Air Force changed tactics and the squadron began flying low level night attacks with
incendiaries against area targets. The 875th received a second DUC for its actions during a low level raid on urban industries near
Kobe and
Osaka in June 1945. Squadron operations also included attacks on
airfields in Okinawa during the
invasion of Okinawa in April 1945. After
V-J Day, the squadron remained on Saipan until November and reassembled at
March Field, California the following month. It became one of the first bombardment units in
Strategic Air Command in March 1946, but was inactivated at
MacDill Field, Florida on 4 August and its personnel and equipment were transferred to the
372d Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.[1][2][3]
Lineage
Constituted as the 875th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 19 November 1943
^Approved 9 November 1944. Description: On an orange disc, border black, a stylized figure of Vulcan in light purple and black, standing over green globe marked with yellow lines of longitude and latitude in
base, and holding in the left hand twelve red, jagged lightning flashes arranged seven to
dexter, five to sinister, striking a blow with a large light purple and black sledge held aloft in the right hand.
United States
United States Air Force
This article incorporates
public domain material from the
Air Force Historical Research Agency
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