500th Bombardment Squadron
Military unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 500th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 345th Bombardment Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, where it was inactivated on 25 June 1959.
500th Bombardment Squadron | |
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Active | 1942–1945; 1954–1959 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Air Force |
Role | Medium bomber |
Nickname(s) | Rough Raiders[1] |
Engagements | Southwest Pacific Theater |
Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation Philippine Presidential Unit Citation |
Insignia | |
500th Bombardment Squadron emblem[lower-alpha 1][2] | |
500th Bombardment Squadron emblem[lower-alpha 2][1] |
The squadron was first activated in 1942 for service during World War II. After training in the United States as a medium bomber unit, it deployed to the Southwest Pacific Theater, where it engaged in combat against Japanese forces, advancing from Australia, through New Guinea and the Philippines, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its combat actions. Following V-J Day, the squadron remained on Okinawa until December 1945, when it returned to the United States for inactivation. The squadron was activated again in 1954 as a tactical bomber unit.