70th Flying Training Squadron

Established as a pre-World War II GHQAF bombardment squadron; equipped with Douglas B-18 Bolos and early-model Martin B-26 Marauders. After the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, squadron was engaged in antisubmarine operations over the mid-Atlantic coast. Reassigned to Third Air Force; deployed to Fifth Air Force in Australia in 1942 as part of the re-equipping of that command after its withdraw to Australia after the 1941-1942 Battle of the Philippines.

Deployed to South Pacific Area (SPA); being assigned to Thirteenth Air Force and attacking enemy targets in the Solomon Islands; New Hebrides and other enemy locations north and east of Papua New Guinea. Became part of Mac Arthur's New Guinea campaign, supported Army ground forces with tactical bombing of enemy formations and targets along the northern coast of New Guinea and in the Dutch East Indies.

Attacked enemy forces in the Philippines during early 1945 as part of the liberation from Japanese control; continued combat missions until the Japanese capitulation in August 1945. Became part of the Fifth Air Force forces in Occupied Japan in 1946 before being demobilized and inactivated in May 1946.

The 70th was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its pre-invasion bombing of Balikpapan between 23 and 30 June 1945. Balikpapan was a center for oil refining on Borneo held by the Japanese. These attacks included bombing and strafing enemy shore installations. The round trip to the target was over 1700 miles and was among the longest flown by medium bombers during the war. Pre mission experiments determined that the squadron's bombers could carry a bomb load over this distance with fuel tanks installed in their radio compartments despite having to take off from a runway damaged by enemy action. Four of the missions encountered severe tropical weather fronts. Despite intense and accurate flak, the squadron destroyed gun positions, warehouses, roadblocks, fuel and ammunition dumps, a radar station as well as huge stores of gasoline and oil which the enemy had placed in position to be released into shallow pits oil the beach and ignited when the Australian ground troops made their assaults. The group attacked the beach while naval underwater demolition teams operated offshore without losing a man. The attacks were so effective that the Australian Seventh Division was able to come ashore without enemy opposition.[4]

Reactivated as a Strategic Air Command Convair B-36 Peacemaker bombardment squadron in 1953. Engaged in worldwide training missions with the B-36 until 1956 when re-equipped with the jet Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. Deployed to Western Pacific during the Vietnam War and flew conventional Arc Light bombardment missions over enemy military and industrial targets in North Vietnam. Inactivated in 1966 due to budget reductions.

Reactivated as an Undergraduate Pilot Training Cessna T-37 Tweet squadron in 1972. Remained in Air Training Command providing initial flight training first at Laredo AFB, then at Moody AFB. Inactivated in 1975 when Moody was transferred to Tactical Air Command as a fighter base.

Reactivated in the reserve at the United States Air Force Academy in 2005 as a pilot screening squadron, replacing Detachment 1, 302nd Operations Group. Also flies unpowered gliders.[5]

• 38th Bombardment Group, 15 January 1941
• 42d Bombardment Group, 26 February 1943 – 10 May 1946
• 42d Bombardment Wing, 25 February 1953 – 25 June 1966
• 38th Flying Training Wing, 1 August 1972 – 30 September 1973
• 38th Flying Training Wing, 1 December 1973 – 1 December 1975
• 302d Operations Group, 22 October 2005
• 340th Flying Training Group 1 September 2007 – present[1]

• Douglas B-18 Bolo (1941)
• Martin B-26 Marauder (1941–1943)
• North American B-25 Mitchell (1943–1945)
• Convair B-36 Peacemaker (1953–1956)
• Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (1956–1966)
• Cessna T-37 Tweet (1972–1973, 1973–1975)[1]

Explanatory notes

Citations

• Cohn, Major R. H.; et al. (2013) [1946]. The Crusaders: A History of the 42nd Bombardment Group (M) (Kindle ed.). Baton Rouge, LA: Army & Navy Pictorial Publications. ASIN B00BRSWTDA. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947-1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.