721st Tactical Fighter Squadron

The squadron was first activated as the 721st Bombardment Squadron at Gowen Field, Idaho on 1 May 1943 as one of the four original squadrons of the 450th Bombardment Group. It soon moved to Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, where it was manned, drawing its cadre from the 302d Bombardment Group.[3] and began to train with Consolidated B-24 Liberators. A cadre of the squadron was sent to the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics in June, where it received advanced heavy bomber tactical training.[4] In November 1943, the 721st began moving overseas.[1][5] The ground echelon proceeded to the Port of Embarkation at Camp Patrick Henry, sailing on the SS Bret Harte, while the aircrews staged at Herington Army Air Field, Kansas, and ferried their planes to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations via the South Atlantic Ferry Route.[6]

Formation of 450th Bomb Group B-24s flying through flak

The squadron arrived at its combat station, Manduria Airfield, Italy, in early January 1944 and began engaging in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, primarily striking targets in Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and the Balkans. The squadron's first mission was flown against Mostar Airfield, Yugoslavia on 8 January.[7][8] Targets included aircraft factories and assembly plants, oil refineries, marshalling yards, airfields and storage areas.[5] Shortly after arriving in theater, the squadron participated in Big Week, attacking aircraft factories at Regensburg, Germany and Steyr, Austria. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for its attack on the Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg on 25 February, despite bad weather, heavy flak in the target area and enroute attacks by enemy interceptor aircraft. The 450th Group led the 47th Bombardment Wing on the attack.[9] The 721st earned a second DUC for an attack on rail yards near Ploesti on 5 April, when it fought its way through "relentless" attacks by enemy aircraft to reach the target.[5] The rail yards were a vital link in the transportation of petroleum products from the Ploesti refineries to the eastern front.[10] The 450th Group again led the 47th Wing on this mission.[5][11]

During the spring of 1944, the squadron flew missions for Operation Strangle, the effort to choke off supplies for Axis military in Italy through air interdiction.[12] The squadron also supported Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in September 1944 by attacking troop concentrations, lines of communications and enemy coastal defenses. In addition, it conducted missions to support the Red Army advance through the Balkans and Allied advances in Italy.[5]

The squadron returned to the United States in May 1945, assembling at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota at the end of the month. It moved to Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska in July and trained with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, however after V-J Day in August the squadron inactivated on 15 October.[1][5]

The squadron was redesignated the 721st Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated at Foster Air Force Base, Texas in July 1954 under Tactical Air Command. The squadron initially flew North American F-86 Sabre fighters, but soon converted to the North American F-100 Super Sabre.[1] In March 1955, the squadron was renamed the 721st Fighter-Day Squadron to reflect the F-100's air superiority capabilities. In July, the squadron's parent 450th Fighter-Day Wing became the first wing to equip with the improved F-100C model of the "Hun."[13] In November 1957, the 450th Wing converted to the dual deputy organization.[14] The 450th Fighter-Day Group was inactivated, and the squadron was assigned directly to the wing, reporting to a deputy commander for operations. Starting in July 1958, the squadron began to phase down in anticipation of its inactivation and the closure of Foster. It was inactivated on 18 December 1958.[1][14]

• 450th Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 15 October 1945
• 450th Fighter-Bomber Group (later 450th Fighter-Day Group), 1 July 1954
• 450th Fighter-Day Wing (later 450th Tactical Fighter Wing), 11 December 1957 – 18 December 1958[1]

• Gowen Field, Idaho, 1 May 1943
• Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, 21 May 1943
• Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, c. 8 July – 26 November 1943
• Manduria Airfield, Italy, 3 January 1944 – 16 May 1945
• Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, c. 31 May 1945
• Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska, 24 July–15 October 1945
• Foster Air Force Base, Texas 1 July 1954 – 18 December 1958[1]

• Consolidated B-24 Liberator, 1943–1945
• Boeing B-29 Superfortress, 1945
• North American F-86 Sabre, 1954–1955
• North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1955–1958[1]

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Knaack, Marcelle Size (1978). Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 1, Post-World War II Fighters 1945–1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 978-0-912799-19-3. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• 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.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases, Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982 (PDF). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. 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.
• Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. Volume IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7643-3401-6.
• "15th Army Air Force, 450th Bombardment Group, 720th Bomb Squadron 1943-1945" (PDF). 450th Bomb Group Memorial Association. August 1994. Retrieved 24 March 2019. (includes historical data for entire 450th Group)