527th Bombardment Squadron

The 527th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 379th Bombardment Wing at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, where it was inactivated on 9 January 1961, when its parent wing converted to the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress.

Activation and Training

The 527th Bombardment Squadron was first activated at Geiger Field, Washington in November 1942 as one of the four original squadrons of the 379th Bombardment Group. Following initial organization, a cadre moved to Wendover Field, Utah, where training as a heavy bomber unit commenced with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. By early April 1943, training was complete, and the ground echelon embarked for England in May. Meanwhile, the air echelon ferried their Flying Fortresses via the North Atlantic Ferry Route starting on 15 April.

Combat in the European Theater

Arrival in England

The air echelon of the 527th Bombardment Squadron arrived at RAF Bovingdon by 24 April 1943. They joined the ground echelon at RAF Kimbolton on 20 May, which was their combat station throughout the European Theater of Operations. The 527th Bombardment Squadron's first combat mission occurred on 29 May.

Strategic Bombing Campaign

Focused on the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, the 527th Bombardment Squadron's first mission marked the beginning of sustained actions, leading to the awarding of the first Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) through the end of July 1944. The 527th Bombardment Squadron targeted various sites, including industrial plants, refineries, and communication centers across Germany and neighboring countries.

Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler Incident

On 20 December 1943, a B-17 of the 527th Bombardment Squadron had a significant encounter with a Bf 109. The incident, involving German fighter pilot Franz Stigler, came to light in the late 1980s.

Further Achievements

The 527th Bombardment Squadron earned a second DUC for its attack on aircraft factories on 11 January 1944. Despite challenging weather and a formidable Luftwaffe defense, the 527th Bombardment Squadron completed its mission without fighter escort.

Supporting Operations

In addition to the strategic bombing campaign, the 527th Bombardment Squadron performed close air support and interdiction missions. It supported Operation Crossbow, Operation Overlord, and Operation Cobra, among others, during 1944.

During the Northern France Campaign, the 527th Bombardment Squadron played a vital role, attacking German positions and supporting the Allied assault across the Rhine. Its last mission was flown on 25 April 1945.

Post V-E Day

After Victory in Europe Day, the 527th Bombardment Squadron was detailed for the Green Project, moving American troops back to the United States. However, this role was short-lived, and the 527th Bombardment Squadron was inactivated at Casablanca Airfield, French Morocco, on 25 July 1945.