414th Bombardment Squadron

414th Bombardment Squadron
An MQ-1B Predator from the 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron sits on the flightline 14 February 2012, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.
Active	1942-1945; 2011-
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Reconnaissance
Engagements	World War II - EAME Theater Afghanistan Campaign
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation (2x)
Insignia
Emblem of the 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron

The 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It operates the MQ-1B Predator, last known assigned to the 39th Expeditionary Operations Group, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.

During World War II, the 414th Bombardment Squadron was a B-17 Flying Fortress squadron, assigned to the 97th Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. It earned Two Distinguished Unit Citations.

Established in early 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron; trained under Third Air Force in Florida. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO) in mid-June 1942, being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England. The squadron was one of the first B-17 heavy bomb squadrons in the ETO. During the summer of 1942, engaged in long range strategic bombardment of enemy military, transport and industrial targets, primarily in France and the Low Countries with limited fighter escorts.

Reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force in England, being deployed to Algiers as part of the initial Operation Torch forces that arrived in North Africa. Squadron aircraft carried Triangle-O on tail. Engaged in bombardment of enemy targets in Algeria and Tunisia as part of the North African Campaign, and attacked enemy strong points around Tunis as part of the Tunisian Campaign. Continued heavy bomb missions of enemy targets in Sicily and Southern Italy and in late 1943 was reassigned to new Fifteenth Air Force formed in Southern Italy. From airfields around Foggia, conducted long-range strategic bombardment missions over Southern Europe and the Balkans of enemy targets until the German Capitulation in May 1945. Demobilized squadron personnel and aircraft were sent to the United States for reclamation in the fall of 1945; being inactivated in Italy in October.