561st Fighter-Day Squadron

561st Fighter-Day Squadron
561st Fighter-Day Squadron - Emblem
Active	1940-1958
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Airlift

The 561st Fighter-Day Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 12th Fighter-Day Wing, Tactical Air Command, stationed at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas. It was inactivated on 8 January 1958.

Established in early 1941 as a coastal patrol light bomber squadron, assigned to the Northwest Air District (later Second Air Force). Deployed to Louisiana to fly antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico after the Pearl Harbor Attack, equipped with B-18 Bolos. Trained with B-25 Mitchells in Louisiana under Third Air Force, then after several months in Louisiana, moved to Central California and received new B-25s from North American, being trained as a medium bombardment squadron.

Was deployed to Egypt in July 1942, flying via the South Atlantic Transport Route, then across Central Africa to Eritrea, then north to Cairo arriving at RAF Deversoir in early August. Assigned to the new Ninth Air Force in November while engaging in tactical bombardment and strafing missions against enemy armor and troop concentrations; also attacked enemy bases and columns in the rear area behind the lines in western Egypt and Libya. Moved west supporting the British Eighth Army's advance in the Western Desert Campaign into Tunisia. Was reassigned to Twelfth Air Force in Southern Italy in November 1943, flying tactical bombardment missions supporting the United States Fifth Army's drive northwards during the Italian campaign. Reassigned to the China Burma India Theater (CBI) in February 1944, moving via the Middle East to eastern India. Supported the British forces in Burma, attacking Japanese transport routes and troop concentrations. Began receiving A-26 Invaders in the early summer of 1945, replacing the B-25s. Remained in the CBI until the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945, being demobilized in India in the fall. Inactivated as a paper unit in the United States in January 1946.