868th Bombardment Squadron

868th Tactical Missile Training Squadron
868th TMTS training launch from the Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) of a BGM-109G Gryphon ground launched cruise missile at the Utah Test and Training Range, Dungway, November 1982.
Active	1943-1945; 1958-1962; 1981-1990
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Type	Squadron
Role	Aerodynamic Cruise Missile Training
Engagements	World War II (Asia-Pacific Theater)
Decorations	Distinguished Unit Citation
Insignia
868th Tactical Missile Training Squadron emblem

The 868th Tactical Missile Training Squadron is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. Its last assignment was with the 868th Tactical Missile Training Group, stationed at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It was inactivated on 31 May 1990.

Originally a B-24 Liberator bomber squadron in the Pacific Theater of World War II, assigned directly to Headquarters, Thirteenth Air Force. The squadron was equipped with radar equipped Liberators (unofficially designated as the SB-24 "Snooper") with an extra crew member to operate the SCR-717 10 cm radar; the SCR-729 aircraft radar beacon and a number of other specialized devices. The mission of the squadron was for low level, anti-shipping strikes under the cover of darkness. They had this capability because the radar-sighting devices permitted operation of the bomb-release mechanism irrespective of visual sighting of the target.

The 868th Bombardment Squadron flew its special radar-equipped SB-24 Snoopers nightly from 8 to 27 August 1943 on 1900 mile round trips from Los Negros Island to bomb Palau. By 23 August, Wadke Island was operational and the 5th and 307th Bombardment Groups started day light B-24 missions over Palau. Between 25 August and 4 September, nine missions dropped over 600 tons of bombs. Major damage occurred throughout Palau, but at a cost: seven B-24’s did not return. An enemy fighter shot down one and AAA shot down at least three others over Babeldaob and adjacent Koror; these four were reported to have crashed within sight of the islands. Parachutes from two B-24’s were seen by wingmen and at least two crewmembers were later recorded as captured. The remaining B-24’s fell into deep water outside the Palau Islands.

By March 1944, the Japanese ceased sending shipping convoys to the Solomons area and the 868th Bombardment Squadron was out of a job and were subsequently used as pathfinders for high-altitude bombers. Special missions were flown against land targets at night and one of the intentions was to prevent the Japanese from sleeping just as the Japanese “Washing Machine Charlie” did against the United States Marines on Guadalcanal.