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870th Bombardment Squadron

870th Bombardment Squadron Twentieth Air Force - Emblem (World War II).png
Bell-Atlanta B-29-15-BA Superfortress 43-63425 - Dragon Lady -497th BG.jpg
Boeing B-29 Superfortress of the 497th Bombardment Group undergoing maintenance at Isely Field 1945
Active 1943-1946
Country  United States
Branch United States Army Air Forces
Role Bombardment
Engagements Pacific Theater of Operations
Decorations Distinguished Unit Citation
Insignia
870th Bombardment Squadron Emblem (approved 18 August 1944) 870th Bombardment Squadron - Emblem.png

The 870th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 497th Bombardment Group at MacDill Field, Florida where it was inactivated on 31 March 1946. The squadron served in combat with Twentieth Air Force flying Boeing B-29 Superfortress aircraft in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II, where it earned two Distinguished Unit Citations.

The squadron was established in late 1943 as the 870th Bombardment Squadron at El Paso Army Air Base, Texas, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress very heavy bombardment squadron that was one of the original operational squadrons of the 497th Bombardment Group. The squadron's initial cadre was drawn from the 491st Bombardment Group.

In December the squadron moved on paper to Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico. At Clovis, the squadron began to man its air echelon by January 1944. The 870th drew heavily on aircrews of the 480th Antisubmarine Group who were returning to the United States from duty in England and Africa to fill out its crews. Aircrew training at Clovis was limited to ground training, although some flying in Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator aircraft assigned to the 73d Bombardment Wing was accomplished. Key personnel trained with the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida.


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