340 Weapons Squadron (ACC)

Lineage. Constituted 340 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 3 Feb 1942. Redesignated 340 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 6 Mar 1944. Inactivated on 29 Oct 1945. Redesignated 340 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 15 Jul 1946. Activated on 4 Aug 1946. Redesignated: 340 Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 28 May 1948; 340 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 1 Oct 1959; 340 Bomb Squadron on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 7 Jan 1992. Redesignated 340 Weapons Squadron on 24 Jan 2003. Activated on 3 Feb 2003. 

Assignments. 97 Bombardment Group, 3 Feb 1942-29 Oct 1945. 97 Bombardment Group, 4 Aug 1946; 97 Bombardment Wing, attached 10 Feb 1951, assigned 16 Jun 1952; 97 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-7 Jan 1992. USAF Weapons School, 3 Feb 2003-.

Stations. MacDill Field, FL, 3 Feb 1942; Sarasota, FL, 29 Mar-16 May 1942; Polebrook, England, 11 Jun-10 Nov 1942; Maison Blanche, Algeria, c. 13 Nov 1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, c. 22 Nov 1942; Bizkra, Algeria, 26 Dec 1942; Chateaudun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, 8 Feb 1943; Pont-du-Fahs, Tunisia, 12 Aug 1943; Depienne, Tunisia, 14 Aug 1943; Carignola, Italy, c. 14 Dec 1943; Amendola, Italy, 17 Jan 1944; Marcianise, Italy, c. Oct-29 Oct 1945. Smoky Hill AAFld, KS, 4 Aug 1946 (deployed at Mile 26 Airfield [later, Eielson AFB], AK, 4 Nov 1947-12 Mar 1948); Biggs AFB, TX, 17 May 1948 (deployed at Lakenheath RAF Station, England, 5 Mar-4 Jun 1952; Andersen AFB, Guam, 16 Dec 1953-c. 15 Mar 1954; detachments at Lakenheath RAF Station, England, and Yokota AB, Japan, Apr 1954-1 Apr 1955; deployed at RAF Upper Heyford, England, 5 May-4 Jul 1956; Eielson AFB, AK, 24 Sep-2 Nov 1957); Blytheville (later, Eaker) AFB, AR, 1 Jul 1959-7 Jan 1992. Barksdale AFB, LA, 3 Feb 2003-. 

Commanders. Unkn, 3 Feb-28 Mar 1942; Maj Paul W. Tibbets, 29 Mar 1942; Maj Robert E. Coulter, 9 Sep 1942; Maj C. David Hoffman, 2 Feb 1943; Lt Col Frank Allen, c. Sep 1943; Maj James C. Hamilton, 20 Nov 1943; Maj John R. Delapp, 8 May 1944; Capt Rush R. Spradley, 1 Jun 1944; Maj Robert E. Shafer, 17 Jun 1944; Capt Kenneth W. Whitehorn, by Jun-29 Oct 1945. Unkn, 4 Aug-16 Sep 1946; Lt Col Robert E. Flesher, 17 Sep 1946; Lt Col Jack D. Whidden, 6 Nov 1946; Maj Ira V. Matthews, 1 May 1947; Maj Virgil R. Sewell, 27 Jun 1947; Maj Gordon A. Dressler, by Aug 1948; Lt Col Charles B. Paxson, 1950; Lt Col Frank L. Davis, 9 Jul 1951; Lt Col Joe L. Simmons, c. 1952; Lt Col Walter Callahan, Mar 1953; Lt Col Cameron B. Benson, Apr 1954; Lt Col William R. Conger, Apr 1955; Lt Col Malcolm C. Simmons, Apr 1957; Lt Col Warren D. Johnson, by Jul 59; Lt Col George E. Burch, c. 17 Jun 1960; Lt Col Elmond H. Abbot, 1 Dec 1960; Lt Col William M. Wood, 17 Jul 1961; Lt Col Chester K. Ballengee, Dec 1961; Lt Col Norman A. MacLean, c. Jul 1963; Lt Col William F. Lane, Aug 1964; Lt Col Allen W. Azeltine, by Sep 1966; Lt Col William M. Nash, 15 Aug 1967; Lt Col William J. Heath, 1 Jul 68; Lt Col Charles P. Birch, c. Aug 1970; Lt Col William R. Valach, by Sep 1971; Lt Col Joe S. Smith, by Jun 1972; Lt Col Paul A. Cameron Jr., c. Jun 1973; Lt Col Robert A. Hahn, 1 Jun 1974; Lt Col Roger E. McClure, by Feb 1976; Lt Col John G. Corbett, 29 Dec 1976; Lt Col Peter C. Kelly, 6 Sep 1977; Lt Col Richard L. Bousman, 20 Dec 1978; Lt Col James R. Ames, 7 Jul 1979; Lt Col James L. Vick, 22 Sep 1980; Lt Col James E. Lentz, 21 Sep 1981; Lt Col Richard D. Martin, 1 Nov 1982; Lt Col William H. Campbell Jr., 16 Dec 1983; Lt Col George B. Smith, 24 Oct 1985; Lt Col Robert L. Ostrander Jr., 26 Feb 1987; Lt Col Cloyce W. Scheer, 30 Aug 1988; Lt Col James C. Berg, 10 Aug 1989; Lt Col David A. McDermott, 15 Apr 1990; Lt Col Thomas G. Sullivan, 11 Jan 1991; none (not manned), 16 Dec 1991-7 Jan 1992. 

Aircraft. B-17, 1942-1945. B-29, 1946-1950; B-50, 1950-1954; RB-50, KB-29, and ERB-29, 1954-1955; B-47, 1955-1959; B-52, 1960-1991. 

Operations. Antisubmarine operations, Mar-Apr 1942; combat in ETO and MTO, 17 Aug 1942-26 Apr 1945. Electronic reconnaissance, Apr 1954-1 Apr 1955. Supported SAC combat operations in Southeast Asia, mid and late 1960s and early 1970s by providing aircraft and crews on loan to other SAC units; by mid 1972 to Oct 1973, all aircraft and a large part of its personnel were on loan to other units for operations in SEA, the Far East, and other locations. Deployed personnel and equipment to Diego Garcia, 1990-1991; combat operations in Southwest Asia, Jan-Feb 1991. 

Service Streamers. None 

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; Egypt-Libya; Air Offensive, Europe; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAME Theater. Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait. 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None 

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Steyr, Austria, 24 Feb 1944; Ploesti, Rumania, 18 Aug 1944. Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: [Apr 1954-1 Apr 1955]; 2 Jul-3 Nov 1957; 23 Oct-22 Nov 1962; 1 Jul 1975-30 Jun 1977; 1 Jul 1977-30 Jun 1978; 1 Jul 1978-30 Jun 1980; 1 Jul 1986-30 Jun 1988. 

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 6 May 2003. 

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through 7 Jan 1992. 

Supersedes addendum to published information in Maurer Maurer (ed.), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (Washington: USGPO, 1969).
 
Emblem. Approved on 16 Mar 1956. Squadron must get emblem redrawn in disk. 

Prepared by Carl E. Bailey. 

Approved by Judy G. Endicott.