388 Electronic Combat Squadron (ACC)

Lineage. Constituted 388 Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 15 Mar 1942. Redesignated: 388 Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 27 Jul 1942; 388 Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 6 Dec 1943; 388 Bombardment Squadron, Light, c. 28 Mar 1944; 388 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 19 Jul 1945. Inactivated on 4 Jan 1946. Redesignated 388 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 14 Jul 1947. Activated in the Reserve on 30 Jul 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949. Redesignated 388 Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 29 Jul 1954. Activated on 1 Oct 1954. Redesignated 388 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 Jul l958. Inactivated on 18 Feb 1959. Redesignated 388 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 7 Feb 1977. Activated on 1 Jul 1977. Inactivated on 30 Sep 1979. Redesignated 388 Electronic Combat Squadron on 29 Jan 1981. Activated on 1 Jul 1981. Inactivated on 15 Dec 1982. Activated on 15 Dec 2004.

Assignments. 312 Bombardment Group, 15 Mar 1942-4 Jan 1946. Tenth Air Force, 30 Jul 1947; 312 Bombardment Group, 13 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949. 312 Fighter-Bomber Group, 1 Oct 1954; 312 Fighter-Bomber (later, 312 Tactical Fighter) Wing, 8 Oct 1957-18 Feb 1959 (attached to Air Task Force 13 [Provisional], 4 Sep-3 Dec 1958). 366 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jul 1977-30 Sep 1979. 366 Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 Jul 1981-15 Dec 1982. 366 Operations Group, 15 Dec 2004-.

Stations. Bowman Field, KY, 15 Mar 1942; Will Rogers Field, OK, 12 Jun 1942; Hunter Field, GA, 18 Aug 1942; DeRidder AAB, LA, 18 Feb 1943; Rice AAFld, CA, 13 Apr 1943; Salinas AAB, CA, 13 Aug-24 Oct 1943; Port Moresby, New Guinea, c. 30 Nov 1943; Gusap, New Guinea, 3 Jan 1944; Nadzab, New Guinea, 11 Jun 1944; Hollandia, New Guinea, 4 Jul 1944; Tanauan, Leyte, 19 Nov 1944; San Jose, Mindoro, 27 Jan 1945; Mangaldan, Luzon, 11 Feb 1945; Floridablanca, Luzon, c. 20 Apr 1945; Okinawa, Sep-13 Dec 1945; Ft Lawton, WA, 1-4 Jan 1946. Ellington Field (later, AFB), TX, 30 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949. Clovis AFB, NM, 1 Oct 1954-18 Feb 1959 (deployed at Chia Yi AB, Formosa, 4 Sep-3 Dec 1958). Mountain Home AFB, ID, 1 Jul 1977-30 Sep 1979. Mountain Home AFB, ID, 1 Jul 1981-15 Dec 1982. Whidbey Island NAS, WA, 15 Dec 2004-.

Commanders. None (not manned), 15 Mar-18 Oct 1942; Major William H. Kemble Jr., 19 Oct 1942; Maj Joseph B. Bilitzke, 19 Oct 1944; Capt Wayne B. Brodine, May-Jul 1945; unkn, Aug 1945-4 Jan 1946. Unkn, 30 Jul 1947-27 Jun 1949. Lt Col Isaac T. Van Patten III, 1 Oct 1954; Lt Col Richard E. Ryan, by 31 Dec 1955; Capt Elmer L. Eilers, 26 Jul 1956; Maj William E. Charlson, 26 Jan 1957; Maj Ray L. Obenshain Jr., by 17-18 Feb 1959. Lt Col Rex L. Dull, 1 Jul 1977; Lt Col H. Cronin Byrd, 31 Mar 1979; none (not manned), 30 Jun-30 Sep 1979. Lt Col Herbert T. Pickering Jr., 1 Jul 1981-15 Dec 1982.

Aircraft. V-72, 1942-1943; A-24, 1942-1943; A-36, 1943; P-40, 1943-1944; A-20, 1944-1945; B-25, 1944-1945. F-86, 1955-1956; F-100, 1956-1959. F-111, 1977-1979. EF-111, 1981-1982.

Operations. Antisubmarine operations, c. Dec 1942-c. Jan 1943; combat in Southwest Pacific and Western Pacific, 13 Jan 1944-21 Jul 1945. F-111 flying training, 1 Sep 1977-29 Jun 1979. Trained EF-111A aircrews, Nov 1981-Dec 1982.

Service Streamers. None.

Campaign Streamers. World War II: Antisubmarine, American Theater; New Guinea; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon.

Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers. None.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Formosa, 25 Mar-4 Apr 1945. Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: 1 Jul 1977-27 Mar 1978. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation (WWII).

Lineage, Assignments, Stations, and Honors through 15 Dec 2004.

Commanders, Aircraft, and Operations through Dec 1982.

Supersedes L&H prepared October 1995.

Emblem. Approved on 24 Jan 1956; modified significantly on 15 Feb 2005.

Prepared by A. Timothy Warnock.

Approved by Forrest L. Marion.