During the 1950s, the squadron was twice activated as a fighter unit, in Alaska and in Texas. It returned to its bomber designation and was activated with Boeing B-52H Stratofortresses at Minot in 1963.
Formation of 450th Bomb Group B-24s flying through flak
The squadron arrived at its combat station, Manduria Airfield, Italy, in early January 1944 and began engaging in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, primarily striking targets in Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and the Balkans. The first mission was flown against harbor installations at Zadar, Yugoslavia on 9 January.[9] Targets included aircraft factories and assembly plants, oil refineries, marshalling yards, airfields and storage areas.[5] On one of the squadron's early missions, an attack on an enemy airfield at Udine, Italy on 30 January, the squadron commander, Capt Clark J. Wicks, was fatally wounded.[9] Shortly after arriving in theater, the squadron participated in Big Week, attacking aircraft factories at Regensburg, Germany and Steyr, Austria. It was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for its attack on the Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg on 25 February, despite bad weather, heavy flak in the target area and enroute attacks by enemy interceptor aircraft. The 450th Group led the 47th Bombardment Wing on the attack.[10] The 720th earned a second DUC for an attack on rail yards near Ploesti on 5 April, when it fought its way through "relentless" attacks by enemy aircraft to reach the target.[5] The rail yards were a vital link in the transportation of petroleum products from the Ploesti refineries to the eastern front.[11] The squadron led the 47th Wing on this mission. Initial attacks by Messerschmitt Bf 109s on the lead element destroyed three B-24s.[11] The squadron claimed eight enemy aircraft destroyed and three more probably destroyed on this mission.[12][b]
During the spring of 1944, the squadron flew missions for Operation Strangle, the effort to choke off supplies for Axis military in Italy through air interdiction.[8] The squadron also supported Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in September 1944 by attacking troop concentrations, lines of communications and enemy coastal defenses. It also conducted missions to support the Red Army advance through the Balkans and Allied advances in Italy.[5]
The squadron was redesignated the 720th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated at Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska in December 1953. The squadron was equipped with North American F-86 Sabres. In May 1954, the 720th moved to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.[1] At Eielson, it formed an aerial demonstration team named the Arctic Gladiators. The team's four Sabres performed demonstrations in Alaska.[13] The squadron was inactivated on 8 August 1955 and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.[1][14]
In the late fall of 1957, the 450th Fighter-Day Wing at Foster Air Force Base, Texas underwent a major reorganization. In November, the 322d Fighter-Day Group, which was attached to the wing, and its three squadrons were inactivated.[15] The following month, the squadron, redesignated the 720th Fighter-Day Squadron, was activated as the fourth squadron of the 450th Wing and equipped with North American F-100 Super Sabres. However, Tactical Air Command closed Foster a year later and the squadron was inactivated in November 1958.[1][16]
Strategic Air Command
In February 1963, The 450th Bombardment Wing was organized at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, where it assumed the aircraft, personnel and equipment of the discontinued 4136th Strategic Wing. The 4136th was a Major Command controlled (MAJCON) wing, which could not carry a permanent history or lineage,[17] and Strategic Air Command (SAC) wanted to replace it with a permanent unit.[16] As part of this reorganization, the 720th was redesignated the 720th Bombardment Squadron, was activated, and assumed the mission, personnel and equipment of the 525th Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously inactivated.[1][18][19]
One half of the squadron's Boeing B-52H Stratofortresses were maintained on fifteen minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike.[20] In addition, the squadron trained for strategic bombardment missions. Beginning in June 1968, the squadron provided aircrews to support Operation Arc Light, SAC operations in Southeast Asia. In July 1968 when SAC ended its bomber operations at Travis Air Force Base, California, the 5th Bombardment Wing moved to Minot to replace the 450th Wing.[16] In connection with this move, the personnel and equipment of the 720th were transferred to the 23d Bombardment Squadron, which moved on paper with the 5th Wing from Travis, and the 720th was inactivated.[21]
Lineage
Constituted as the 720th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 April 1943
Activated on 1 May 1943
Redesignated 720th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 1944
Redesignated 720th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 23 May 1945
Inactivated on 15 October 1945
Redesignated 720th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 29 October 1953
Activated on 25 December 1953
Inactivated on 8 August 1955
Redesignated 720th Fighter-Day Squadron on 13 November 1957
Activated on 11 December 1957
Redesignated 720th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958
Inactivated on 18 December 1958
Redesignated 720th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy and activated on 15 November 1962 (not organized)
^Approved 11 August 1954. Description: On a light blue disc, a steel gauntlet holding a red mace with steel spikes, behind the shaft of the mace two double ended lightning bolts of golden yellow converging to the left.
^Initial claims by the 450th Group were of 27 German aircraft destroyed. 720th Bomb Squadron 1943-1945, p. 126.
^Aircraft in foregound is North American F-100C-5-NA Super Sabre, serial 54-1775. This airplane was shot down on 2 August 1968. Baugher, Joe (4 May 2023). "1954 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). A Guide to Air Force Lineage and Honors (2d, Revised ed.). Maxwell AFB, AL: USAF Historical Research Center.
Watkins, Robert A. (2009). Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the U.S. Army Air Force In World War II. Vol. IV, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations. Atglen,PA: Shiffer Publishing, Ltd. ISBN978-0-7643-3401-6.
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