VI BOMBER COMMAND
IN DEFENSE OF THE PANAMA CANAL
1941- 45
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VI BOMBER COMMAND IN DEFENSE OF THE PANAMA CANAL 1941- 45 |
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UNIT HISTORIES
40th Bombardment Group
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April 1941
The 45th Bombardment Squadron
was formed at Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, on April 1, 1941, and assigned
to the newly formed 40th Bombardment Group (Medium), along with three other
newly activated Squadrons- - Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron of the
40th Bombardment Group, and the 29th, 44th, and 45th Bombardment. Squadrons.
The 45th Bombardment Squadron,
until the outbreak of war, flew routine training flights in the Caribbean
Area, using Douglas B-18 type aircraft.
At the time of its origination,
the 45th Squadron was located in what was known as "Tent City,"
which was as the name implies, a number of tents southeast. of the old runway.
December 1941
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May 1942
The 45th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) was redesignated
as a "heavy" bombardment unit on May 25.
June 1942
The 45th Bombardment Squadron
departed Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, at 9:00 A.M., on June 7, 1942, by USAT
No. 62 for the Panama Canal Zone, and arrived at its temporary Station at
France Field, Canal Zone, at 1:35 P.M., on June 17.
From June 17 until it moved to David, R. de P., in November, the 45th
Squadron continued flying anti-submarine patrol from France Field, the average
pilot flying time reaching 90 hours, using a B-18 type aircraft.
The Squadron Commander, Major Giannatti, gave the pilots at that time
the choice of either flying a half-day every day, or a whole day every other
day.
August 1942
The Hq. & Hq. Squadron.
of the 40th Bombardment Group and the 485th Ordnance Company Aviation (Bomb)
were disbanded by General Orders No. 41, Headquarters Sixth Air Force, August8,
1942, and 57 enlisted men and one officer, and 28 enlisted personnel, respectively,
were reassigned to the 45th Bombardment Squadron
November 1942
The 45th Bombardment Squadron
moved from its temporary duty Station at France Field to its permanent Station
at David, R. de P., under the authority of paragraph 1, Special Orders No.
59, Hq. VI Bomber Command, November 6, 1942.
An advance detail of two officers
and 45 men departed France Field for David, R. de P., on November 6.
Thirty-two (32) enlisted men left France Field on November 8 by plane
for David. Three (3) officers and
38 enlisted men departed for new Station by motor transportation on November
11, arriving at David on November
13. Six officers and 92 enlisted men
left France Field on November 12 for David by rail and water transportation,
arriving at David on November 13.
The 45th Bombardment Squadron
was assigned LB-30 aircraft and later B-24's upon its arrival at David.
The 45th continued to fly anti-submarine patrols out of David, but
those flights were made over the Pacific instead of the Caribbean.
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The 45th Bombardment Squadron
changed Stations from David, R. de P., to the Galapagos Islands, in accordance
with Special Orders No. 15, Headquarters VI Bomber Command, February 15, 1943.
Six officers and 157 enlisted
men left David on February 17 for the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, traveling
by rail and water transportation, arriving at the new Station on February
21. Twenty-four (24) officers and
70 enlisted men departed David on February 21, for the Galapagos Islands,
Ecuador, by air transportation, arriving at the Galapagos Islands on February
18. While stationed in the Galapagos
Islands, the 45th continued flying anti-submarine patrols, using Consolidated
B-24 type aircraft
May 1943
Most of the personnel of the
45th Bombardment Squadron left the Galapagos Islands for Balboa, Canal Zone
by water transportation on May 17, arriving in Balboa on May 22. Twenty officers and 17 enlisted men left Galapagos
for Howard Field, Canal Zone, by air transportation, on May 31, arriving at
Howard Field on the same day. The
45th remained in casual status from the date of its arrival at Howard Field,
awaiting transfer to the United States for assignment.
June 1943
The 45th Bombardment Squadron,
consisting of 60 officers and 337 enlisted men, left Howard Field by truck
convoy at 4:10 P.M., on June 15, to board Army Transport "George Washington"
at Balboa, Canal Zone, bound for San Francisco, California.
The "George Washington" arrived at San Francisco, California,
at 1:43 A.M., on June 25.
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