Established in 1917 as the 72d Aero Squadron, was redesignated as the 484th Aero Squadron early in 1918 before being deployed to France. The squadron was a civil engineering organization at the Western Front constructing airfields and related facilities in Zone of Advance during 1918 until the Armistice on 11 November. Remained in France until early 1919 when returned to the United States and demobilized.
Re-Activated in March 1944 as a B-29 Superfortress Very Heavy bombardment squadron. When training was completed moved to North FieldTinian in the Mariana Islands of the Central Pacific Area in January 1945 and assigned to XXI Bomber Command, Twentieth Air Force. Its mission was the strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands and the destruction of its war-making capability. Flew "shakedown" missions against Japanese targets on Moen Island, Truk, and other points in the Carolines and Marianas. The squadron began combat missions over Japan on 25 February 1945 with a firebombing mission over Northeast Tokyo. The squadron continued to participate in wide area firebombing attack, but the first ten-day blitz resulting in the Army Air Forces running out of incendiary bombs. Until then the squadron flew conventional strategic bombing missions using high explosive bombs. The squadron continued attacking urban areas with incendiary raids until the end of the war in August 1945, attacking major Japanese cities, causing massive destruction of urbanized areas. Also conducted raids against strategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, and other targets in Japan. The squadron flew its last combat missions on 14 August when hostilities ended. Afterwards, its B 29s carried relief supplies to Allied prisoner of war camps in Japan and Manchuria. Squadron was largely de-mobilized on Tinian during the fall of 1945. Remained in Western Pacific, assigned to Twentieth Air Force. Moved to Clark Field to the Philippines in March 1946. Inactivated at Clark Field on Luzon on June 15, 1946; its low-hour aircraft flown to storage depots in the United States.
Operations and Decorations
Combat Operations: Constructed airfields and related facilities in Zone of Advance, 1 Apr-Nov 1918. Combat in Western Pacific, c. 30 Dec 1944-14 Aug 1945.
Campaigns: World War I: St. Mihiel. World War II: Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific.
Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citations: Ota, Japan, 10 Feb 1945; Japan, 17 Jun-1 Jul 1945.
Lineage
Organized as 72d Aero Squadron on 15 Aug 1917
Reconstituted and consolidated with 484th Bombardment Squadron which was constituted and allotted to the reserve on 31 Mar 1924
Reconstituted and consolidated with 484th Bombardment Squadron which was constituted on 28 Feb 1944
