394th Bombardment Squadron (394th BS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Bombardment Group (5th BG)

Background
On May 5, 1917 organized as the 4th Aero Squadron at Fort Sam Houston in Texas as an observer training unit flying the R-4, JN-4 and JN-6 biplanes. During May 1917 moves to South San Antonio in Texas. On June 23, 1919 assigned to the Eastern Department. On July 22, 1918 redesignated as Squadron B at Post Field in Oklahoma. On January 2, 1919 demobilized. During 1924, reconstituted and redesignated as the 4th Aero Squadron. On March 14, 1921 redesignated 4th Squadron. On January 25, 1923 redesignated 4th Observation Squadron. During 1926, air dropped seeds for th Territorial Forestry Division. On June 19, 1931 the squadron's emblem was approved, a cross estoilee dived per saltire and per cross and azure.

On January 25, 1938 designated 4th Reconnaissance Squadron (4th Recon Squadron). On December 6, 1939 redesignated 4th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium Range). On November 20, 1940 redesignated 4th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy).

Wartime History
On April 22, 1942 redesignated 394th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy).

On October 21, 1942 ditched is B-17D 40-3089 pilot Cherry with passenger Captain Edward V. "Eddie" Rickenbacker. Everyone survived and used their life rafts to float at sea with one dead until rescued.

During 1942-1943 one of the squadron's pilots was Lt. Eugene "Gene" Roddenberry who later created "Star Trek".

During November 1942, three of the better B-17E Flying Fortresses from 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG) were assigned to the 394th Bombardment Squadron (394th BS) including B-17E "Calamity Jane" 41-2440, B-17E 41-2632 and B-17E 41-2658.

On June 28, 1943 transfers from Fiji to Guadalcanal.

On April 9, 1944 returns to Carney Field on Guadalcanal.

On August 9, 1944 the squadron took off on a mission against Yap. Lost is B-24J 42-73268 pilot Captain James D. Robertson (MIA).

On September 30, 1944 the squadron took off on a mission against Balikpapan on Borneo. Lost is B-24J 44-40529  pilot Wittmann (MIA) over the Molucca Sea.

Postwar
On April 29, 1946 inactivated.

Awards
The 394th Bombardment Squadron earned the Presidential Unit Citation in 1942, Distinguished Unit Citation for Woleai Island raids (April 18, 1944–May 15, 1944) and Borneo raid (September 30, 1944) and earned the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation in 1945.

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 483-484 (394th Bombardment) [PDF pages 495-496]