390th Bombardment Squadron (390th BS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 13th Air Force (13th AF), 42nd Bomb Group (42nd BG)

Background
On March 4, 1942 constituted as the 390th Bombardment Squadron (Medium). On March 20, 1942 activated at Gowen Field in Idaho then moves to McChord Field in Washington State. During March 1943 when departs overseas via New Caledonia and Fiji bound for the South Pacific (SoPAC).

Wartime History
On April 15, 1943 arrives Henderson Field on Guadalcanal and begins flying combat missions. On April 23, 1943 transfers to Fiji. On October 22, 1943 transfers to Renard Field in the Russell Islands. On March 8, 1944 the squadron moves to Stirling Airfield in the Treasury Islands.

On January 12, 1944 the 42nd Bombardment Group flew their first bombing mission against the Rabaul bombing Vunakanau Airfield in the early morning.

On August 7, 1944 moves to Hollandia in western New Guinea in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). On August 23, 1944 moves to Sansapor Airfield. On February 24, 1945 the squadron operates from Morotai. On March 20, 1945 returns to Sansapor Airfield. On March 21, 1945 moves to Puerto Princesa Airfield on Palawan Island in the Philippines. until the end of the Pacific War.

Postwar
On January 27, 1946 inactivated.

Awards
Distinguished Unit Citation Balikpapan June 23-30, 1945
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

References
The Crusaders A History of the 42nd Bombardment Group (M) (1946) includes the 390th BS
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 478-479 (390th Bombardment) [PDF pages 490-491]