393rd Bombardment Squadron (393rd BS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 20th Air Force (20th AF)

Background
On February 29, 1944 constituted as the 393rd Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy). On March 11, 1944 activated in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) in the 504th Bombardment Group (504th BG) at Dalhart Army Airfield equipped with B-17s and later B-29s. On March 12, 1944 moves to Fairmont Army Airfield. On September 14, 1944 moves to Wendover Field, UT. On November 25, 1944 assigned to the 2nd Air Force (2nd AF). On December 17, 1944 assigned to the 509th Composite Group (509th CG) for "Silverplate" to drop atomic bombs on the home islands of Japan

Wartime History
On May 9, 1945 fifteen B-29s Superfortress being built by Glenn L. Maritn Aircraft Plant in Bellevue, Nebraska were selected while on the production line by Col. Tibbets for assignment to the group, each with a victor number.

On May 30, 1945 moves to North Field on Tinian.

On August 9, 1945 in the early morning, B-29 "Enola Gay" 44-86292 piloted by Captain George W. Marquardt took off on a weather reconassiance mission over Kokura. Meanwhile at 3:49am took off is B-29 "Bockscar" 44-27297 piloted by Major Charles W. Sweeney with crew C-15 armed with the plutonium bomb nicknamed "Fat Man" for Kokura but found the primary target obscured by smoke and made three unsuccessful bombing runs then diverted to the secondary target Nagasaki.

Postwar
On November 6, 1945 mobrs to Roswell Army Airfield. On September 18, 1947 became part of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). During 1949 converts to the B-50. During 1955 converts to the B-47. On July 1, 1958 moves to Pease AFB in New Hampshire.

On July 2. 1948 redesignated as 393rd Bombardment Squadron (Medium). On June 16, 1952 assigned to the 509th Bombardment Wing (509th BW).

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 482-483 (PDF pages 494-495)

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