11th Bombardment Squadron (11th BS)
U.S. Army Air Force, 7th Bombardment Group / 341st Bombardment Group

Background
On June 26, 1917 organized as the 11th Aero Squadron in the U.S. Army at Camp Kelly in Texas attached to the 1st Day Bombardment Group. On August 12, 1917 moves to Scott Field, Illionos. The squadron emblem was a cartoon man Mr. Jiggs carrying an aerial bomb under his arm inside a white disc.

World War I
Deployed overseas to England operating the DH-4. On January 7, 1919 moves Stamford, England. On June 24, 1918 moves to Waddington, England. On August 26, 1918 moves to Delouze in France. On September 6, 1918 moves to Amanty, France. On September 24, 1918 moves to Maulan, France. On January 17, 1919 moves to Colombey-les- Belles, France. On February 1, 1919 moves to Guitres, France. On February 19, 1919 moves to St Denis de Pile, France. On March 9, 1919 moves to Sablons, France. On April 13, 1919 moves to Libourne, France. On April 16, 1919 departs France bound for the United States.

Interwar Period
On May 2, 1919 moves to Mitchel Field, NY. On May 5, 1919 moves to Hazelhurst Field, NY. On May 26, 1919 moves to Ellington Field, Texas. On June 22, 1919 moves to Fort Bliss, Texas with a flight operating from Marfa, Texas. On November 8, 1919 moves to Kelly Field, Texas.

On March 14, 1921 redesignated 11th Squadron. On June 30, 1922 moves to Langley Field, VA. On January 25, 1923 redesignated 11th Bombardment Squadron (11th BS). On July 2, 1926 became part of the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC). On June 3, 1927 moves to March Field in California. On July 31, 1927 inactivated.

On June 1, 1928 reactivated in the 11th Bombardment Group (11th BG) at Rockwell Field in California. On October 29, 1931 moves to March Field in California. During January 1932 operates fron Winslow, Arizona. On December 5, 1934 moves to Hamilton Field. On December 6, 1939 redesignated 11th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy). On September 7, 1940 moves to Fort Douglas, in Utah. On January 18, 1941 moves to Salt Lake City, Utah. On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF).

Wartime History
On December 8, 1941 until December 10, 1941 the squadron conducts anti-submarine patrols off the coast of Califorina.

On December 22, 1941 the ground echelon of the squadron arrives Brisbane and became part of the Far East Air Force (FEAF). Meanwhile, the air echelon is enroute from the United States bound for the Netherlands East Indies (NEI).

On January 13, 1942 the air echelon arrives at Singosari Airfield (Malang) on Java.

On January 19, 1942 the air echelon moves to Yogyakarta Airfield on Java.

On February 24, 1942 during the night LB-30 AL608 took off from Yogyakarta Airfield piloted by Lt. Wade with British Army General Archibald P. Wavell aboard on an evacuation flight to Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

On March 1, 1942 at the conclusion of the Java campaign, the remaining air echelon at Yogyakarta Airfield begins a withdrawal to Australia.

On March 3, 1942 lost is B-24A Liberator 40-2374 pilot Major Edson E. Kester (MIA).

On April 6, 1942 the squadron begins a transfer without personnel and equipment back to the United States. On April 26, 1942 attached to the 17th Bombardment Group (17th BG) for training. On April 27, 1942 the squadron transfered without personnel to Columbia Army Air Base in South Carolina and reconstituted equipped with the B-25 Mitchell.

On May 2, 1942 begins a movement overseas bound for India.

On May 20, 1942 moves to Karachi Airfield in India (Pakistan) and becomes part of the 10th Air Force (10th AF).

On May 27, 1942 moves to Allahabad Airfield (Baumrauli) in India.

On June 3, 1942 a flight of B-25s from the squadron earmarked for China, take off from Dinjan and enroute bomb Lashio then onward to Kunming, nine crash into an overcast-hidden mountain at 10,000' and another is abandoned when it runs out of fuel near Chan-i, China. Only two B-25's reach Kunming, one with the radio operator killed by a fighter.

On June 4, 1942 with B-25s moves to Kunming Airfield in China with detachments operating from Dinjam Airfield starting June 28, 1942. On June 30, 1942 the squadron sends detachments with B-25s to Kweilin, Hengyang and Nanning as part of the China Air Task Force (CATF), Hengyang between August 2-6, 1942 and Nanning Airfield between October 24, 1942 until November 28, 1942.

On June 28, 1942 moves to Dinjam Airfield in India until October 24, 1942 and Karachi Airfield between May 1942 until June 1943.

On August 26, 1942 B-25s from the squadron which have moved temporarily from central China to Yunnani Airfield and bombs Lashio. Covering P-40s strafed numerous targets of opportunity and according to some sources claimed at least two Japanese fighters.

On August 28, 1942 eight B-25s from 11th BS attack targets in the French Indochina, hitting barracks and ammunition dumps at Hoang Su Phi and a fuel dump at Phu Lo In. This was the largest force of B-25s used by CATF to date and the first B-25 mission flown without escort.

On August 29, 1942 B-25s from the squadron attack Lashio scoring numerous hits on Lashio Airfield and starting three large fires in a warehouse area southeast of Lashio.

On August 30, 1942 eight B-25s from the squadron took off from Kunming on the first Allied bombing mission against Myitkyina and Myitkyina Airfield then land at Dinjan Airfield in India.

On September 15, 1942 redesignated 11th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) operating B-25s and assigned to the 341st Bombardment Group (341st BG).

On June 21, 1943 moves to Kweilin Airfield in China with a detachments operated from Hengyang, Suichwan, Nanning, and Lingling until June 1944.

On June 28, 1944 moves to Yang Tong in China with detachments operated from Kweilin and Liuchow until November 1, 1944.

On November 2, 1944 moves to Yangkai Airfield in China with detachments operating from Laowhangpin between February 28, 1945–March 1, 1945 and Chihkiang between March 28, 1945 until April 1, 1945.

Postwar
On November 2, 1945 inactivated at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey.

Awards
Distinguished Unit Citations: Netherlands East Indies (January 14, 1942–March 1, 1942) and French Indo China (December 11, 1944–March 12, 1945)

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 50-51 (11th Bombardment) [PDF pages 62-63]