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834th Bombardment Squadron
486th Bombardment Group B-17 Flying Fortresses
Active	1943–1945
Country	United States
Branch	United States Air Force
Role	Heavy bomber
Nickname(s)	Zodiac Squadron
Engagements	European Theater of Operations
Insignia
834th Bombardment Squadron emblem
Squadron fuselage code	2S

The 834th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Army Air Forces unit. It trained as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator unit, and deployed with its planes to the European Theater of Operations, entering combat in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany on 7 May 1944. In July 1944, the squadron converted to Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, continuing combat with the 486th Bombardment Group until April 1945. Following V-E Day it returned to Drew Field, Florida, where it was inactivated on 7 November 1945.

History

The 834th Bombardment Squadron was activated at McCook Army Air Field, Nebraska on 20 September 1943 as one of the original squadrons of the 486th Bombardment Group. After organizing as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator unit, it moved to Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona in November and trained for combat. The squadron began deploying overseas in early March 1944. Its air echelon flew its Liberators along the southern ferry route.

The squadron arrived at its combat station, RAF Sudbury, the following month. The squadron became known as the "Zodiac Squadron" from the pictures of the zodiac figures painted on their noses. A commercial artist named Phil Brinkman, from Chicago, was responsible for the pin-up nose art of the B-24 Liberators. It flew its first combat mission on May 7. It conducted strategic bombing missions against industrial facilities, including oil refineries and petroleum storage facilities at Dollbergen, Hamburg and Merseburg and factories at Mannheim and Weimar. It also struck at transportation targets, such as marshalling yards near Köln, Mainz and Stuttgart; airfields at Kassel and Münster; and harbor installations at Bremen and Kiel. On 19 July 1944, along with the other B-24 units of the 92d Bombardment Wing, the squadron was taken off operations and began conversion to the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. This would mark the beginning of the change of the 3d Bombardment Division to an all-B-17 unit. The group completed its conversion and resumed operations by 1 August, while its Liberators were sent to depots in England for eventual transfer as replacements to 2d Bombardment Division groups.

The squadron was occasionally diverted from strategic targets to support ground forces. Preparing for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy, it attacked bridges, V-weapons launch sites, and airfields. On D-Day it bombed gun positions. As Allied forces advanced across northern France in the summer of 1944, it attacked troop concentrations and road junctions. During Operation Market Garden, it struck gun positions near Arnhem to minimize losses among glider and paratroopers attempting to seize bridges across the Rhine River. In December 1944 and January 1945 it supported troops fighting the Battle of the Bulge. In the spring of 1945 it supported Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine. The squadron flew its last mission on 21 April 1945.

The squadron remained in England until August 1945, when it returned to the United States. Its aircraft began departing in early July, while its ground echelon sailed on the RMS Queen Elizabeth on 25 August, arriving in New York City six days later. The 834th reassembled at Drew Field, Florida in September, but was inactivated there on 7 November 1945.

Lineage

• Constituted as the 834th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 14 September 1943

Activated on 20 September 1943

• Redesignated 834th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy c. 1944

Inactivated on 7 November 1945

Assignments

• 486th Bombardment Group, 20 September 1943 – 7 November 1945

Stations

• McCook Army Air Field, Nebraska, 20 September 1943
• Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 9 November 1943 – 9 March 1944
• RAF Sudbury (Station 158), England, 5 April 1944 – August 1945
• Drew Field, Florida, 3 September – 7 November 1945

Aircraft

• Consolidated B-24H Liberator, 1943–1944
• Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, 1944–1945

Campaigns

Campaign Streamer	Campaign	Dates	Notes
	Air Offensive, Europe	5 April 1944–5 June 1944
	Air Combat, EAME Theater	5 April 1944–11 May 1945
	Normandy	6 June 1944–24 July 1944
	Northern France	25 July 1944–14 September 1944
	Rhineland	15 September 1944–21 March 1945
	Ardennes-Alsace	16 December 1944–25 January 1945
	Central Europe	22 March 1944–21 May 1945

See also

• B-17 Flying Fortress units of the United States Army Air Forces
• B-24 Liberator units of the United States Army Air Forces

References

Notes

Explanatory notes

1. The aircraft closest to the camera is squadron Boeing B-17G-75-BO Flying Fortress, serial 43-37891, Old Man's Folly. It was damaged while parked on 20 May 1945 and salvaged. Baugher, Joe (15 May 2023). "1943 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
2. Identifiable is Ford Motors built Consolidated B-24M-5-FO Liberator, serial 44-50581. This aircraft survived the war and was sent to Kingman Army Air Field, Arizona on 3 January 1946 for scrapping. Baugher, Joe (10 June 2023). "1944 USAF Serial Numbers". Joe Baugher. Retrieved 27 July 2023.

Citations

1. ^ Watkins, p. 110
2. ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 774-775
3. ^ Maurer, Combat Units, p. 357
4. ^ Freeman, p. 260
5. Valant, pp. 13-15.
6. Freeman, p. 172
7. Station number in Anderson, p. 22.
8. Station information in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 774-775, except as noted.

Bibliography

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Anderson, Capt. Barry (1985). Army Air Forces Stations: A Guide to the Stations Where U.S. Army Air Forces Personnel Served in the United Kingdom During World War II (PDF). Maxwell AFB, AL yes: Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
• Freeman, Roger A. (1970). The Mighty Eighth: Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force). London, England, UK: Macdonald and Company. ISBN 978-0-87938-638-2.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) . Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-02-1. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
• Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) . Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.
• Valant, Gary M. (1997). Classic Vintage Nose Art. Ann Arbor, MI: Lowe and B. Hould, an imprint of Borders, Inc. ISBN 0-681-22744-3.}

v t e USAAF Eighth Air Force in World War II
Stations United Kingdom Alconbury Aldermaston Andrews Field Atcham Attlebridge Bassingbourn Bodney Bottisham Bovingdon Boxted Bungay Burtonwood Depot Bury St. Edmunds Bushey Hall Chalgrove Cheddington Chelveston Chipping Ongar Daws Hill Debach Debden Deenethorpe Deopham Green Duxford Earls Colne East Wretham Eye Fersfield Fowlmere Framlingham Glatton Goxhill Grafton Underwood Great Ashfield Great Dunmow Halesworth Hardwick Harrington Hethel Honington Horham Horsham St. Faith Ibsley Keevil Kimbolton Kings Cliffe Kirton In Lindsey Knettishall Lavenham Leiston Little Walden Martlesham Heath Membury Mendlesham Metfield Molesworth Mount Farm North Pickenham Nuthampstead Old Buckenham Podington Polebrook Rackheath Ramsbury Rattlesden Raydon Ridgewell Seething Shipdham Snetterton Heath Steeple Morden Sudbury Thorpe Abbots Thurleigh Tibenham Wattisham Watton Wendling Westhampnett Wormingford Okinawa Bolo Ie Shima Kadena Futenma Yontan
Units Commands VIII Air Support VIII Bomber VIII Air Divisions 1st 2nd 3rdf Wings Bombardment 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 12th 316th Fighter 6th 65th 66th 67th 301st Groups Bombardment 34th 44th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 100th 301st 303rd 305th 306th 310th 319th 320th 322nd 323rd 333rd 346th 351st 379th 381st 382nd 383rd 384th 385th 386th 387th 388th 389th 390th 392nd 398th 401st 445th 446th 447th 448th 452nd 453rd 457th 458th 466th 467th 482nd 486th 487th 489th 490th 491st 492nd 493rd 801st (Provisional) Fighter 1st 4th 14th 20th 31st 48th 55th 56th 78th 318th 339th 350th 352nd 353rd 354th 355th 356th 357th 358th 361st 362nd 364th 413th 479th 495th 496th 507th Troop Carrier 60th 62nd 315th Reconnaissance 3rd 7th 25th 67th
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

v t e USAAF Second Air Force in World War II
Airfields	Airfields
Units	Commands II Air Support Command II Bomber Command II Fighter Command IV Air Support Command XX Bomber Command XXI Bomber Command XXII Bomber Command Wings 5th Bombardment 15th Bombardment Training 16th Bombardment Operational Training 17th Bombardment Training 18th Replacement 21st Bombardment 46th Bombardment Operational Training 58th Bombardment 73rd Bombardment 315th Bombardment 316th Bombardment Groups Bombardment 2nd Bombardment 6th Bombardment 7th Bombardment 9th Bombardment 12th Bombardment 16th Bombardment 17th Bombardment 19th Bombardment 25th Bombardment 29th Bombardment 34th Bombardment 39th Bombardment 40th Bombardment 42nd Bombardment 46th Bombardment 47th Bombardment 48th Bombardment 85th Bombardment 86th Bombardment 86th Bombardment 88th Bombardment 94th Bombardment 95th Bombardment 96th Bombardment 99th Bombardment 100th Bombardment 301st Bombardment 302nd Bombardment 303rd Bombardment 304th Bombardment 305th Bombardment 306th Bombardment 307th Bombardment 308th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 330th Bombardment 331st Bombardment 333rd Bombardment 346th Bombardment 351st Bombardment 376th Bombardment 379th Bombardment 381st Bombardment 382nd Bombardment 383rd Bombardment 384th Bombardment 385th Bombardment 388th Bombardment 390th Bombardment 393rd Bombardment 395th Bombardment 396th Bombardment 398th Bombardment 399th Bombardment 400th Bombardment 401st Bombardment 407th Bombardment 415th Bombardment 418th Bombardment 444th Bombardment 445th Bombardment 446th Bombardment 447th Bombardment 448th Bombardment 449th Bombardment 450th Bombardment 451st Bombardment 452nd Bombardment 453rd Bombardment 454th Bombardment 455th Bombardment 456th Bombardment 457th Bombardment 458th Bombardment 459th Bombardment 460th Bombardment 461st Bombardment 462nd Bombardment 464th Bombardment 467th Bombardment 468th Bombardment 469th Bombardment 470th Bombardment 471st Bombardment 472nd Bombardment 484th Bombardment 485th Bombardment 486th Bombardment 487th Bombardment 488th Bombardment 489th Bombardment 490th Bombardment 491st Bombardment 493rd Bombardment 494th Bombardment 497th Bombardment 498th Bombardment 499th Bombardment 500th Bombardment 501st Bombardment 502nd Bombardment 504th Bombardment 505th Bombardment 509th Composite Fighter 20th Fighter 54th Fighter 84th Fighter 85th Fighter 507th Fighter 508th Fighter Reconnaissance 2nd Reconnaissance 3rd Reconnaissance 4th Reconnaissance 5th Reconnaissance 6th Reconnaissance 7th Reconnaissance 8th Reconnaissance 71st Reconnaissance 77th Reconnaissance Troop Carrier 443nd Troop Carrier
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

• Bombardment squadrons of the United States Army Air Forces
• World War II strategic bombing units
• Military units and formations established in 1943