The 37th Bomb Squadron is part of the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. It operates Rockwell B-1 Lancer aircraft providing strategic bombing capability.
The squadron is one of the oldest in the United States Air Force, its origins dating to 13 June 1917, when the 37th Aero Squadron was organized at Kelly Field, Texas. The squadron deployed to France as part of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I and served as a training unit until returning to the US for demobilization. It was active in the interwar years at Langley Field, Virginia as a pursuit and attack squadron.
The squadron saw combat as the 37th Bombardment Squadron, a Martin B-26 Marauder unit in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations during World War II, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC) for its performance. It was inactivated after the war's end, although it was briefly active as a paper unit in 1947–1948.
The squadron was again activated during the Korean War, when it replaced a reserve unit that was being returned to reserve duty. Flying night intruder missions with Douglas B-26 Invaders, the squadron earned another DUC before the truce in July 1953. In 1955 it returned to the United States and became one of the first jet tactical bomber units, flying Martin B-57 Canberras and Douglas B-66 Destroyers. After a brief deployment to England, the squadron once again inactivated.
In 1977, the 37th became part of the Strategic Air Command, flying Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses until 1982. It assumed its present role in 1987.
The squadron is an honorary member of the NATO Tiger Association
History
World War I
Established on 13 June 1917 at Kelly Field in Texas, the 37th Aero Squadron moved to France in early September. After a short spell at Étampes (18–23 September), it settled at the Issoudun Aerodrome, participating at the installation of the Third Aviation Instruction Center. Once declared operational, it started flight training for newly arrived American pilots and crew members.
Reaching Bordeaux c. 6 January 1919, the squadron stayed there until 18 March, when it board a transport to bring it back to the United States where it was demobilized.
Inter-war years
Reactivated at Langley Field, Virginia in September 1933 at as the 37th Pursuit Squadron, the squadron was attached to the 8th Pursuit Group and equipped with Curtiss P-6 Hawks, in March 1935 it became the 37th Attack Squadron with Curtiss A-8 Shrike and Northrop A-17 Nomad attack aircraft. In January 1938, the squadron was inactivated.
World War II
Early operations and training
The squadron was redesignated the 37th Bombardment Squadron and activated at Barksdale Field, Louisiana on 1 February 1940 with Douglas B-18 Bolo bombers as one of the original squadrons of the 28th Composite Group, which was training for deployment to Alaska. However, when the 28th Group moved to Alaska in February 1941, the squadron remained in the United States, at Lowry Field, Colorado. In its place, the 73d Bombardment Squadron of the 17th Bombardment Group moved to Alaska in March. The exchange of squadrons was completed in April and May 1941, as the 37th was reassigned to the 17th Group and the 73d to the 28th Group. In June, the squadron moved to Pendleton Field, Oregon and was colocated with its parent group for the first time since the squadron's 1940 activation.
At Pendleton, the squadron transitioned into the North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the 37th flew antisubmarine patrols off the Pacific coast until about March 1942. Because the 17th Group was the first Army Air Forces unit to equip with the Mitchell, the squadron, along with the other squadrons of the 17th Group contributed aircrews for the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, Japan on 6 April 1942. After the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, the squadron flew antisubmarine patrols over the Northwest Pacific coast until May 1942.
Photographs of Recent Operations
Combat operations in the Mediterranean
In June 1942, the squadron returned to Barksdale Field, where it began transitioning into the Martin B-26 Marauder. Following Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa in November 1942, the squadron moved to Algeria, where it began combat operations on 30 December. The squadron flew interdiction and close air support missions, contributing to the defeat of Axis forces in Africa by May 1943. In June 1943, the squadron conducted bombing attacks leading to the surrender of enemy forces in Pantelleria and Lampedusa. The squadron participated in Operations Husky and Avalanche as the Allies moved into Sicily and Italy.