388th Electronic Warfare Squadron

The 388th Electronic Warfare Squadron is an active United States Air Force unit, stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, where it is assigned to the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing.

History

Established in early 1942 as a light bomb squadron, equipped with Douglas A-24 Banshees, although equipped with export model Vultee A-31 Vengeance dive bombers for training. Trained under Third Air Force in the southeast United States, also used for antisubmarine patrols over the Atlantic southeast coast and then Gulf of Mexico.

Deployed to Southern California in early 1943 to the Desert Warfare Center, trained in light bombing while supporting Army maneuvers in the Mojave Desert until October.

Re-equipped with North American A-36 Apache dive bombers and deployed to New Guinea as part of Fifth Air Force. In the Southwest Pacific the squadron attacked Japanese strong points and tactical positions and targets of opportunity in support of general Douglas MacArthur's campaign along the north coast of New Guinea; then advancing into the Netherlands East Indies and Philippines as part of the Island Hopping campaign. It was re-equipped with Curtiss P-40 Warhawks, and later with Douglas A-20 Havocs. Engaged in heavy fighting on Leyte, Mindoro and Luzon in the Philippines during 1944–1945.

The squadron moved to Okinawa in mid-August and after the Atomic Bomb missions had been flown; remained on Okinawa until December until returning to the United States with most personnel demobilizing. It was inactivated as a paper unit on 6 January 1946.

The squadron was reactivated as a Boeing B-29 Superfortress unit in the reserves in 1947, but lack of funding and personnel led to rapid inactivation.

Transferred to Tactical Air Command in the mid-1950s and activated first with North American F-86 Sabres, then North American F-100 Super Sabres in 1958. Inactivated in 1959 when its parent 312th Tactical Fighter Wing was inactivated and replaced by the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing. Personnel and equipment of the squadron were transferred to the 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron.

Reactivated in 1977 as a General Dynamics F-111A Aardvark training squadron; inactivated 1979. Reactivated in 1981 as an EF-111A Raven electronic warfare aircraft; inactivated 1982. Reactivated in 2004 flying Naval Grumman EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft. It was inactivated in 2010, being replaced by the 390th Electronic Combat Squadron.^[3]

The squadron was redesignated the 388th Electronic Warfare Squadron and activated in May 2024 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.^[4]

Lineage

Constituted as the 388th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 March 1942

Redesignated 388th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 27 July 1942

Redesignated 388th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 6 December 1943

Redesignated 388th Bombardment Squadron, Light c. 28 March 1944

Redesignated 388th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 19 July 1945

Inactivated on 4 January 1946

Redesignated 388th Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 14 July 1947

Activated in the reserve on 30 July 1947

Inactivated on 27 June 1949

Redesignated 388th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 29 July 1954

Activated on 1 October 1954

Redesignated 388th Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958

Inactivated on 18 February 1959

Redesignated 388th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 7 February 1977

Activated on 1 July 1977

Inactivated on 30 September 1979

Redesignated 388th Electronic Combat Squadron on 29 January 1981

Activated on 1 July 1981

Inactivated on 15 December 1982

Activated on 15 December 2004^[5]

Inactivated on 27 September 2010^[3]

Redesignated 388th Electronic Warfare Squadron

Activated c. 1 May 2024^[4]

Assignments

312th Bombardment Group, 15 March 1942 – 4 January 1946
Tenth Air Force, 30 July 1947
312th Bombardment Group, 13 August 1947 – 27 June 1949
312th Fighter-Bomber Group, 1 October 1954
312th Fighter-Bomber Wing (later 312th Tactical Fighter Wing), 8 October 1957 – 18 February 1959 (attached to Air Task Force 13 (Provisional), 4 September–3 December 1958)
366th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1977 – 30 September 1979
366th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1981 – 15 December 1982
366th Operations Group, 15 December 2004 – 27 September 2010^[5]^[3]
350th Spectrum Warfare Group, c. 1 May 2024 – present

Stations

Aircraft

Vultee A-31 Vengeance, 1942–1943
Douglas A-24 Banshee, 1942–1943
North American A-36 Apache, 1943
Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, 1943–1944
Douglas A-20 Havoc, 1944–1945
North American F-86 Sabre, 1955–1956
North American F-100 Super Sabre, 1956–1959.
General Dynamics F-111A Aardvark, 1977–1979.
General Dynamics EF-111A Raven, 1981–1982.
Grumman EA-6B Prowler, 2004–2010^[5]^[3]

References

Notes

^ a b c d Warnock, A.Timothy (11 December 2007). "Factsheet 388 Electronic Combat Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
^ Hubbard, p. 717
^ a b c d e Liapis, 2Lt David (30 September 2010). "388th inactivates, 390th 'Wild Boars' change mission". 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs. Retrieved 14 January 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ a b c Marrow, <ichael (1 May 2024). "Air Force stands up two new EW squadrons, but still short on personnel". Breaking Defense News. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
^ a b c d Lineage.including assignments, through 2004 in Warnock.

Bibliography

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

Hubbard, Gerard (1943). "Aircraft Insignia, Spirit of Youth". The National Geographic Magazine. LXXXIII (6). National Geographic Society: 718–722. Retrieved 1 September 2017. (subscription required for web access)
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. 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.
Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. 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.
Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings, Lineage & Honors Histories 1947–1977. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. Retrieved 17 December 2016.