[note 2][4] Meanwhile, the ground echelon left Bradenton on 18 July, arriving at Fort Dix, New Jersey in the New York Port of Embarkation two days later.

[1][4] The buildup of Eighth Air Force in England required the establishment of a combat crew replacement and training center, but a lack of qualified personnel and aircraft hampered its development.

In August 1943, VIII Bomber Command established a new unit, the 482d Bombardment Group at Alconbury that was dedicated to the pathfinder mission.

[7][8] The squadron earned a Distinguished Unit Citation on 11 January 1944, when it successfully bombed aircraft manufacturing factories in Oschersleben, Germany despite adverse weather, a lack of fighter protection and heavy flak.

During Operation Overlord, the Normandy invasion, it attacked coastal defenses, transportation junctions and marshalling yards near the beachhead.

[3] It flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945, when the 92nd Group led the entire Eighth Air Force formation in an attack on Plzeň.

[4] It was inactivated in France on 28 February 1946 and its remaining personnel were absorbed into elements of the 306th Bombardment Group at Lechfeld Air Base, Germany.

Performed strategic bombardment training until 1950; being deployed to Far East Air Forces and flying combat missions over North Korea.

Under control of the FEAF Bomber Command (Provisional) until 20 October, the squadron bombed factories, refineries, iron works, hydroelectric plants, airfields, bridges, tunnels, troop concentrations, barracks, marshalling yards, road junctions, rail lines, supply dumps, docks, vehicles and other strategic and interdiction targets.

Engaged in training operations on a worldwide scale; being upgraded to Boeing B-52 Stratofortress in 1957 standing nuclear alert until being stood down in 1992 at the end of the Cold War.