It engaged in combat operations from 1943 to 1945, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation for demonstrating the effectiveness of medium bombers in the ETO.

The squadron served in the reserves from October 1947 to June 1949, when it was inactivated as the military budget was reduced, although it does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped with operational aircraft at this time.

It conducted flight training for members of the United States military and foreign allies until inactivating in May 1993 as Mather prepared for closure.

[8] Three days later, it dispatched eleven planes for a repeat low level attack on the IJmuiden power plant and another at Haarlem in the Netherlands.

For these actions and for demonstrating the effectiveness of medium bombers, the 322nd Group, including the squadron, was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation.

In March 1944, its emphasis shifted to railway and highway bridges, and oil storage facilities in preparation for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy.

Through August and September, it provided air support for the drive of United States Third Army across Northern France.

[1] It bombed bridges, road junctions, defended villages, and ordnance depots in the assault on the Siegfried Line from October through December of 1944.

[10] President Truman’s reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force,[11] and the 449th was inactivated[1] and not replaced as reserve flying operations at what was now North Philadelphia Airport ceased.

[d] ATC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its MAJCON flying training wings and to activate Air Force controlled (AFCON) units, most of which were inactive at the time, which could carry a lineage and history.

[1] Although there seems to be no publicly available information concerning the squadron's activation as an expeditionary unit, it was awarded campaign credit for action in Afghanistan.