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 August 1947 to June 1949, when it was inactivated when Continental Air Command reorganized its flying units, 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.

[9] Three days later, the group 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 1944.

The remainder of the squadron personnel then moved to Wickenrode,[f] Germany, and later to Hornel as part of the military occupation force.

[11] In June 1949, ConAC reorganized its flying units under the Wing/Base organization and the 452nd was inactivated[1] and its personnel were transferred to the 319th Bombardment Wing.

A number of Convair T-29 Flying Classrooms equipped with special electronics were transferred from James Connally to Mather in connection with this change.

[h] 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 in their place.

[1][18] The 4952d Test Squadron was activated on 1 July 1975 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio[19] to operate the Boeing EC-135N Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft (ARIA)[j] when Air Force Systems Command consolidated all its large test and evaluation aircraft at one location.

Two EC-18s were equipped with high-speed still and motion picture cameras capable of infrared and spectral photography, which aids in determining vehicle survivability.

[20] They deployed throughout the world to obtain telemetry data from orbital and reentry vehicles as well as air-to-air and cruise missile tests.

The Advanced CMMCA provided the same capabilities plus a tracking/surveillance radar for stand-alone operations and real-time data processing and display.

[20] The unit' ARIA and NKC-135s supported a variety of national and international customers, both military and commercial, including NASA and Department of Defense missions supporting unmanned space launches, cruise missile tests, Army, Navy and Air Force ballistic missile tests and space shuttle launches.

[20] As of June 2000 Navy instructor pilots briefly used EC-18Bs from the 452nd to train aircrews for Boeing E-6B Mercury aircraft, providing communication links between national command authorities and U.S. strategic nuclear forces.

After receiving airworthiness certification, the aircraft was flown to Edwards Air Force Base, California, in December 2002, for the installation of systems.

[21] As part of the YAL-1 program, Detachment 2 of the squadron was established at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

With only its computers and infrared heat sensors aboard, it successfully tracked a ballistic missile launched from Vandenberg AFB from cloud-break to burnout, confirming it could carry out the first part of its mission.

[4] 1 Jan-[30 Jun 2010] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency