page_title: 720th Bombardment Squadron
section_title: Fighter operations
hierarchical_section_title: 720th Bombardment Squadron / History / Fighter operations
caption_attribution_description: English: F-100s of the 450th Fighter-Day Wing on the flightline at Foster AFB, Texas, 1956
context_page_description: The 720th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 450th Bombardment Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, where it was inactivated on 25 July 1968.
  The squadron was first activated in 1943. After training with Consolidated B-24 Liberators in the United States, it deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations. After V-E Day, the squadron returned to the United States and was inactivated.
  During the 1950s, the squadron was twice activated as a fighter unit, in Alaska and in Texas. It returned to its bomber designation and was activated with Boeing B-52H Stratofortresses at Minot in 1963.
context_section_description: The squadron was redesignated the 720th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and activated at Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska in December 1953.  The squadron was equipped with North American F-86 Sabres.  In May 1954, the 720th moved to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.  At Eielson, it formed an aerial demonstration team named the Arctic Gladiators.  The team's four Sabres performed demonstrations in Alaska.  The squadron was inactivated on 8 August 1955 and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.
  In the late fall of 1957, the 450th Fighter-Day Wing at Foster Air Force Base, Texas underwent a major reorganization.  In November, the 322d Fighter-Day Group, which was attached to the wing, and its three squadrons were inactivated.  The following month, the squadron, redesignated the 720th Fighter-Day Squadron, was activated as the fourth squadron of the 450th Wing and equipped with North American F-100 Super Sabres.   However, Tactical Air Command closed Foster a year later and the squadron was inactivated in November 1958.
caption: 450th Fighter-Day Wing F-100s at Foster AFB
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