page_title: 718th Bombardment Squadron
section_title: Cold War
hierarchical_section_title: 718th Bombardment Squadron / History / Cold War
caption_attribution_description: English: 28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing Convair RB-36D-10-CF Peacemaker 49-2688
context_page_description: The 718th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4128th Strategic Wing at Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas, where it was inactivated on 1 February 1963.
  The squadron was first activated in May 1943. After training in the United States, the squadron deployed to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, where it participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. The squadron was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations for its actions during the war. Following V-E Day, the 718th returned to the United States and trained with Boeing B-29 Superfortresses, becoming one of the first bomber units in Strategic Air Command. The squadron deployed to Alaska from 1946 through 1947, then returned to Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, where it served as a heavy bomber and strategic reconnaissance unit until it moved to Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas as part of SAC's program to disperse its Boeing B-52 Stratofortress force to make it less vulnerable to Soviet attack.
context_section_description: The squadron deployed to Alaska in October 1946.  Its Arctic stay was brief, and it returned to the United States and its new station at Rapid City Army Air Field, South Dakota in April 1947.  In 1949, the squadron began converting to the long range Convair B-36 Peacemaker.  Its mission changed to reconnaissance the following year, and it received reconnaissance models of the Superfortress (briefly) and the Peacemaker, becoming the 718th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron.  SAC’s mobilization for the Korean War highlighted that SAC wing commanders focused too much on running the base organization and not spending enough time on overseeing actual combat preparations.  Under a plan implemented in February 1951 and finalized in June 1952, the squadron reported directly to the 28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and the intermediate group was eliminated.
  On 16 June 1954 the squadron, along with SAC's other B-36 reconnaissance units, was assigned bombing as its primary mission. However, it retained its designation as a reconnaissance unit until October 1955, when it again became the 718th Bombardment Squadron. The squadron retained its reconnaissance capability until September 1956.  From April to June 1955, the unit deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.
  In 1957, the squadron began to replace its piston engine B-36s with Boeing B-52D Stratofortess jet bombers.  However, SAC bases like Ellsworth Air Force Base (the new name of the base at Rapid City), with large concentrations of bombers made attractive targets.  SAC’s response was to break up its wings and scatter their aircraft over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike. As this program was implemented, the 718th moved to Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas, where it was assigned to the 4245th Strategic Wing.
  Starting in 1960, one third of the squadron's aircraft were maintained on fifteen minute alert, fully fueled and ready for combat to reduce vulnerability to a Soviet missile strike.  This was increased to half the squadron's aircraft in 1962. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, starting on 20 October, the squadron was directed to put two additional planes on alert and on 24 October SAC went to DEFCON 2, placing all aircraft on alert. In addition, 1/8 of SAC's B-52s were placed on airborne alert. On 21 November SAC returned to normal airborne alert posture.
  The squadron's parent 4245th Strategic Wing was a Major Command controlled (MAJCON) wing.  MAJCON units could not carry a permanent history or lineage, so SAC received authority from Headquarters USAF to discontinue its MAJCON strategic wings that were equipped with combat aircraft and to activate Air Force controlled (AFCON) units, most of which were inactive at the time but could carry a lineage and history.  SAC activated the 494th Bombardment Wing at Sheppard to replace the 4245th and the 718th was inactivated on 1 February 1963, with its mission, personnel and equipment transferred to the 764th Bombardment Squadron, which was simultaneously activated.
caption: 28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing RB-36D[note 2]
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