341st Bombardment Squadron The 341st Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit . It was last assigned to the 4038th Strategic Wing . It was last stationed at Dow Air Force Base , Maine , and was inactivated on 1 February 1963 . History . Established as a B - 17 Flying Fortress heavy bomb squadron in early 1942 ; trained under Third Air Force in Florida . While training flew antisubmarine patrols over Gulf of Mexico and over Florida Atlantic coastline . Deployed to European Theater of Operations ( ETO ) in June 1942 , being assigned to VIII Bomber Command in England with B - 17E aircraft . Combat operations by the group began on 17 August 1942 , when the squadron participated in the first Eighth Air Force heavy bomber mission of the war , attacking the Rouen - Sotteville marshalling yards in France . Continued long range strategic bombardment of occupied Europe , attacking airfields , marshalling yards , industries , naval installations , and other targets in France and the Low Countries . Deployed to Algeria in November 1942 , assigned to the new Twelfth Air Force in North Africa and upgraded to B - 17Fs . Raided shipping in the Mediterranean Sea and airfields , docks , harbors , and marshalling yards in north Africa , southern France , Sardinia , Sicily , and the southern Italian mainland in a campaign to cut supply lines to German forces in north Africa . Helped force the capitulation of Pantelleria Island in June 1943 . Bombed in preparation for and in support of the invasions of Sicily and southern Italy in the summer and fall of 1943 . Reassigned to the new Fifteenth Air Force and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations ( MTO ) in southern Italy , November 1943 , flying combination of B - 17Fs and new B - 17Gs . From Southern Italy engaged in very long range strategic bombardment missions , attacking targets in Italy , France , Germany , Czechoslovakia , Austria , Hungary , Romania , Bulgaria , Yugoslavia , and Greece , attacking oil refineries , marshalling yards , aircraft factories , and other strategic objectives . Participated in first shuttle - bombing mission to Russia ( Operation Frantic ) in June 1944 . Returned to the United States after the German Capitulation in May 1945 , prepared for transition to B - 29 Superfortress aircraft and deployment to Twentieth Air Force in the Pacific Theater . Japanese Capitulation in August ended training activities , squadron was demobilized and inactivated in October . Reactivated in 1946 under Strategic Air Command . Equipped with B - 29 Superfortresses and participated in numerous exercises , operational readiness inspections , and overseas deployments . Became part of SAC nuclear deterrent force . Began upgrading to the new B - 50 Superfortress , an advanced version of the B - 29 in 1949 . The B - 50 gave the unit the capability to carry heavy loads of conventional weapons faster and farther as well as being designed for atomic bomb missions if necessary . By 1951 , the emergence of the Soviet Mig - 21 interceptor in the skies of North Korea signaled the end of the propeller - driven B - 50 as a first - line strategic bomber . Received B - 47 Stratojet jet bombers in 1955 and despite initial difficulties , the Stratojet became the mainstay of the medium - bombing strength of SAC all throughout the 1950s , deployed frequently to North Africa and England for REFLEX exercises . Began sending its B - 47s to AMARC at Davis - Monthan in 1959 when the aircraft was deemed no longer capable of penetrating Soviet airspace . In 1960 was reassigned to SAC provisional 4038th Strategic Wing , being re - equipped with B - 52D Stratofortress intercontinental heavy bombers . Was reassigned to Dow AFB , Maine by SAC to disperse its heavy bomber force . Conducted worldwide strategic bombardment training missions and providing nuclear deterrent . Was inactivated in 1963 when SAC inactivated its provisional Strategic Wings , redesignating them permanent Air Force Wings . Squadron was inactivated with aircraft / personnel / equipment being redesignated 596th Bombardment Squadron in an in - place , name - only transfer .