859th Bombardment Squadron The 859th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit . Its last assignment was with the United States Strategic Air Forces , based at Bari Airfield , Italy . It was inactivated on 4 October 1945 . History . The 859th Bombardment Squadron can trace its origins to 1920 when the Flying Club of Baltimore was organized for Army reserve officers of that city , most of whom were former Aero Service pilots that were in World War I . This club eventually became part of the Maryland National Guard as the 104th Observation Squadron . At the outset of World War II the 104th became part of the Anti - submarine Patrol used along the East Coast , operating out of the Atlantic City Municipal Airport . On 17 October 1942 , the unit ' s planes and personnel were transferred to the newly formed 517th Bombardment Squadron , which a month later became the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command 12th Antisubmarine Squadron . Flew aerial antisubmarine missions over the New Jersey / New York / Delaware coast . This squadron did not have assigned crews but made up its crews on a daily basis . A side benefit of this practice allowed the men within the squadron to know each other better . Reassigned to Langley Field , Virginia in January 1943 and flew antisubmarine patrols over the mid - Atlantic coast . Operated until 18 September 1943 when the antisubmarine mission was taken over by the United States Navy . In 12 September AS was sent to Blythe Army Air Base , California , for B - 24 Combat Training and was reassigned as a component of the 492d Bombardment Group . Reassigned to II Bomber Command at Alamogordo Army Air Field , New Mexico and received new B - 24s from Consolidated and trained for deployment to England . Was deployed to the European Theater of Operations ( ETO ) , being assigned to VIII Bomber Command , being stationed at RAF North Pickenham . Entered combat on 11 May 1944 , and throughout the month operated primarily against industrial targets in central Germany . Attacked airfields and V - weapon launching sites in France during the first week in June . Bombed coastal defenses in Normandy on 6 June 1944 and attacked bridges , railroads , and other interdiction targets in France until the middle of the month . Resumed bombardment of strategic targets in Germany and , except for support of the infantry during the St Lo breakthrough on 25 July 1944 , continued such operations until August 1944 when after only 89 days of combat , the squadron was withdrawn from combat due to heavy personnel and equipment losses . Remaining personnel and equipment were reassigned to other units in theater . The squadron was transferred without personnel or equipment , to RAF Harrington on 1 August 1944 and assumed personnel , equipment , and the CARPETBAGGER mission of the 788th Bombardment Squadron . Operated chiefly over southern France with B - 24 ' s and C - 47 ' s , engaging in special operations , transporting agents , supplies , and propaganda leaflets to patriots . Ceased these missions on 16 September 1944 to haul gasoline to advancing mechanized forces in France and Belgium . Intermittently attacked airfields , oil refineries , seaports , and other targets in France , the Low Countries , and Germany until December 1944 On 11 December 1944 , the 859th was detached from the Eighth Air Force and sent to the Fifteenth Air Force in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations ( MTO ) arriving at Brindisi Airfield , Italy on 17 December . This move came as the need for special operations in western Europe declined in the wake of Normandy invasion and breakout . With this , additional attention and resources were redirected toward supporting the resistance in Italy and the Balkans . The 859th ' s first sortie out of Brindisi was flown on 29 December 1944 . A total of six successful sorties were flown that day into Yugoslavia followed the next day by six sortie attempts to targets in Italy . Weather , a mechanical failure , and a reception failure caused all but two of these to fail . It was at Brindisi that the 859th joined with the 885th on 20 January 1945 to form the 15th Special Group ( Provisonal ) . As noted , both squadrons had been operating at Brindisi prior to organization of the Special Group and these operations continued unabated even as the Special Group was being organized . On 20 May 1945 , thirteen days after V - E Day , the 859th was reassigned to Gioia del Colle Airfield and from there to Bari Airfield Italy in July 1945 where it remained until October 1945 when it was inactivated .