308th Bombardment Wing ( World War II ) The 308th Bombardment Wing ( 308th BW ) is an inactive United States Air Force unit . Its last assignment was with Far East Air Forces at Nagoya , Japan , where it was inactivated on 30 June 1948 . The wing served in combat with Fifth Air Force from February 1944 to August 1945 , operating as a task force with various groups and squadrons that were attached for brief periods . It earned a Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation for its actions on Leyte and Luzon . The 308th became part of the occupation force from 1945 to 1947 when it was stripped of all personnel , remaining a paper unit until it was inactivated . History . Background . General George C . Kenney , commander of Far East Air Forces ( FEAF ) , developed the concept in late 1942 for an “ Air Task Force “ to be located at an advanced base . The Air Task Force was to be a streamlined operational organization free from administrative duties so that it could concentrate on a given operation . Once the operation was complete , components of the force could be returned to their parent organizations . To implement this concept , the Buna Task Force ( later renamed the 1st Air Task Force ) was formed at Dobodura as a provisional organization , with its personnel drawn from the Fifth Air Force Advanced Echelon ( ADVON ) , already located there . The task force defended installations at Dobodura from enemy air and sea attack , attacked Japanese forces at Rabaul and dropped supplies to advanced forces fighting at Lae and Saidor . New Guinea . On 1 Feb 44 the provisional Air Task Force was transformed into the 308th Bombardment Wing . The wing began to establish air bases at Saidor , Cape Gloucester and Finschhafen . The wing ' s ADVON moved to Finschhafen and almost at once began to support the landings on Momote by the 1st Cavalry Division with fighter cover , air resupply and limited air strikes . The ADVON moved to Wakde one day after the infantry landed to establish a base to extend the range of Allied airpower in New Guinea . The island seemed secure , so the infantry units were withdrawn from the island on 20 May . However Japanese forces infiltrated the 308th ’ s camp the following morning . The camp was successfully defended by members of the wing ' s 303d Airdrome Squadron . As the the Wakde airstrip was being established , Japanese attacks continued and caused casualties among units attached to the wing . The wing proceeded to Biak to establish airfields for the forthcoming Morotai offensive . but strong resistance delayed the offensive on the island beyond the date when the airfields were planned to become operational , so nearby Owi Island was reconnoitered and proved to be a better base . The last resistance on Owi ended when wing Consolidated B - 24 Liberator s attacked on 22 July , destroying the last enemy stronghold . A Japanese attempt to reinforce the island was beaten back by wing North American B - 25 Mitchell s , which sank three ships , damaged two , and turned the reinforcements back . Wing fighters covered the Noemfoor landings . Extensive strikes by the wing were able to keep enemy airfields in the region non - operational . During this period wing Mitchell bombers became the first American planes to strike the Philippines since the defeat there in May 1942 . During operations from Owi and Biak wing fighters scored 28 victories over enemy aircraft and 55 more were destroyed on ground . In addition , shipping strikes resulted in 30 freighters plus 91 smaller craft sunk while over 200 more were damaged . Philippine Islands . The wing did not resume operations until September when it began attacks from Hollandia . On 22 Oct 1944 it landed at Tacloban in the Philippines Only two days later as preparation of the airfield had barely begun , Tacloban was used as an emergency strip by Navy planes engaged in the Battle of Leyte Gulf because their carriers were under attack . The incomplete strip handled a landing every 2 minutes , some crashing because of the soft uneven nature of the strip . Japanese strafers arrived during the recovery operation , but two hours later , 59 Navy planes had been prepared to enter combat again On the 27th the field was ready for the Lockheed P - 38 Lightning s of the 49th Fighter Group . These fighters initially concentrated on defending the Leyte beachhead , but as fighter strength increased , Japanese air attacks were limited to night raids . During operations on Leyte , in addition to merchant shipping , wing aircraft destroyed one cruiser , eight destroyer s , and two destroyer escort . 375 enemy aircraft were destroyed as the 308th achieved air superiority before handing over Leyte at the end of December . In Jan 45 the wing assumed responsibility for Lingayen with its Headquarters at Binmaley . It supported I Corps and guerrilla forces most of which were concentrated on northern Luzon . Wing aircraft flew hundreds of close air support missions near Baguio . Japanese air opposition in the Philippines had been reduced to the extent that wing fighters were diverted from providing air cover to close air support missions . The 308th began attacks on Formosa , concentrating on chemical factories providing materiel for aviation fuel and explosives . It attacked Hong Kong and Canton to isolate Japanese forces there . The wing arrived in Okinawa in late June where it served as the ADVON for both Fifth Air Force and Far East Air Forces , assuming Operational Control of all land based aircraft on the island including Navy and Marine aircraft until Seventh Air Force headquarters arrived the following month . Occupation Duty . The wing moved to Korea late in 1945 and became part of the occupation force . It transferred without personnel and equipment to Japan in 1947 and was not remanned . The unit inactivated on 30 June 1948 . Lineage . Components . Groups Operational Squadrons Navy and Marine units attached in Okinawa