11th Bomb Squadron Patch – Sew On

4 inch 11th Bomb Squadron Patch – Sew On

World War I

11th Aero Squadron posing with its Dayton-Wright DH-4s[note 1]After training in the United States, the squadron sailed for Europe on the RMS Orduna on 18 December 1917. The 11th saw combat as a day bombardment unit with First Army, 14 September 1918, which was a bloody baptism of fire. But an attempted raid the following day practically devastated the fledgling squadron. “Out of a formation of six planes which crossed the lines,” remembered surviving veteran Paul S. Green, “only one succeeded in staggering back in a riddled condition.” Henceforward, the 11th Squadron, earlier designated the “Jiggs Squadron” was unkindly referred to throughout the U.S. Air Service as the “Bewilderment Group.”[citation needed] Jiggs was a cartoon character invented five years before by an 11th Squadron officer, George McManus, whose comic strip, Bringing Up Father, was the first of its kind to attract a worldwide readership. The Bewilderment Group’s emblem featured the famous Jiggs with a bomb tucked under his arm.[citation needed] The 11th flew combat from then to 5 November 1918.

Intra-War period
With the end of World War I, the 11th Aero Squadron returned to New York Harbor. It arrived in about 30 April where it transferred to Camp Mills, Long Island the next day. There most of the men of the 11th Aero Squadron were demobilized and returned to civilian life.

On 26 May 1919, the 11th transferred to Ellington Field, Texas, where it was manned and equipped with war surplus Dayton-Wright DH-4s. Its mission was to take part in the United States Army Border Air Patrol along the Mexican Border. Between August and November 1919, it operated from Marfa Field, and flew a border patrol along the Rio Grande between Lajitas, Texas to El Paso, Texas. It moved to Kelly Field, Texas on 8 November 1919 and again became part of the 1st Day Bombardment Group, although it remained on standby if needed along the Mexican Border.

11th Bombardment Squadron Curtiss B-2 Condor formation flight over Atlantic City, New Jersey
In 1921 the squadron was redesignated 11th Squadron (Bombardment), and in 1922 as the 11th Bombardment Squadron. Transferred on 30 June 1922 to Langley Field, Virginia, and conducted bombing tests on obsolete warships off Chesapeake Bay. The squadron was assigned to the Air Corps Training Center and transferred on 3 June 1927 to March Field, California, where it was inactivated on 31 July 1927 and its personnel transferred to the 54th School Squadron.[1][7]

The squadron was reactivated on 1 June 1928 at Rockwell Field, California, and assigned to the 7th Bombardment Group. It moved on 29 October 1931 to March Field. The squadron conducted food relief airdrop missions to native Americans snowed-in on reservations in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah during 16–21 January 1932; and for marooned miners north of Las Vegas, New Mexico on 13 February 1933; it was awarded the Mackay Trophy for the 1932 relief flights.

The squadron moved on 5 December 1934 to Hamilton Field, California. The 11th furnished the cadre to activate the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 October 1939. These future “Flying Falcons” operated the Douglas B-18 Bolo bomber and the Northrop A-17 attack aircraft. After gathering personnel and equipment at Hamilton Field and conducting training, the units then re-equipped with the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, moving on to Fort Douglas, Utah (later Salt Lake City Army Air Base) on 7 September 1940. Both squadrons performed rescue and patrol duties from Fort Douglas c. 21 Jun − 13 November 1941.

In November 1941 the squadrons prepared for reassignment to the Philippines. The ground echelons sailed from San Francisco on 21 November with the air echelons expected to remain in the States until the ground echelon arrived in the Philippines. Before their arrival, however, the