| 423d Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
 S/Sgt Maynard Harrison Smith was a ball turret gunner with the 423d Bomb Squadron. He earned the Medal of Honor on 1 May 1943 mission to bomb submarine pens in Saint-Nazaire, France. | |
| Active | 1942–1946; 1953–1954; 1958–1962 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Bombardment |
| Motto(s) | Impedimus Hostes (Latin for 'We Check the Adversary') (1961-1962)[1] |
| Engagements | European Theater of World War II |
| Decorations | Distinguished Unit Citation |
| Insignia | |
| 423d Bombardment Squadron emblem[a][1] | .png) |
| 423d Bombardment Squadron(World War II)[2] |  |
| World War II squadron fuselage code | RD[2] |
| World War II group tail marking | Triangle H[2] |
The 423d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 306th Bombardment Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
The squadron was first activated as the 34th Reconnaissance Squadron in the spring of 1942, but was soon renamed the 423d Bombardment Squadron, one of the original four squadrons assigned to the 306th Bombardment Group. After training with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, the squadron moved overseas and participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations for its efforts. After the war the 423d remained in Europe with the occupation forces until inactivating in 1946.
The squadron was activated again at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia and served as a combat crew training squadron for aircrews flying the Douglas B-26 Invader. It was inactivated in 1954 when the 345th Bombardment Group became the tactical bomber unit at Langley.
The third active period for the unit began in 1959 when Strategic Air Command (SAC) expanded its Boeing B-47 Stratojet wings from three to four squadrons. It flew the Stratojet until 1962 when SAC alert commitments changed and Stratojet wings returned to a three squadron structure.
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