| 863rd Bombardment Squadron | |
|---|---|
 493rd Bombardment Group B-17 Flying Fortress formation | |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Heavy bomber |
| Engagements | European Theater of Operations |
| Insignia | |
| 863rd Bombardment Squadron emblem[a][1] |  |
The 863rd Bombardment Squadron is a former United States Army Air Forces unit. It was first organized as the 518th Bombardment Squadron in October 1942, when it replaced a National Guard unit participating in antisubmarine patrols off the Atlantic coast, becoming the 13th Antisubmarine Squadron in November. When the Navy took over the coastal antisubmarine mission in August 1943, the squadron moved to the western United States, where it formed the cadre for the 493rd Bombardment Group and was redesignated as the 863rd. It moved to England in the spring of 1944 and participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany until April 1945. It returned to the United States and was inactivated in August 1945.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 786-787