72d Bombardment Squadron, Medium, 72d Bombardment Squadron, Heavy & 5th Bombardment Group

Organized as 72nd Aero Squadron on 18 Feb 1918. Demobilized on 11 Jul 1919. Reconstituted, and consolidated (1924) with the 72nd Bombardment Squadron, which was constituted on 6 Feb 1923. Activated on 1 May 1923. Redesignated: 72nd Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 6 Dec 1939; 72nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940; 72nd Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 6 Mar 1944; 72nd Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 30 Apr 1946. Inactivated on 10 Mar 1947.

Insignia approved on 14 Feb 1924. Painted on leather.

Stations. Hickam Field, TH, 4 Jan 1939; Bellows Field, TH, 11 Dec 1941-18 Sep 1942; Espiritu Santo, 24 Sep 1942 (operated from Guadalcanal, 4 Oct 1942-8 Aug 1943; 7 Oct-15 Nov 1943; 13 Dec 1943-27 Jan 1944); Munda, New Georgia, 9 Jan 1944; Momote Airfield, Los Negros, 15 Apr 1944; Wadke, c. 19 Aug 1944; Noemfoor, 27 Sep 1944; Morotai, 24 Oct 1944; Samar, 20 Mar 1945; Clark Field, Luzon, Dec 1945-10 Mar 1947.