Pursuant to instructions contained in Restricted War Department Letter AG-322 (5-18-43) OB-I-AFRPG-M, 19 May 1943, Subject: constitution and activation of certain Army Air Forces Units, the following units, having been constituted and assigned to the Second Air Force, are activated as indicated:
DATE OF
UNIT STATION OF ACTIVATION ACTIVATION
HQ. 457th BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H) AAB, GEIGER FIELD, WASH. 1 JULY 1943
748th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H) AAB, GEIGER FIELD, WASH. 1 JULY 1943
749th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H) AAB, GEIGER FIELD, WASH. 1 JULY 1943
750th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H) AAB, GEIGER FIELD, WASH. 1 JULY 1943
751st BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H) AAB, GEIGER FIELD, WASH. 1 JULY 1943
General Order number 78 was by command of Major General Johnson by Aubry L. Moore, Colonel, G. S. C., Chief of Staff.
July 21st, 1943 -Lt. Col. Roderick L. Francis was the first commanding officer of the 750th Squadron and served as commander of the 750th until replaced by Lt Col. William F. Smith.
April 25th, 1944 – Lt. Col. William F. Smith, Jr. assumed command of the squadron and was commander until Dec 2nd 1944 when he was elevated to Deputy Group Commander. Col Smith was with the original complement of officers as a 1st Lieutenant when the unit was formed and a Lt Col at the end of the war. He had a jaunty and devil-may-care attitude and was very popular with the men who flew with him. He witnessed all 236 missions of the 457th but fate caught up with him in 1945 after returning from England. He and several others were flying a B-25 bomber from Boston to his new assignment in the midwest. The weather was extremely bad and as he attempted to make an emergency landing at LaGuardia Field, New York, his plane hit the 76 floor of the Empire State building killing him and 17 others in the building.
December 2nd, 1944 – Cap. William Doherty took command of the 750th Squadron and played an active roll there until Feb, 6th, 1945. On this date he accompanied Capt Roy Kerr, the Group’s engineering officer, who was test flying a new B-17 that had recently arrived at the field. No one is sure what happened but the plane never quite made it to the end of the runway while attempting to land. The plane exploded and burned. All aboard were killed.
February 7th, 1945 – Maj. James M. Havey assumed command of the 750th squadron. Major Havey remained in command until the squadron was returned to the USA and was dismissed.
