 The squadron was first activated as the 676th Bombardment Squadron on 1 March 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, one of the original squadrons of the 444th Bombardment Group.The 444th was assigned to the first B-29 Superfortress wing, the 58th Bombardment Wing.After a period of organization at Davis-Monthan the squadron moved to Great Bend Army Air Field, Kansas.