35th Bombardment Squadron  The 35th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was activated in January 1940 as the United States built up its armed forces prior to World War II. In the fall of 1941, it deployed to the Caribbean and, following the attack on Pearl Harbor engaged in antisubmarine patrols. Following the transfer of the land based antisubmarine mission to the Navy, and with the lessening of threats to the Panama Canal, the squadron returned to the United States, where it was disbanded in June 1944. The squadron was reconstituted in 1947 and activated in the reserve, but it does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped before inactivating in 1949. In 1985, the squadron was consolidated with the 35th Air Defense Missile Squadron, which had provided air defense of the Northeastern United States from its base in northern New York from 1960 to 1969. The consolidated squadron was designated the 35th Tactical Missile Squadron, but has not been active since consolidation. The 35th Bombardment Squadron was first organized at Langley Field, Virginia in January 1940 as one of the three original squadrons of the 25th Bombardment Group. Although activated at Langley and training there, the activation orders anticipated that the squadron was to be stationed at Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico. The squadron began to equip with Douglas B-18 Bolos in 1941. The squadron deployed to the Caribbean as part of the 1940 Destroyers for Bases Agreement with the British, departing Langley Field, on 26 October 1940, and was assigned to Coolidge Field, Antigua in the British West Indies (by way of Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico) before the subsequent dispersal of its original personnel and equipment. It had been assigned as a subordinate element of the 25th Bombardment Group. In May 1942, the unit was re designated as the 35th Bombardment Squadron (Medium). On 31 October 1942, the first of the confusing reassignments that have tainted the overall picture of USAAF activities in the Caribbean was instituted. At that time, the squadron inherited the personnel and equipment of the 430th Bombardment Squadron (which had formerly been the 44th Reconnaissance Squadron). Additionally, the unit also got the personnel and equipment of the 99th Bombardment Squadron which had been based at Zandery Field, Surinam. Its personnel at Zandery becoming "A" and "B" Flight of the squadron, while the former 430th BS personnel and equipment became "C" and "D" Flights.