The squadron was first organized at Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico on 1 June 1943 as one of the four squadrons of the 454th Bombardment Group.
 It trained with Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers.
 After completing training, it left for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations on 8 December 1943.

The squadron arrived in Italy in January 1944, settling in at its combat station, San Giovanni Airfield, by the end of the month.
Its primary focus was on long range bombing missions against industrial targets such as enemy oil refineries and munitions and aircraft factories.
 It struck transportation targets including harbors and airfields in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece and Rumania  The squadron received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for a raid on an airfield at Bad Voslau, Austria on 12 April 1944.
The squadron earned a second DUC during an attack on a steel plant at Linz, Austria, as the 454th Group led its wing through determined opposition.

The squadron also flew air support and air interdiction missions against marshalling yards, troop concentrations and rail lines for Operation Strangle, the effort to cut German supply lines in Italy north of Rome between March and May 1944.
 The squadron participated in the drive to Rome; Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France; and Operation Grapeshot, the Spring 1945 offensive in Northern Italy.

The squadron left Italy in July 1945 and reformed at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota the following month.
 It was redesignated as a very heavy bombardment squadron in anticipation of training and redeployment to the Pacific, but with the Japanese surrender, it was inactivated in October.
The squadron was first organized at Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico on 1 June 1943 as one of the four squadrons of the 454th Bombardment Group.  It trained with Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers.  After completing training, it left for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations on 8 December 1943.
The squadron arrived in Italy in January 1944, settling in at its combat station, San Giovanni Airfield, by the end of the month. Its primary focus was on long range bombing missions against industrial targets such as enemy oil refineries and munitions and aircraft factories.  It struck transportation targets including harbors and airfields in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece and Rumania  The squadron received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for a raid on an airfield at Bad Voslau, Austria on 12 April 1944. The squadron earned a second DUC during an attack on a steel plant at Linz, Austria, as the 454th Group led its wing through determined opposition.
The squadron also flew air support and air interdiction missions against marshalling yards, troop concentrations and rail lines for Operation Strangle, the effort to cut German supply lines in Italy north of Rome between March and May 1944.  The squadron participated in the drive to Rome; Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France; and Operation Grapeshot, the Spring 1945 offensive in Northern Italy.
The squadron left Italy in July 1945 and reformed at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota the following month.  It was redesignated as a very heavy bombardment squadron in anticipation of training and redeployment to the Pacific, but with the Japanese surrender, it was inactivated in October.
736th Bombardment Squadron