Constituted the 487th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 10 August 1942, it was activated on 20 August 1942, and assigned to the 340th Bombardment Group stationed at Columbia AAB, South Carolina.

Overseas staging started at El Kabrit, Egypt on 29 March 1943, then progressed through Tunisia in April of that same year, then winding its way up through Sicily and ending up in Italy from 29 October 1943 to 16 July 1945. In August 1945, the squadron was rotated stateside.

Designated a Medium Bombardment squadron, the 487th's main aircraft throughout the war was the Mitchell B-25, which it flew in campaigns stretching from North Africa to Southern France and Northern Italy.

The squadron was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for air combat North Africa and Sicily from May to August 1943.

After the war, the squadron was redesignated 487th Bombardment Squadron (Light) and it flew the YRB-47 from 1954 through 1955.