The plane became the first aircraft in the 305th bombardment group to complete 100 missions, and finally performed 3 successful missions in a career spanning 18 months before. B17 91st bomb group 401st bomb squadron world war photos. Thar she blows b24l5co liberator sn 4441468 42nd bomb squadron, 11th bomb group, 7th air force. Formed on 1 april 1943 at ephrata army air base, washington, the 401st bombardment group assigned to 8th air force concisted of four squadrons. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Army air corps 529th bombardment squadron,380th bombardment group. The ball turret is one position on a plane that had to be the most terrifying place to be. The best damn outfit in the usaaf turner publishing on. The 401st bombardment group was a b17 flying fortress group that fought with the eighth air force from november 1943 until the end of the war in europe. As a member of the 615th bomb squadron 401st bomb group, 8th air force, curys b17 was shot down on june 19, 1944 on a raid to merignac, france his 30th and final mission. Tom campbell shares his dads dday story am 1100 the flag wzfg. The planes were fondly referred to in a feminine manor.
Books by ray bowden covering usaaf ww2 history and in particular the 91bg and 100bg, are available to buy. He was assigned to the 8th air force he flew a few night missions with the 305th bomb group dropping chocolate bars with messages to the french resistance. Beginning in 1941, the group transitioned into the boeing b17 flying fortress flying patrol and search missions off the hawaiian islands. Pretty funny girl podcast youtube power hour podcast. United states army air force, 8th air force, 91st bombardment group, 401st bomb squadron united states army air force, 8th air force, 401st bombardment group, 615th bomb squadron united states army air force, 401st bombardment group. The insignia of the 615th bomb squadron, 401st bomb group. Boeing b17 flying fortress parked aircraft from the 401st bomb group at deenethorpe, england. Heres a patchedpainted a2 jacket from the 401st bomb group 614th bomb squadron 8th aaf it belonged to ball turret gunner who flew on a well known b17. Commanding offi cer, 615th bomb squadron, 401st bomb group h, apo. Learn about the men who flew and maintained b17 flying fortress aircraft from deenethorpe airfield during world war ii and the organization that perpetuates its history. He joined the army air corp with hopes of being a pilot but was informed that they had enough. Baker customized with fur collar and capri lucky bell. Jan 25, 2020 welcome to my 511th bomb squadron website.
The 401st bomb group had the second best rating in bombing accuracy for eighth air force. City of berkeley b2970bw 4469928 330th bomb group, 457th bomb squadron. Moved to england, octnov 1943, and served in combat with eighth af, nov 1943apr 1945. Photo taken on guam,marianas islands on may 4,1945. The 401st bombardment group was activated march 1943 at ephrata army air base washington. The group, then composed of the 14th, 26th, 42nd bomb squadrons and 50th recon squadron conducted flying operation from hawaii with the douglas b18 twinengine bomber. Product description beautiful embroidered novelty patch. One of these was the 11orning star, a 615th squadron ship. The patch on the left may represent the 401st bomb group. History books aircraft time line commanders main bases component units assigned to history. Assigned to the 615th bomb squadron401st bomb group in the 8th air force, 1st lieutenant ledray saw action over berlin, hamburg, schweinfurt, and at dday in 194344. Aircraft patches 305th bomb group 365th bomb squadron. For those interested in ufos the control tower log book has an. Jun 14, 20 little cheezer b17 flying fortress of the 615th squadron, 401st bomb group out of deenethorpe air base in england wwii stay safe and healthy.
Dec 22, 2012 aircraft patches 305th bomb group 365th bomb squadron. Ii this site is dedicated to the 351st bombardment group heavy, eighth united. Their motto, might in flight, was earned on each of their record 364 combat missions. That was not the case with this b17 tail number 4225233. It was last assigned to the 310th bombardment wing, stationed at shilling air force base in kansas. Dukes mixture aka tagalong iyq b17g80bo flying fortress. Roadside memorial to the service of the 401st bombardment group h at deenethorpe airfield, station 128. A list of boeing b17 flying fortresses which were assigned to the 401st bomb group. History books aircraft time line commanders main bases component units assigned to.
The 401st bombardment group was a b17 flying fortress group that fought. A formation of b17s of 91st bomb group, 324th bomb squadron site statistics. City of bakersfield b2955bw 4469680 19th bomb group, 28th squadron. Baker, standing left, and crew of the b17 carrie b, 26 feb 1945. Air force 11th bombardment group, heavy usaf veteran locator. This history is dedicated to brigardier general william t. The legacy of leading lady, b17g5ve serial 4239948, assigned to 365 bomb squadron, 305 bomb group and then reassignate. B17 91st bomb group 401st bomb squadron site statistics. The 410th bombardment group was a light bomber unit that fought with the ninth air force from may 1944 to the end of the war in europe, supporting the dday invasions and the campaign that followed the group was activated on 1 july 1943 and trained with the a20. Its last was assigned to the 35th tactical fighter wing, stationed at phan rang air base, south vietnam. He got no combat credit for these few missions he then transferred to the 401st bomb group, 615th squadron and started missions octobernovember 1943. The group received a distinguished unit citation for striking. For veterans, they can augment memories with hard facts. Usaaf nose art research project research study into named planes of usaaf during world war two wwii.
Planes aircraft of the 615th bs remember our heroes 401st bomb group. B17 bomber flying fortress the queen of the skies home. Full text of pictorial record of the 401st bomb group. Full text of pictorial record of the 401st bomb group see other formats.
The 91st bomb group heavy was an air combat unit of the united states army air forces during the second world war. The 401st bomb group flew b17 flying fortresses from deenethorpe, northamptonshire, from november 1943 to june. The 319th bombardment group entered service as a b26 unit that took part in operation torch and the campaign in of italy, before at the start of 1944 it was withdraw to the us, converted to the a26 and moved to okinawa, where it entered combat against the japanese in july 1945. The 91st bomb group memorial associations bgma purpose is to keep alive the spirit of the 91st bg h and to maintain the fellowship of all those who fought together in wwii from af station 121 in bassingbourn, england from 1942 1945. The 331st bombardment group vh was activated at dalhart, texas, on 7, july 1944 and for mobilization and specialized training purposes attached to the second air force. To view the photograph close up and to read description where made, click on the thumb nail.
Boeing b17 flying fortress parked aircraft from the. The 401st made its combat debut on 26 november 1943, taking part in the largest eighth air force raid yet carried out. April 1942 the beginning dailies of the 401st squadron. This 298 page hardcover book guides the reader through the evolution of the 351st bomb group, their time served at polebrook, england from 1943 to 1945 and the groups return to the. He joined the army air corp with hopes of being a pilot but was informed that they had enough already so he took his second option and ended up as a. Fated to survive 401st bombardment group h, eighth air force memoirs of a b17 flying fortress pilot prisoner of war. The 401st bombardment group h was a part of the 94th combat wing in the first.
He included the names and stories of his crew members, ground. He and the airmen of the 401st flying fortresses played a pivotal role in diminishing nazi germanys capacity to wage war. Thank you for visiting the official web site of the 401st bombardment group association. Doubledee, and to the brave men of the 511th bomb squadron, 351st bomb group, 1st bomb wing, 8th bomber command, usaaf, who served in the european theater during wwii. The operations room service board, showing the readiness of each squadrons aircraft. The 303rd bomb group was an eighth air force, b17 bomber group stationed at molesworth, england from 1942 to 1945. Searchable data base containing details are gathered from veterans, diary notes, official archive records, photographs and more. Sherrill on front row right end stay safe and healthy. Constituted as 401st bombardment group heavy on 20 mar 1943. The daily reports from the 322nd bomb squadron is part of that vast store of administrative detail. Raf deenethorpe in the second world war 19391945 the. Front cover 4231730, iyb, horning star only a very small number of 401st bomb group b17s reached the magic figure of 100 missions. They are the actual daytoday records of the squadrons missions and movements from the inception of the group through the end of the war.
His true stories about world war ii are from the heart and quite remarkable. City of bel air b2925ba 4263539 330th group, 458th squadron. One of these was the 11orning star, a 615th squadron ship that recorded a total of 112 missions before return ing to the usa on operation home run in june 1945. The 615th bombardment squadron was activated march 1943 at ephrata army air base washington as one of the original squadrons of the 401st bombardment group. Bowman 612th bombardment squadron 6th bombardment squadron 614th bombardment squadron 615th bombardment squadron. Children and grandchildren of the 401st veterans will be able to pinpoint where their family members were at any given time. Many thanks to merle choffel who transcribed this information for the 91st bomb group website. Classified as a heavy bombardment group, the 91st operated b17 flying fortress aircraft and was known unofficially as the ragged irregulars or as wrays ragged irregulars, after the commander who took the group to england. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. The 401st was famous for painting the backs of their jackets.
Most aircraft of world war ii had pictures of sexy girls, tributes to sweethearts, songs and home. Activated in mid1942 as a b25 mitchell medium bomber squadron, it was trained by the third air force in the southeastern. Only a very small number of 401st bomb group b17s reached the magic figure of 100 missions. Fated to survive 401st bombardment group h, eighth air force. The duty to remember chronicles the formation, training and combat missions flown by this american heavy bomber group during wwii. Miss traveler b24j165co liberator sn 4440530 98th bomb squadron, 11th bomb group, 7th air force. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of france planned for the following summer. Media in category 401st bombardment group united states army air forces the following 17 files are in this category, out of 17 total. Jun 14, 20 lou cooper crew of 615th squadron 401st bomb group noteb. The initial cadre for the squadron was drawn from the 395th bombardment group at ephrata and the 383d bombardment group at rapid city army air field, south dakota. A formation of b17s of 91st bomb group, 324th bomb squadron.
Grinham crew 67 of 401st bomb group, 615th bomb squadron. B17s of thw 452nd bomb group 2 b17g 4297636 iyh of 401st bg, 615th bs after crash landing at deenethorpe 20 february 1944 b17g 4338316 hanks bottle of the 493rd bg 860th bs, 22 february 1945 b17g 446153 aws of the 96th bomb group, 337th bs b17g of the 457th bomb group over germany 1945 factory fresh b17f flying fortesses. The offical website of the 401st bombardment group h association. The 381st bombardment squadron is an inactive united states air force unit. Campbell, b17 flying fortress bomber pilot with the 8th air force, 401st bomb group, 615th squadron, survived two tours of bombing missions during the war. Jun 06, 2019 tom campbell discusses dday and fathers book guardian angel by paul campbell. The 401st bomb group flew b17 flying fortresses from deenethorpe, northamptonshire, from november 1943 to june 1945. The 615th tactical fighter squadron is an inactive united states air force unit. Our blog page 8 of 12 armed forces reunions incorporated.
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