(The USAAF also operated two fighter-bombers during the period, the A-24 and the A-36. Groups with these two types were first classified as Light Bombers, then Dive Bombers, before being re-classified as Fighters.)
The tables of organization and equipment (TO&E) for all bombardment groups were roughly the same. In 1942, existing bomb groups were expanded from three to four numbered bombardment squadrons; and most bomb groups created during the war retained this structure - B-29 groups were the exception, having only three squadrons. In addition to the flying squadrons issued Aircrew Badges, each group contained a group headquarters, a service squadron, and detachments for support of aircraft, equipment, and personnel from quartermaster, aviation ordnance, military police, chemical, signal, and maintenance companies, and from a weather squadron. These support personnel were then pooled and re-distributed among an unofficial service group and detailed for various duties as needed.
The service group provided support and technical sections for the group requirements as a whole: Flying control, Ordnance, airfield security, firefighting, Post Exchange (PX), Special Services, Mail, Transportation ("motor pool"), Communications, Radar, Gunnery instruction, Personal Equipment, and Weather (Meteorology). The service group also had its own mess section. The service group had approximately 30 officers and 300 to 400 enlisted men.
The group headquarters contained sections organized in the traditional U.S. Army structure: Personnel (S-1), Intelligence (S-2), Operations (S-3), and Supply (S-4). Including inspectors, headquarters organizations in practice totalled approximately 20 officers, some of whom were also pilots, and 60 to 80 enlisted men.
Each bomb squadron, in addition to its assigned flight crews, had a squadron headquarters structured similarly to the group's, and six technical support and maintenance sections supporting its aircraft, equipment, and personnel: Mess, Armament, Ordnance, Communications, Medical, and Engineering (aircraft maintenance). The ground support members of a bomb squadron numbered 15-20 officers and 250 to 300 enlisted men.
Functionally, bomb groups were divided into an air echelon (the collective aircrews), and a ground echelon (all supporting ground personnel within the group, including those in attached Sub Depots). Groups commonly had two deputy commanders, termed the air executive officer and the ground executive officer, to coordinate these echelons.
In 1943, a heavy bomb group had a total complement of 294 officers and 1,487 enlisted men to fly and support 48 heavy bombers; and a medium bomb group had 294 officers and 1,297 enlisted men for 64 medium bombers.
The Army Air Forces also employed two composite groups with their own TO&Es: the 28th Bomb Group (15 B-24 and 30 B-25), and the 509th Composite Group (15 B-29 and 5 C-54). 19 heavy groups and one light bomb group were to be converted to very heavy groups for duty against Japan, but the war ended before the plan was carried out.
The 100th Bomb Group Foundation is dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of first-hand historical accounts of the men, missions and machines that fought in the skies over Europe during WWII. The Foundation's extensive website archives, museum exhibits, publications and artifacts associated with this famous B-17 bomber unit provide a worldwide platform to educate generations, keeping alive the bravery and sacrifice which ensure our freedom still today.
The 6th Bomb Group was the most celebrated of the bomb groups and most feared by the Japanese people. The super-secret Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, flew as a 6th Bomb Group airplane (Circle R tail marking). Our site includes two very special custom videos that tell the story of the B-29 bombing experience and super-secret atomic bomb missions.
Please feel free to reach out to us at any time with any questions you may have on our education materials about the Pacific War from Pearl Harbor through the dropping of the atomic bombs. Please visit our contact page for all of our contact information. We look forward to hearing from you.
The 489th Bomb Group (489 BG) is a geographically separated unit with its headquarters, the 307th Bomb Wing, located at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. The 489 BG operates in a classic association with the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas, flying the B-1B Lancer and overseeing three subordinate units: The 345th Bomb Squadron (345 BS), which operates in a classic association with the 9th Bomb Squadron, providing deployable combat aviators; the 489th Maintenance Squadron (489 MXS), which operates in a classic association with the 7th Maintenance Group, launching and sustaining the fleet; and the 489th Aerospace Medicine Flight (489 AMDF), which ensures the medical readiness of the bomb group.
In addition to the flight squadrons, each bomb group was supported by other units including operations, intelligence, engineering and tech inspection, ordnance, personal equipment, communications, photography, transportation, flying control, weather, statistical control, personnel, training, administrative, inspection, mess (food), medical, base utilities, base defense, special services, and chaplains. SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave
The 8th Air Force was a bomber command unit formed at the Army Air Base in Savannah, Georgia on January 28, 1942 (just weeks after the Pearl Harbor attacks). Within one month it was headquartered in England. In only three years it grew to become the greatest military striking force in history.
Eighth Air Force was composed of four commands. All of the bomb groups, including the 390th, were part of the VIII Bomber Command. Using a previously untested strategy called high altitude strategic bombing, the 8th Air Force targeted facilities such as oil refineries, railway hubs, war machine factories, and other industrial sites that fueled the Nazi regime. Through trial, error, luck and loss, military leaders quickly learned that huge fleets of bombers were needed on every mission.
A B-17 Flying Fortress sits alongside a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, on Sept. 24, 2015, at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in New Orleans. The B-17 is a four-engine heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the U.S. Army Air Corps. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Victoria H. Taylor)
This site is dedicated to both the Air and Ground Crews of the 482nd Bomb Group, 813th Bomb Squadron, and B-17 #25731 piloted by Lt. Bill Owen, who against all odds were credited with being the first American B-17 Bomber to release their bombs on the German capital of Berlin on March 4,1944.
The 482nd Bomb Group was the only U.S. 8th Army Air Force Bomb Group formed outside of the United States during WWII. The Bomb group was formed to develop, train, and deploy the Top Secret Radar Platforms of "BTO" (Bomb Through Overcast) during the Strategic Bombing campaign against Nazi Germany. The 482nd primarily utilized two distinct operational radars code named H2S "Stinky" and H2X "Mickey". The first B-17 to release its bombs on Nazi Berlin belonged to the 482nd Bomb Group. It was one of the only Bomb Groups to fly both major U.S. Bombers of WWII the B-17 and B-24 in its three operational bomb squadrons.
This webpage is dedicated to the men of the 6th Bomb Group and to those who supported them in the field and at home. The Group was based on the island of Tinian during WWII and participated in the war effort against Japan during 1944-45. The Group, was part of the 313th Bomb Wing, 20th Air Force. Along with other groups based on Tinian, Saipan and Guam, they were responsible for the bombing campaign that finally brought an end to the war. Although many lives were lost - on both sides - these efforts saved the millions of lives that would have been lost in an invasion of the mainland.
Group Historian
For many years, Ken Harbour was the Group Historian. He co-authored "The 351st Bomb Group in World War II."with Peter Harris. Ken also created a web site that contains additional information and photographs.The book was expanded and reprinted in 2008 as "The 351st Bomb Group - The Duty to Remember";copies are available for purchase. Ken passed away in 2010. We are grateful for all thathe has done for our group and for his friendship.
The 446th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 1st April 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona. The Group trained at Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado for overseas duty with B-24 Liberators and departed for European Theatre of Operations on October 18th 1943, setting up a permanent base at Station 125, Flixton, in November 1943. The 446th began operations on 16th December 1943 with a raid against Bremen, and flew the last against Salzburg on April 25th 1945. The Group flew a total of 273 missions between those dates, and during that time, they lost 58 aircraft, with 447 men being killed in action. The 446th destroyed 34 enemy aircraft, with 11 probable and 8 damaged, and dropped a total bomb weight of 16,818.95 tons. Over 6000 personnel served at Flixton between November 1943 and August 1945. In this, the year 2002, there are over 1100 members of 446th B.G. Association who hold reunions each year and receive the Quarterly Newsletter "The Beachbell Echo".
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