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2nd Bomb Division

Division

  • A formation of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group enroute to Europe. Printed caption on reverse: '71049 AC- A formation of Consolidated B-24

    A formation of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group enroute to Europe. Printed caption on reverse: '71049 AC- A formation of Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, roars over Europe en route to the target area. 24 November 1944. US Air Force photo.'

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  • "Bombing of enemy harbor installations at Dunkirk, France, 15 Feb 1943, by Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, 8th Air Force. Two of the Liberators shown over the smoking target."

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  • "The entire landing area and runways are pitted with bomb craters at the Chateaudun airdrome in France. The most recent attack on this German airdrome 14 June 44 by U.S. 8th AAF heavies was designed to make the field proper serviceable. Two two-bay hangars have been severely damaged by direct hits and many dispersal areas disrupted."

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  • "Disrupted Training -- Direct hits on tracks, locomotive sheds, repair shops and other installations left this scene at the railway marshalling yards in Chalons, in occupied France, following the heavy attack on 27 April 44 by Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the US 8th AAF. A large amount of rolling stock was destroyed plus damage to a large storage shed at the right."

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  • "Bombing of enemy installations at Chalons-Sur-Marne, France, on 3 October 1944, by Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the 2nd Bomb Division, 8th AF. Altitude 16,500 Feet."

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  • "A formation of Consolidated B-24 Liberators roars over a blanket of clouds en route to their target somewhere in Europe. 2nd Bomb Division, 24 November 1944." - 489BG aircraft.

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  • B-24 Liberators of the 392nd Bomb Group fly in formation during a mission, 24 November 1944. Official caption on image:

    B-24 Liberators of the 392nd Bomb Group fly in formation during a mission, 24 November 1944. Official caption on image: "62412 A.C." Printed caption on reverse: '62412 USAF - Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, 8th Air Force, enroute to bomb Nazi installations somewhere in Europe. 24th November 1944. 392d Bomb Group. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

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  • A P-47 Thunderbolt (VM-P_), nicknamed

    A P-47 Thunderbolt (VM-P_), nicknamed "Kokoma", of the 551st Fighter Training Squadron, 495th Fighter Training Group, flown by General William E. Kepner, 25 March 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: '495 FG, 551 FS, P-47D Kokomo.' Printed caption on reverse: '62658 AC - General Kepner's Republic P-47 Thunderbolt "Kokoma" at an airbase in England, 25 March 1945. 2nd Bomb Division, 8th Air Force. Please Credit: "Official U.S. Air Force Photo."' .

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  • A flight of B-24 Liberators of the 448th Bomb Group fly in formation during a mission. Printed caption on reverse: 'A formation of Consolidated B-24

    A flight of B-24 Liberators of the 448th Bomb Group fly in formation during a mission. Printed caption on reverse: 'A formation of Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, flies over a blanket of clouds enroute to bombs enemy installations somewhere in Europe. 24 November 1944. US Air Force Photo.'

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  • "Bombing of enemy harbor installations at Dunkirk, France, on 15 February 1943. 2nd Bomb Division, 8th Air Force."

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The groups under the command of the 2nd Bomb Wing came under the command of the 2nd Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 2nd Air Division.

US Air Force Combat Units of World War II Description

Constituted as 2d Bombardment Division on 30 Aug 1943. Activated in England on 13 Sep 1943. Assigned to Eighth AF. Redesignated 2d Air Division in Dec 1944.

Commanding officers

  • Edward Timberlake

    Military | Brigadier General | Commanding General | 453rd Bomb Group
    From FindAGrave: ...

  • James Hodges

    Military | Major General | Commanding General
    Major General James P Hodges served as Commanding General of the 2nd Air Division from 13 September 1942 to 1 August 1944. He retired 30 September 1951. His son, James P Hodges II, served as a fighter pilot with the 56th Fighter Group.

  • William Kepner

    Military | Lieutenant General | Commanding General, 8th Air Force Fighter Command
    From 1909 to 1913, Kepner served in the US Marine Corps. By 1916 he was a second lieutenant in the Indiana National Guard. After a short spell in the US cavalry, in 1917 he transferred to the infantry as a captain and commanded a company at the Battle...

Structure

Part of
  • 8th Air Force

    8th Air Force

    Command
    Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. ...

  • VIII Bomber Command

    VIII Bomber Command

    Command
    VIII Bomber Command was constituted and activated in 1942. It oversaw heavy bombardment operations until February 1944, when it was redesginated as the 8th Air Force.

Encompassing
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Previously was
  • 2nd Bomb Wing

    2nd Bomb Wing

    Wing
    The 2nd Bomb Wing arrived in the UK in July 1942. The wing command became the 2nd Bomb Division in August 1943, while the wing was retitled the 2nd Combat Bomb Wing.

Became
  • 2nd Air Division

    2nd Air Division

    Division
    In December 1944, the 2nd Bomb Division was redesginated the 2nd Air Division.

Missions

  • 8th Air Force 228 BIG WEEK - DAY 2

    21 February 1944
    Day 2 of BIG WEEK is another maximum effort by 8th Air Force to bomb 6 airfields in Germany as primary targets: Diepholz, Gütersloh, Lippstadt, Werl, Achmer and Handorf. In addition the industrial areas of Brunswick city are included as a primary...

  • 8th Air Force 287

    1 April 1944
    The industrial areas of Ludwigshafen was the traget for this mission, but the mission was frustrated by heavy cloud cover and navigational errors that resulted in the mission going haywire. 3rd Air Division and 2nd Air Division despatch heavy bombers....

  • 8th Air Force 288

    5 April 1944
    A combined force of 50 B-24s from: 93BG; 458BG and 466BG are despatched to bomb V-Weapon sites in the St.Pol/Siracourt area of France. Could cover frsutrated bombing attems and only 21 aircraft are effective. There are no losses, casualties or claims.

  • 8th Air Force 290

    6 April 1944
    The V-Weapon site of Watten, France is the target for this mission. Formations from 2nd Air Division: 44BG; 93BG; 392BG; 446BG and 448BG are despatched but weather was so bad that only one box was able to bomb. 12 aircraft are effective on the site....

  • 8th Air Force 291

    8 April 1944

  • 8th Air Force 293

    9 April 1944

  • 8th Air Force 295

    10 April 1944

  • 8th Air Force 298

    11 April 1944

  • 8th Air Force 300

    12 April 1944

  • 301

    13 April 1944

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Stations

Station Location Date
Constituted RAF Old Catton 30 August 1943
Based Horsham St Faith 13 September 1943 – December 1943
Based Ketteringham Hall December 1943 – December 1944
Redesignated December 1944

Connections

People

  • Anthony Attala

    Military | Corporal | Fire Fighter | 458th Bomb Group
    Served with the 2016th Engineer Aviation Fire Fighting Platoon

  • Louis Bauer

    Military | Sergeant | Fire Fighter | 458th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 201th EAFFP 13 August 1943 from Westover Field, MA. Promoted to T/5 29 January 1944

  • Leo Collette

    Military | Private
    On 25 October 1943 Collette was accused of claiming allowance for a child who did not exist on 12 October 1942. The ETO Board of Review's findings dismissed the claim.

  • Arthur Cunningham

    Military | Lieutenant | 2016th EAFFP Commanding Officer (Jul 43 - Mar 44) | 458th Bomb Group
    Assigned as Commanding Officer of 2016th EAFFP 16 July 1943 per par26, SO#94 Hq. AAB, Bradley Field, Connecticut Transferred to Hq Air Svc, USSTAF 22 March 1944.

  • Lawrence Dundon

    Military | 2016th Commanding Officer (Jul 44) | 458th Bomb Group
    Assigned as Commanding Officer of the 2016th EAFFP on 16 July 1944, per par 1 SO# 197, Hq AAF 147, APO 558.

  • Orval Reeder

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) Shot down at Madgeburg on 9/11/44 in B-24 #4295258 ...

  • Carl Royer

    Military | Corporal | Fire Fighter | 458th Bomb Group
    Served with the 2016th Engineer Aviation Fire Fighting Platoon

  • Alben Shelton

    Military | Captain | 2016th EAFFP Commanding Officer (Mar 43 - Jul 44) | 458th Bomb Group
    Assigned as Commanding Officer of the 2016th EAFFP, 30 March 1944.

Citations

None

Air Force
8th
Type
Combat
Type category
Combat organisation
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
N/A
Insignia
N/A

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
04 September 2019 13:29:48 Emily Changes to type, motto, insignia, us air force combat units of world war ii description, description, unit part of associations, unit encompassing associations, unit became association, commanding officers associations and stations
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:44 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

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