Constituted as 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 Oct 1942 and activated in Palestine on 31 Oct. Began combat immediately, using B-24 aircraft. Operated with Ninth AF from bases in the Middle East, Nov 1942-Sep 1943, and with Twelfth AF from Tunisia, Sep-Nov 1943. Attacked shipping in the Mediterranean and harbor installations in Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy to cut enemy supply lines to Africa. Struck airdromes, marshalling yards, and other objectives in Sicily and Italy after the fall of Tunisia in May 1943. Received a DUC for action against the enemy in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sicily, Nov 1942-Aug 1943. Participated in the famed low-level assault on oil refineries at Ploesti and received another DUC: nearing Ploesti on 1 Aug 1943 and realizing that it was off course, the group attempted to reach its assigned objective from another direction; by this time, however, enemy defenses were thoroughly alerted and intense opposition forced the 376th to divert to targets of opportunity in the general target area

Moved to Italy in Nov 1943 and operated with Fifteenth AF until Apr 1945. Engaged primarily in long-range missions to targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans to bomb factories, marshalling yards, oil refineries, oil storage facilities, airdromes, bridges, harbors, and other objectives. Received a DUC for attacking the oil industry at Bratislava on 16 Jun 1944. Also flew support and interdictory missions, assisting Allied forces at Anzio and Cassino during Feb-Mar 1944, supporting the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944, aiding the Russian sweep into the Balkans during the fall of 1944, and assisting Allied troops in northern Italy during Apr 1945.

Moved to the US in Apr. Redesignated 376th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in May 1945. Inactivated on 10 Nov 1945.

Structure

Part of

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  15th Air Force

  Command
  The Fifteenth Air Force was one of two Strategic Air forces in Europe, along with the Eighth Air Force. ...

Encompassing

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  513th Bomb Squadron

  Squadron

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  512th Bomb Squadron

  Squadron

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  514th Bomb Squadron

  Squadron

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  515th Bomb Squadron

  Squadron

Previously was

Not yet known

Became

Not yet known

Stations

Station	Location	Date
Established	RAF Station Lydda	31 October 1942
Based	RAF Abu Sueir	8 November 1942 – 10 February 1943
Based	Mellaha Airbase	6 April 1943 – 26 September 1943
Based	San Pancrazio Airfield	17 November 1943 – 19 April 1945

Connections

People

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  Norman Appold

  Military | Colonel | Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
  Mentioned in "The 9th Air Force in World War II", by Ken Rust, Pub. Aero Publishers Inc.

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  Angelo Aspesi

  Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
  Crew member on B-24 Liberator #4240664 'Teggie Ann' 515 BS, 376 BG, 9th AF, flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, successfully returning to Benghazi, Libya.

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  Charles Bley

  Military | Captain | Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
  Pilot B-24 Liberator #42-40203 'Tobias the Terrible' 515th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF, flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned safely to Libya. ...

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  Irwin Carr

  Military | First Lieutenant | Co Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
  Co Pilot B-24 Liberator #42-40203 'Tobias the Terrible' 515th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF, shot down on 28th Dec 43 mission to Vicenza marshaling yards, Saletto Italy, pilot John L Sonaglia, 3 KIA / 7 POW. MACR 1617

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  Keith Compton

  Military | General | Pilot ; Squadron Commander ; Commanding Officer | 376th Bomb Group
  Keith Karl Compton (December 9, 1915 – June 15, 2004) was an American Air Force lieutenant general who was vice commander in chief, Strategic Air Command. ...

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  John Crosby

  Military | First Lieutenant | co-pilot | 376th Bomb Group

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  Gordon Dangremond

  Military | Master Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
  Flew a total of 74 missions. 50 on the plane B-24 'Flame McGoon' in the 15th AAF / 376th BG and on a 2nd tour of duty 24 with the 381st BG/534th BS in a B-17

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  Alfred Farrington

  Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
  Scott Farrington served as a tail gunner with the 515th Bomb Squadron of the 376th Bomb Group. He flew on the crew of Donaldson Hurd, flying 'Dopey Goldberg', during the Ploesti raid on 1 Aug 1943. He was shot down with Hurd over Foggia Italy a couple...

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  Charles Fegan

  Military | Second Lieutenant | 376th Bomb Group
  Crew member B-24 Liberator #41-24310 'Patches' 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF, flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid piloted by Lt Donald P O'Sullivan, returned safely to Libya. ...

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  Jose Felix

  Military | Lieutenant | Bombardier | 376th Bomb Group
  Bombardier of B-24D 41-11613 "The Blue Streak" of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. A/C and crew went on to survive 110 missions with the 376th bomb group and was sent home for a war bond tour.

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Aircraft

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  41-11613 'Florine Ju Ju' 'Teggie Ann' 'Blue Streak'

  B-24 Liberator
  B-24D 41-11613 "The Blue Streak" of 514th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF. Originally named "Florine Ju Ju" then 'Teggie Ann'. She was a member of the HALPRO group that eventually became the 376th Bomb Group. The aircraft was a veteran of the first high level...

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  41-28837 'Trade Winds'

  B-24 Liberator
  Assigned 837th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. Transferred to the MTO on February 24th 1945 and assigned to the 513th Bomb Squadron, 376th Bomb Group, 15th AF.

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  42-40563 'Wongo Wongo!'

  B-24 Liberator
  Lost en route to Ploesti, Romania with the loss of all crew members. ...

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  41-24258 'Minerva II' 'Desert Lily'

  B-24 Liberator
  Shot down by a Bf 109G-6 near Wiemath, Austria on Nov 2, 1943. 8 KIA, 2 POW. MACR 1099 ...

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  41-24297 'Chief Wahoo' 'War Maid'

  B-24 Liberator
  Crash landed in Turkey after Ploesti oil refinery raid, 1st Aug 1943. Pilot Wilford E Hines. Crew interned in Turkey.

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  42-40664 'Honey Chile' 'Teggie Ann'

  B-24 Liberator
  B-24 Liberator #4240664 'Teggie Ann' 'Honey Chile' 515th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF a participant of the 1st Aug Ploesti raid. Survived the raid to return to base at Benghazi, Libya. ...

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  41-11636 'Wash's Tub'

  B-24 Liberator
  Was originally Halpro aircraft #24 then was transferred to 98th Bomb Group before being sent to 376th. Flown by the James Bock crew on the August 1, 1943 low-level mission to Ploesti, Romania. ...

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  41-11825 'Hail Columbia' 'Grumpy' 'Little Chief Big Dog'

  B-24 Liberator
  This aircraft originally served in the 344th BS as 'HAIL COLUMBIA'. It was 344th CO Col. John R. Kane's personal aircraft until Kane became 98th BG CO and turned it over to Herman "Big-Dog" Lewis. Lewis changed the right side nose art to 'LITTLE-CHIEF...

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  41-24259 'Warmaid'

  B-24 Liberator
  On loan to 93rd BG and scheduled to be flown by 1st Lt Howard W Freese on the 1 Aug 43 Ploesti mission. He was obliged to turn back, jettison the bombs in the sea and return to Benghazi, Libya, due to a serious fuel leak discovered immediately after...

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  41-11620 Edna Elizabeth

  B-24 Liberator
  According to http://www.armyaircorps-376bg.com/oglesby_sam_r_crew.html, 1st Lt Sam R. Oglesby Jr ferried "Edna Elizabeth" overseas. Oglesby was its pilot on 13 of the 23 it flew, including its last one, on 20 October 1942, to Tobruk, Lybia (see http:/...

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Citations

Distinguished Unit Citations:
North Africa and Sicily, [Nov] 1942-17 Aug 1943;
Ploesti, Rumania, Aug 1943;
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, 16 Jun 1944.