15th Air Force
The Fifteenth Air Force was one of two Strategic Air forces in Europe, along with the Eighth Air Force.
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376th Bomb Group
Group
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Personnel of the 376th Bomb Group lift dust sheets to protect their equipment infront of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-40657) nicknamed "GI Ginnie".
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The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51864) nicknamed "Badger Beauty" of the 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force. Written on slide casing: 'B-24 Sandia Base, NM 1946, Badger Beauty 15 AF? 441602 515 BS, 376 BG.'
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The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-72843) nicknamed "Strawberry Bitch" of the 376th Bomb Group.
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A B-24 Liberator of the 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force in flight.
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The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40299) nicknamed "Purty Baby" of the 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force. Handwritten caption on reverse: '376th BG, 15th Air Force.'
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A B-24 Liberator of the 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force, with a badly damaged wing flying over Toulon, 1944. Printed caption on reverse: '61990 USAF- Despite a badly damaged right wing, this Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" of the 376th Bomb Group, maintained its place in the formation on the bomb run over Toulon, France. Limping Liberator showing directly over smoking target 6 August 1944 (Mission 305), Altitude 22,700 Ft. US Air Force Photo.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '6/8/44.'
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A B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-11616) nicknamed "Arkansas Traveler" of the 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force takes off from Fayid, Egypt.
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A restored B-24 Liberator painted to represent (serial number 42-72843) nicknamed "Strawberry Bitch" of the 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force. First hadwritten caption on reverse: 'Taken Aug 9, 1961 Air Force Museum, WPAFB, Ohio.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: '98 or 376 BG?'
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A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-72843) nicknamed "Strawberry Bitch" of the 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force.
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Ground personnel work on the engines of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-3279) of the 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force. Printed caption on reverse: '52490 AC- Nearing Completion. Air Service Command Technicians have but to install the 1 engine and their job is done on this B-24 Liberator that crash-landed recently on the shores of the Adriatic Sea in Italy after being severely damaged by enemy fire whilst on a mission. Note the hastily-constructed runway which is to serve for the take-off of the giant bomber from the sandy wastes. US Air Force Photo.'
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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- 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
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- Previously was
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1st Provisional Group
Group
The 1st Provisional Group was established on 20 July 1942 at Lydda. It brought together the existing 9th Bomb Squadron and the Hal Bomb Squadron, which were operating the Middle East.
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- Became
- Not yet known
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Operation Tidal Wave
1 August 1943
Operation TIDAL WAVE. B24D Liberators attack the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. The bombers flew low to avoid radar detection and dropped time delayed bombs. Out of the 177 B-24s that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57 B... -
Norman Appold
Military | Colonel | B-24 Command Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
Norman Appold graduated from the Aviation Cadet Training Program in 1942, commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. After completing pilot training, he served as a B-24 pilot in the 376th Bomb Group Association, completing 63 missions. ... -
Angelo Aspesi
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
Crew member on B-24 Liberator #42-40664 'Teggie Ann' 515 BS, 376 BG, 9th AF, flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, successfully returning to Benghazi, Libya. -
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. ... -
Robert Block
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 376th Bomb Group
Missing in Action on B-24 41-11603 'Malicious' on 31 January 1943, on a mission to Messina. His aircraft was hit by flak and forced to ditch in the sea. -
Lawrence Burgin
Military | Crew Chief | 376th Bomb Group
He attended Western Carolina University for a year and decided he wanted to serve his country. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps where he served as crew chief mechanic on B24 bomber airplanes in the Libyan desert arena and the boot of Italy with the... -
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 -
Keith Compton
Military | Lieutenant General | B-24 Command 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. He flew as Command Pilot with Gen. Uzal Ent on Operation Tidal Wave in the B-24D, 'Teggie Ann'... -
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 -
Theodore Deffner
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Messina, Sicily, 30-Apr-43; Flak took out No.3 engine and port flaps, fell away from formation being harried by several Me-109's, ditched in sea. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 3305 ... -
41-11613 Florine Ju Ju, Liberandos, Teggie Ann, The Blue Streak
B-24 Liberator
B-24D #41-11613 'The Blue Streak' of 514th Bomb Squadron, the 376th Bomb Group, 9th AF. Originally named 'Florine Ju Ju' then '71 Liberandos', '71 Teggie Ann', and last '71 The Blue Streak'. She was a member of the HALPRO group that eventually became... -
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. -
42-40563 'Wongo Wongo!'
B-24 Liberator
Lost en route to Ploesti, Romania with the loss of all crew members. ... -
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 ... -
41-24294 'Brewery Wagon'
B-24 Liberator
Shot down by a Me-109 over Ploesti. Two of the crew KIA, eight became POW's. MACR 154 ... -
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. -
42-40664 Honey Chile, Liberandos, Teggie Ann
B-24 Liberator
The B-24 Liberator #42-40664 'Honey Chile' / '100 Teggie Ann' of the 515th Bomb Squadron, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 9th Air Force, as a participant of Operation Tidal Wave, the 1st Aug 1943 raid on the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Flown... -
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. ... -
41-11825 Hail Columbia, Grumpy, Little Chief Big Dog
B-24 Liberator
This aircraft originally served in the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bomb Squadron as 'HAIL COLUMBIA'. It was 344th's CO Col. John R. Kane's personal aircraft until Kane became the 98th Bomb Group CO and turned it over to Herman ... -
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...
Missions
Stations
| Station | Location | Date |
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| Established | Lydda | 31 October 1942 |
| Based | Abu Sueir | 8 November 1942 – 10 February 1943 |
| Based | Mellaha | 6 April 1943 – 26 September 1943 |
| Based | San Pancrazio | 17 November 1943 – 19 April 1945 |
Connections
People
Aircraft
Citations
Distinguished Unit Citations:
North Africa and Sicily, [Nov] 1942-17 Aug 1943;
Ploesti, Rumania, Aug 1943;
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, 16 Jun 1944.
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 17 March 2019 06:15:59 | Kickapoo | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Black Sunday ~ Michael Hill |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 06 November 2016 23:32:20 | 466thHistorian | Changes to stations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 November 2016 22:52:48 | 466thHistorian | Changes to insignia, citations, description, unit part of associations, unit encompassing associations and stations |
| Sources | ||
http://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/376th_Bombardment_Group.cfm |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 July 2016 18:56:14 | millebr | Changes to type, nicknames, air forces and aircraft types |
| Sources | ||
historyofwar.org |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:42:45 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia |
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