When the 15th Bombardment Squadron was sent to the North African War Front, England did not have any American A-20 units. Sometime after this a shipload of A-20B Havoc's arrived, intended for the 15th BS but they were not here. The A-20B Havoc's were put together and placed at Keevil Airfield.

Special Orders No 13, 7 September, 1943, assigned 55 Officers and 143 Enlisted Men (including Adams and Downing) to the 2911th Bombardment Squadron (Light) Provisional. Most came from the 153rd Liaison Squadron, some from the 12th, 107th and 109th Reconnaissance Squadrons all of the 67th Reconnaissance Group (the 67th Observation Group had its name changed May, 1943), 8th Air Force.

Major Henry Clay Allen was the Commanding Officer and Capt. Milton "Mitt" T. Evans was the Operations Officer. Both were from Mississippi with a lot of National Guard experience. Ten A-20 trained crews from the USA were assigned. Some Americans in the RAF and the RCAF who transferred to the USAAF were also assigned to the 2911th; and the squadron was on the way with a lot of flying all over England and Wales, and later France.



The 9th Air Force activated in the United Kingdom when Major General Lewis H. Brereton, his dog and Chief of Staff Brigardier General Victor Strahm arrived on 16 October 1943, assumed command and established his headquarters at Sunninghill Park, Berkshire, England. After the 9th AF arrived, the 67th Reconnaissance Group, including its 153rd, 2911th and other Squadrons were transferred from the 8th AF to IX Air Support Command in the 9th AF.





2911th Bomb Squadron (L) Combat Missions

The 2911th Bomb Squadron was called upon for a Photo Reconnaissance mission via Field Order #8 on 20 September, 1943 to fly two A-20B Aircraft to make Vertical Pinpoint Photographs of the following seven objectives in France: Docks at Cherbourg, Airdromes at Guernsey, Dinard, St. Brieuc, Guipavas at Brest and Lanveoc-Poulmic at Brest, along with Lezardrieux.



After their transfer to the 9th Air Force, the first combat bombing mission flown by the 2911th BS was on 27 October, 1943 to the Cherbourg Peninsula, France. This mission failed to drop bombs due to 10/10 cloud cover preventing accurate bombing run on the target.

See the PDF file "Report of RAF No 10 Gp., Circus No 58, US Field Order No 1" for a Summary and Route map.



The second 2911th BS combat bombing mission, 30 October, 1943, was comprised of six A-20B aircraft successfully bombing the Maupertus Aerodrome, east of Cherbourg, France. The target was the underground aviation fuel tanks on the airfield. Serial Number of the six A/C on this mission were (positions 1 to 6): 41-3380, 41-3377, 41-3388, 41-3368, 41-3386 and 41-3439.