To England initially as EM with 8th Bomber Command 5/42, stationed at High Wycombe. Stayed about 1 year, was returned to the States to attend Air Corps OCS, graduated 3/43, sent to intelligence school, Harrisburg Pa. Ret. to England 8/43, assigned to 94 BG, remained there until war was over. Attended British Intelligence School at Highgate. Also made several trips into North Sea with British Navy on Air-Sea Rescue Missions.



Roy Babb was one of the very first Americans to enlist, joining the queues at the recruiting office the day after Pearl Harbour. The 8th Air Force was activated 28th January 1942 and Roy - after completing basic training - was on his way to England that April. He was originally based at 8th AF HQ High Wycombe where after a few months he - a college graduate - was selected for Officer Cadet School back in the USA. So on 28th November 1942 he was on the 'Queen Mary' heading west instead of east. He became one of the '90 day wonders' being commissioned 2nd Lieut. after the 13 week course in Miami. After that it was to Harrisburg PA to Air Corps Intelligence, on to McDill AFB and then - in August 1943 - heading back to England on the 'Queen Elizabeth'. He was finally that October assigned to the 94th BG at Rougham as Assistant A-2 officer with the 333rd BS. His task was to explain the routine regarding any one mission, the two intelligence officers with the Group would provide as much information as was known about enemy capabilty at the proposed target. D-Day was particularly memorable as they were locked- down in the A2 room from 4th-6th June when the invasion was delayed for 24 hours.



Roy was later transferred to 331BS and appointed Squadron Intelliegence Officer. He remembers the good times - as when Glenn Miller helped them celebrate their 300th mission - and the bad, when they stood out by the tower to count the planes as they came back - or did not.



2 Unit Citations/ ETO/ GC/ N. Atlantic Defense Medal