25th Bomb Group
Group
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 3069 - A B-26 Marauder of the 654th Bomb Squadron, 25th Bomb Group, parked on a runway. Handwritten on reverse: '654 BS.'
The 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) was constituted in the days after D-Day and activated in England in August 1944 to carry out photographic and mapping missions over mainland Europe as the Allied armies pushed east. The Group were designated a Bombardment Group but they did not drop bombs. Instead they flew bombers to drop 'chaff' screenings for other Bomb Groups. 'Chaff', strips of metallic paper, would interfere with the enemy's ability to detect aircraft using radar.
Commanding Officers

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: No 1 Combat Crew Replacement Center 25th Bomb Group 652nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Pilot; Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 652nd Bomb Squadron Headquarters (Eighth Air Force)
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
- Service Numbers: 32982801 / O-44665
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Watton | 22 April 1944 - 23 July 1945 |
Previously was
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Encompassing

- Unit Hierarchy: Platoon
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Reconnaissance

- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: J/E Communications Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 50th Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group 27th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39826473 / O-674444
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 839th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37258846
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Mechanic

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: No 1 Combat Crew Replacement Center 25th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 11057785
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 652nd Bomb Squadron
![Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-378743.jpg?itok=oPPVVi6c)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: B-17f-100-bo
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 25th Bomb Group 802nd Reconnaissance Group (SP) 350th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Peggy Ann
- Unit: 1st Strategic Air Depot 25th Bomb Group 802nd Reconnaissance Group (SP) 94th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 2 412th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 652nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 652nd Bomb Squadron
Mission
- Date: 4 October 1944
- Date: 17 August 1944
- Date: 16 August 1944
- Date: 15 August 1944

- Date: 14 August 1944
Revisions
Changed mission type to (R) in accordance with designation.
Air Force Combat Units of WWII
Page 95, The 25th Bomb Group ( Rcn) in World War II
"The 25th Bomb Group in World War II" - Norman Malayney
page 280
USAAF Photo.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983).