301st Bomb Group

Group
media-21471.jpeg UPL 21471 301BG

MACR

Object Number - UPL 21471 - 301BG

Activated 3-February-1942 at Geiger Field, Washington and equipped with B-17s. On 27-May-1942 the ground unit moved to Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, and the aircraft went to Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base), California for intensive flight training until the middle of June, 1942 when they moved to Alamogordo. In early July 1942, the ground unit moved to Richmond, Virginia on on 19-Jul-1942 to Fort Dix, New Jersey in preparation for overseas movement. The air unit went to Brained Field, Connecticut then on to Westover Field, Massachusetts. The air unit began transferring to the United Kingdom on 23-July-1942 flying the northern ferry route to Prestwick, UK.



The 301st Bomb Group flew 8 missions of 104 sorties, dropped 186 tons of bombs and had 1 aircraft MIA between 5-Sep-42 and 8-Nov-42 during their tenure in the UK. The Group was assigned to the Twelfth Air Force and on 20-23 November 1942 they moved to North Africa to take up a role in the Mediterranean theater.



A year later the Group joined the Fifteenth Air Force, flying bombing missions over southern Germany from Italian bases. The Group also supported the ground invasion of southern France as part of Operation Dragoon, which commenced on 15 August 1944.



MARKINGS



After June 1943 the group would adopt the Square as a group marking along with a circle / number combination indicating the squadron. These code were:



20 Nov 42 - 1 Nov 43



12th AF / 5th BW / 301st BG / 32nd BS ( Square )( Circle-1 )

12th AF / 5th BW / 301st BG / 352nd BS ( Square )( Circle-2 )

12th AF / 5th BW / 301st BG / 353rd BS ( Square )( Circle-3 )

12th AF / 5th BW / 301st BG / 419th BS ( Square )( Circle-4 )



note: after 1 November 1943, assigned to the 15th AF



After 1 August 1944 the 301st BG identification would change. The group code would still be a Square, but now beneath the serial number, the number 4 (sometimes in a circle). the squadron codes would change to a single letter on the dorsal fillet:



After August 1944: ( Square-Y 4) ( A ) 32nd BS

After August 1944: ( Square-Y 4) ( B ) 352nd BS

After August 1944: ( Square-Y 4) ( C ) 332nd BS

After August 1944: ( Square-Y 4) ( D ) 419nd BS



The final code change would be on 1 February 1945 where the rudders and elevators would be painted green



 

Commanding Officers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Established

Geiger Field 3 February 1942

Based

Chelveston 9 August 1942 - 8 December 1942

Based

Podington 18 August 1942 - 2 September 1942

Based

Saint-Donat 6 March 1943 - 6 August 1943

Based

Oudna 6 August 1943 - 7 December 1943

Based

Lucera 1 February 1944

Other

Assigned 8th Air Force

Other

Assigned 12th Air Force

Other

Assigned 15th Air Force

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11043898
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14067064
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 352nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19006254
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Queen Bee 17
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 353rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Phyllis
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 352nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: All American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 353rd Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron
Wes Gallagher, a war correspondent for the Associated Press stationed in North Africa, was allowed aboard a 301st Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress on the Group's raid on Tunis in early January 1943. He photographed one of the 301st Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortresses (serial number 41-24418) through the waist gunner's window aboard the B-17 Flying Fortress he was riding in. Passed for publication 16 Jan 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: '301BG.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Pictures Taken During Actual B
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Mickey Finn aka Special Delivery II
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 398th Bomb Group 352nd Bomb Squadron 32nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Dreamboat
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron

Mission

Revisions

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ContributorEmily
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from 15th AF records

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Contributor466thHistorian
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Contributor466thHistorian
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Contributorram957
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MACR

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Contributorram957
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MACR

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ContributorLee8thbuff
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Lee Cunningham 25-Nov-2014. Added early history per http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/301bg.HTM.

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ContributorLee8thbuff
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ContributorLee8thbuff
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Lee Cunningham 7-Nov-2014: Added CO. http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/301bg.HTM

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ContributorAAM
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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / 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).

301st Bomb Group: Gallery (72 items)