Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat, Oct 1942-Apr 1945, they flew 342 missions of 9,614 sorties from that station dropping 22,575 tons of bombs. The Group lost 171 aircraft MIA. Operations primarily against strategic targets, striking locomotive works at Lille, railroad yards at Rouen, submarine pens at Bordeaux, shipbuilding yards at Vegesack, ball-bearing works at Schweinfurt, oil plants at Merseburg, marshalling yards at Stuttgart, a foundry at Hannover, a chemical plant at Ludwigshafen, aircraft factories at Leipzig, and other objectives on the Continent. Took part in the first penetration into Germany by heavy bombers of Eighth AF on 27 Jan 1943 by attacking U-boat yards at Wilhelmshaven. Without fighter escort and in the face of powerful opposition, the 306th completed an assault against aircraft factories in central Germany on 11 Jan 1944, being awarded a DUC for the mission. Received another DUC for action during Big Week, the intensive campaign against the German aircraft industry, 2-25 Feb 1944: although hazardous weather forced supporting elements to abandon the mission, the group effectively bombarded an aircraft assembly plant at Bernberg on 22 Feb. Often supported ground forces and attacked interdictory targets in addition to its strategic operations. Helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by striking airfields and marshalling yards in France, Belgium, and Germany; backed the assault on 6 Jun 1944 by raiding railroad bridges and coastal guns. Assisted ground forces during the St Lo breakthrough in Jul. Covered the airborne invasion of Holland in Sep. Helped stop the advance of German armies in the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945, by attacking airfields and marshalling yards. Bombed enemy positions in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine in Mar 1945. Remained in the theater after V-E Day as part of United States Air Forces in Europe, and engaged in special photographic mapping duty in western Europe and North Africa. Inactivated in Germany on 25 Dec 1946.

Squadrons:
367th: 1942-1946; 1947-1952.
368th: 1942-1946; 1947-1952.
368th: 1942-1946; 1947-1952.
423d: 1942-1946.

Stations:
Gowen Field, Idaho, 1 Mar 1942
Wendover Field, Utah, c. 6 Apr-1 Aug 1942
Thurleigh, England, Sep 1942
Giebelstadt, Germany, Dec 1945
Istres, France, Feb 1946
Furstenfeldbruck, Germany, 16 Aug 1946
Lechfeld, Germany, 13 Sep-25 Dec 1946.
Andrews Field, Md, 1 Jul 1947
MacDill AFB, Fla, Aug 1948-16 Jun 1952.

Commanders:
Col Charles B Overacker Jr, c. 16 Mar 1942
Col Frank A Armstrong Jr, 3 Jan 1943
Col Claude E Putnam, 17 Feb 1943
Col George L Robinson, c. 20 Jun 1943
Col James S Sutton, Sep 1944
Col Hudson H Upham, c. 16 Apr 1945

Campaigns:
Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

Decorations:
Distinguished Unit Citations: Germany, 11 Jan 1944; Germany, 22 Feb 1944.

Insigne:
Shield: Per fess enhanced dancette azure and or, in base the Indian idiogram for the jaws of a rattlesnake gules. Motto: Abundance Of Strength. (Approved 6 Jan 1943.)

CLAIMS TO FAME
Oldest operational Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force.
Stationed in England and at a single base longer than any other Group.
First 8th Air Force Bomb Group to complete 300 missions.
First 9th Air Force to bomb Germany 27-Jan-1943 Wilhelmshaven.
First airman in VIII Bomber Command to complete a tour; TSgt M. Roscovich 5-Apr-43.
367th Bomb Squadron suffered heaviest losses in VIII BD between Oct 42 and Aug 43.
Princess Elizabeth named B-17F 41-102547 "Rose of York" at Thurleigh
Medal of Honor to Sgt Maynard H. Smith 1-May-1943.