351st Bomb Group
GroupIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
The 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer gunner for the making of recruitment film 'Combat America'. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing an aircraft factory at Anklam, Germany under heavy fire, on 9 October 1943 and the second for a mission on 11 January 1944 bombing aircraft factories at Oschersleben, a DUC that was awarded to all 1st Bomb Division Groups.
Connections
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Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Polebrook | 15 April 1943 - 23 June 1945 |
Encompassing
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group Headquarters (351st Bomb Group)
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Corporal
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Kentucky Babe aka Ain’t it Gruesome
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Flap Raiser aka The Venus
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: El Conquistador
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Speed Ball
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
Mission
- Date: 29 November 1943
- Date: 26 November 1943
- Date: 16 November 1943
- Date: 11 November 1943
- Date: 7 November 1943
Revisions
my photo
351st Bombardment Group (center)
others not related to unit
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). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)