381st Bomb Group

Group
The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group. media-395070.jpg FRE 5127 The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5127 - The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.

The 381st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Ridgewell, Essex between June 1943 and April 1945. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing shipyards at Bremen, whilst under heavy attack, on 8 October 1943 and the second was awarded to the 1st Bomb Division as a whole for flying without fighter protection to bomb aircraft factories at Oschersleben on 11 January 1944.

Commanding Officers

Conway S Hall

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer

Harry Philip Leber

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-21388
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer

Joseph James Nazzaro

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)
  • Highest Rank: General
  • 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

Ridgewell 1 July 1943 - 24 June 1945

Encompassing

People

Abraham I Anderson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

A Barker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

A Bunsworth

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Adolph B Butler

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17146076
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer

Adolphus N Carey

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 448th Sub-Depot
  • Service Numbers: 17057817
  • Role/Job: Sheet Metal

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24500) of the 381st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '125.'

41-24500

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Annie Freeze
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9019) nicknamed "Little Skunk Face" of the 92nd Bomb Group prepares for take off. Printed caption on reverse: 'New "Fortress" Makes History In The Air. Oct. 1942. The most striking development of the war in the air is undoubtedly the sensational success of the American "Boeing" Flying Fortresses in the daylight bombing of enemy-occupied territory. In the most recent operation 105 German craft were destroyed, probably destroyed or damaged, for the loss of four bombe

41-9019

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Li'l Skunk Face
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 482nd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron
41-9043

41-9043

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Peggy D/ Little Rock-ette
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron

42-102423

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: My Devotion
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron

42-102512

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group

Mission

Related videos and documents

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Document 15700

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15700
  • Description: Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Technical Sergeant Chester M Slomczenski of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian...
Download File

Document 15703

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15703
  • Description: Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for First Lieutenant Lee W Smith of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian Bill Beigel...
Download File

Document 15722

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15722
  • Description: Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Staff Sergeant Andrew F Manning of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian Bill Beigel...
Download File

Document 15792

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15792
  • Description: Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for 2nd Lieutenant Walter K Higgins of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian Bill Beigel...
Download File

Document 15802

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15802
  • Description: Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Staff Sergeant Anthony F Fox of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian Bill Beigel. The file...
Download File

Document 15830

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15830
  • Description: Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Staff Sergeant James B Scollon of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian Bill Beigel...
Download File

Document 15840

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15840
  • Description: Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Technical Sergeant John W Zappala of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian Bill...
Download File

Document 15872

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15872
  • Description: Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Technical Sergeant Vito J Geroulo of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian Bill Beigel. The file...
Download File

Document 15923

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15923
  • Description: Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Sergeant Reginald C Solway of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian Bill Beigel...
Download File

Document 15942

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: William L Beigel Collection
  • Object Number: Document 15942
  • Description: Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for Second Lieutenant Leonard P Meier of the 381st Bomb Group researched by historian Bill...
Download File

Document 30688

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: Air Force Historical Research Agency
  • Object Number: Document 30688
  • Description: General Orders #42, 1st Air Division, 4 February 1944 (Partial)
Download File

Document 30697

  • Media Type: Document
  • Collection Name: Air Force Historical Research Agency
  • Object Number: Document 30697
  • Description: General Orders #41, 1st Air Division, 3 February 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Changed Unit Purpose to Bombardment.

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ContributorFrankM
Changes
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http://381st.org/Unit-History/Aircraft-Inventory

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Contributorfairly docent
Changes
Sources

no nicknames

Date
Contributorfairly docent
Changes
Sources

Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)

Date
Contributorfairly docent
Changes
Sources

Triumphant We Fly is the motto for the 381st BG

Date
ContributorShoebob
Changes
Sources

From the history of the 381st Bomb Group website: http://www.381st.org/

Date
ContributorBagarre
Changes
Sources

My grandfather's plane

Date
ContributorEMBLEMHUNTER
Changes
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my photo

Date
Contributorrossingtonj
Changes
Sources

Type added

Date
ContributorChrisTennet
Changes
Sources

www.381st.org

Date
ContributorChrisTennet
Changes
Sources

http://www.381st.org/UnitHistory.aspx

Date
ContributorChrisTennet
Changes
Sources

www.381st.org

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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)

381st Bomb Group: Gallery (421 items)

A ground crewman of the 381st Bomb Group points to bombs loaded into a B-17 Flying Fortress, 9 September 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '66189 AC - M-47 Incendiary bombs in the bomb bay of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" of the 381st Bomb Group. England, 9 September 1943. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

Object number: FRE 10194 - A ground crewman of the 381st Bomb Group points to...

A B-17 Flying Fortress (MS-Q, serial number 44-6883) of the 535th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group. Handwritten on slide casing: 'B-17, 381st B.G.'

Object number: FRE 10734 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (MS-Q, serial number 44...

A B-17 Flying Fortress painted to represent (VP-X, serial number 44-83512) nicknamed "Princess Pat" of the 381st Bomb Group, on display at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 1972 Handwritten on front of slide casing: '44-83512, Lackland AFB, Texas, 1972. As 381 BG as a/c Princess Pat.' Handwritten on reverse of slide casing: '381st BG B-17.'

Object number: FRE 10736 - A B-17 Flying Fortress painted to represent (VP-X...

A B-17 Flying Fortress painted to represent (VP-X, serial number 44-83512) nicknamed "Princess Pat" of the 381st Bomb Group, on display at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 1975. Handwritten on slide casing: 'B-17, 381st BG, Lackland AFB, Texas 1975.'

Object number: FRE 10737 - A B-17 Flying Fortress painted to represent (VP-X...

A B-17 Flying Fortress painted to represent (VP-X, serial number 44-83512) nicknamed "Princess Pat" of the 381st Bomb Group, on display at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 1975. Handwritten on slide casing: 'B-17, 381st BG, Lackland AFB, Texas 1975.'

Object number: FRE 10738 - A B-17 Flying Fortress painted to represent (VP-X...

A line of B-17 Flying Fortresses on a perimeter track waiting their interval to takeoff. At the front and taxiing onto the main runway is a 381st Bomb Group B-17 Flying Fortress ('K').

Object number: FRE 10806 - A line of B-17 Flying Fortresses on a perimeter...

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883) nicknamed "RAF AFF" of the 535th Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group after crash landing at Baldonnel 12 November 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'S/N 44-6883, after its mishap at Baldonnel 12.11.45. "RAF AAF", 381BG, 535BS.'

Object number: FRE 10919 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883)...

A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group, with the damaged nose of their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-39170) nicknamed "Tinker Toy" at Ridgewell 7 October 1943. Printed caption on reverse:.' A65849 - Crew of the 381st Bomb Group in front of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" at 8th Air Force Station 167 Ridgewell, Essex County, England, 7 October 1943. U.S.Air Force Photo.'

Object number: FRE 1257 - A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group, with the...

Ground personnel of the 381st Bomb Group survey the battle damaged nose of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-39170) nicknamed "Tinker Toy" at Ridgewell, 8 October 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'C65841 AC - The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Tinker Toy" of the 381st Bomb Group stationed at an 8th AF base near Ridgewell, Essex County, England, 8 October 1943. U.S.Air Force Photo.'

Object number: FRE 1258 - Ground personnel of the 381st Bomb Group survey...

A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group return to Ridgewell after a successful mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-39170) nicknamed "Tinker Toy" 13 December 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'A50284 USAF - Crew members of the Boeing B-17 "Tinkertoy" attached to the 381st Bomb Group at Essex, England, leave their plane after their return from a mission over enermy territory on 13 December 1943. U.S.Air Force Photo. '

Object number: FRE 1259 - A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group return to...

Ground personnel of the 381st Bomb Group inspect the damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-6883) nicknamed "RAFAAF" at Ridgewell, 11 April 1945. Printed caption on reverse: ' 66151 AC - Although the stabilizer was shot away while this Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" (Aircraft No. 46883) of the 381st Bomb Group, was on a mission over enemy territory, the plane and its crew returned to home base in England, 11 April 1945. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

Object number: FRE 1260 - Ground personnel of the 381st Bomb Group inspect...

A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Howland Crew?'

Object number: FRE 1261 - A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group with their B...