381st Bomb Group
GroupIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
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
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
- 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
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)
- Highest Rank: General
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
Connections
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Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Ridgewell | 1 July 1943 - 24 June 1945 |
Encompassing
- Unit Hierarchy: Platoon
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Platoon
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Air base
- Unit Hierarchy: Detachment
- Unit Hierarchy: Detachment
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36537054
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36666022
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12188100
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: We Promised
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron 306th Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Betty L
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: In Like Errol
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Carol Leigh
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Yardbird
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
Mission
- Date: 22 June 1944
- Date: 21 June 1944
- Official Description:
- Date: 25 April 1944
- Date: 19 April 1944
- Date: 29 March 1944
Revisions
From the history of the 381st Bomb Group website: http://www.381st.org/
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)