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: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Maintenance
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13137808
- Role/Job: Turret Mechanic
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 881st Chemical Company
- Service Numbers: 32302373
- Role/Job: Toxic Gas Handler
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)
- Service Numbers: 12140058
- Role/Job: Airplane Propeller Shop
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34623141
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Happy Bottom
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ol Swayback
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Pella Tulip
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Joker II
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group
Mission
- Date: 28 March 1944
- Date: 27 March 1944
- Date: 26 March 1944
- Date: 24 March 1944
- Date: 23 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)