385th Bomb Group
Group
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 5137 - The insignia of the 385th Bomb Group.
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9 October 1943, during which only two out of one hundred B-17s were lost and all of the buildings on the site were damaged or destroyed. They won two Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, awarded to all 4th Bomb Wing Groups, was for accurately dropping their pay load on an aircraft factory at Regensburg, on 17 August 1943 and the Group's second was awarded after leading a difficult long-range mission to destroy an aircraft repair works at Zwickau, south-west Germany, on 12 May 1944.
Commanding Officers

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: O-21989
- Highest Rank: Brigadier 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 |
Great Ashfield | 28 June 1943 - 4 August 1945 |
Encompassing

- Unit Hierarchy: Platoon
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Air base

- 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
![A bomber crew of the 385th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 6 Nov 1943.' [stamp] and '291701.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: Printed caption on reverse: 'US AIRFORCE IN GREAT DAYLIGHT OFFENSIVE ON EUROPE. The great daylight offensive on Europe continues, targets in Germany, France and Belgium being attacked by great formations of bombers and fighters from the US Army Air Force and the RAF. Photo shows: Before t](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-380140.jpg?itok=sYs4JbMK)
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13118986
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12150071
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner

- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
![A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9017) of the 92nd Bomb Group in flight. Passed for publication 5 Sep 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'Q.13312: A Flying Fortress photographed in flight at a U.S. Training Centre.' On reverse: Westminster Press Provincial Newspapers Ltd and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-408318.jpg?itok=l8MLcV3q)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Heidi Ho
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 482nd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 94th Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron 342nd Bomb Squadron
![A formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 91st Bomb Group fly B-17 (serial number 41-9103) nicknamed "Dixie Demo", at Bassingbourn following a raid on Antwerp, 6 April 1943. A censor has obscured a hanger in the background. Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and Passed U.S Army 6 APR 1943 Press Censor No 21 E.T.O U.S.A.' [stamp]. 'Passed for publication 6 APR 1943 INTLD 29 Central Section Press Censorship Bureau' [stamp]. 'Copyright Planet News ?, Johnson's Court, London E.C.4' [stamp].'256834'[Censor](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/freeman/media-379128.jpg?itok=P-rk8LQ2)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Dixie Demo
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 91st Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Slick Chick
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wee Willie Wilber
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 551st Bomb Squadron

- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Kentucky Winner
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
Mission

- Date: 7 April 1945

- Date: 23 March 1945

- Date: 21 March 1945
- Official Description:

- Date: 20 March 1945

- Date: 12 March 1945
Revisions
Contributed courtesy of the 385th BG Association. https://www.385thbga.com/wp-content/uploads/Fire.pdf
385th BG website
thought I was tagging pic, not group
Official 385th archive files
error with name - thought it was going to a pic, not the whole site!
385th official rosters.
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)