387th Bomb Group

Group
media-26739.jpeg UPL 26739 387th Bomb Group Reunion, Dayton OH, 2002

ms

Object Number - UPL 26739 - 387th Bomb Group Reunion, Dayton OH, 2002

The 387th Bomb Group flew just under thirty missions with the Eighth Air Force before being transferred to the Ninth Air Force in October 1943. The Group remained at Chipping Ongar, Essex after being reassigned and continued to hit targets in France. Subsequent to the Allied invasion of the continent, the 387th moved to Stony Cross in July 1944 and on to a series of bases in France. The crews flew from Clastres, north-eastern France, for the mission that resulted in a Distinguished Unit Citation for the Group, awarded for hitting transportation and communication targets at Mayen and Prum, Germany during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 to January 1945.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Chipping Ongar 25 June 1943 - 18 July 1944

Based

Stony Cross 18 July 1944 - 22 August 1944

Based

Maupertus 22 August 1944 - 18 September 1944

Based

Chateaudun 18 September 1944 - 30 October 1944

Based

Clastres 30 October 1944 - 29 April 1945

Based

Maastricht 29 April 1945

Encompassing

People

Houston H Bartley

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group 556th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20836581 at enlistment, then O-xxxxxx
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Gerard Baumann

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group 556th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Private First Class
  • Role/Job: Gunner

Charles P Becker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group 558th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32279560
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer, Gunner

George D Bennett

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group 559th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator; Gunner
Technical Sergeant George Vasaumper, crew chief of the 387th Bomb Group stands with a colleague and a B-26 Marauder (serial number 41-31677) nicknamed "Jisther". Image via George Vasaumper.

James H Brantley

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group 556th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-663838
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

41-31629

  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: Janets Dream
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group 559th Bomb Squadron

41-31648

  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: La Diabla
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group

41-31653

  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: King Bee
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group 558th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-26 Marauder (serial number 41-31657) nicknamed "Mississippi Mudcat" of the 387th Bomb Group, at Chipping Ongar, 1944. Image via George Vasaumper.

41-31657

  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: Mississippi Mudcat
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group 559th Bomb Squadron
A B-26 Marauders, nicknamed "Loveable Rogue" and (serial number 41-31659) of the 387th Bomb Group taxying at Chipping Ongar.

41-31659

  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: Old Ironsides
  • Unit: 387th Bomb Group

Mission

Revisions

Date13 Mar 2017 01:18:06
ContributorMike Smith
ChangesChanges to media associations
Sources

ms

Date22 Feb 2017 11:11:27
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
ChangesChanges to stations
Sources

Stations added with details from:
- "Battle Colors Volume III - Insignia and Tactical Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War Two' by Robert A. Watkins;

Date13 Mar 2015 15:35:54
Contributorrossingtonj
ChangesChanges to type and mission associations
Sources

Type added.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:42:45
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
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)

387th Bomb Group: Gallery (244 items)