401st Bomb Group

Group
A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.' media-395370.jpg FRE 6533 A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 6533 - A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A,...

The 401st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, from November 1943 to June 1945. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of France planned for the following summer. The Group won two Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, awarded to the whole of the 1st Bomb Division, was for an unescorted raid on aircraft factories at Oschersleben on 11 January 1944. The second was awarded to the Group for a raid on Leipzig on 20 February 1944.



For more information about the group, visit http://www.remember-our-heroes.nl/

Commanding Officers

Harold W Bowman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: US Strategic Air Forces 401st Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: O-21785
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer
Hollywood actress Marlene Dietrich with airmen of the 401st Bomb Group after a ride in a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Pakawalup". Printed caption on reverse: 'Marlene Dietrich, long famed for her attractive legs, entertained more than 1,000 officers and enlisted men of the 8th Air Force Base at Hangar no 1 on 29 September 1944, Miss Dietrich and party were picked up from Birmingham in the Boeing B-17 "Pakawalup" piloted by Colonel William T Seawell (2nd left) and Captain Felix Kalinski (left) with Lawr

William T Seawell

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-23712
  • 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

Established

1 April 1943

Based

1 April 1943 - 27 May 1943

Based

Great Falls Army Air Base 1 July 1943 - 18 October 1943

Based

Deenethorpe 3 November 1943 - 20 June 1945

Encompassing

People

Alan F Kuhn

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32476405
  • Highest Rank: Private First Class
  • Role/Job: Armorer

Abraham A Lehat

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Albert D Long

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant

A Lowans

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant

Albert J Maiorano

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant

Aircraft

Factory fresh B-17s

42-107151

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Cover Girl
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron

42-107207

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron

42-107210

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Be Coming Back
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30227) nicknamed "Wabbit Twacks II" of the 96th Bomb Group in flight. Handwritten caption on reverse of print: 'Wabbit Twacks II - A/C interned in 7/43 flight.'

42-30227

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Wabbit Twacks III Boots III
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 413th Bomb Squadron 612th Bomb Squadron

42-30855

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ol Massa
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

Mission

Revisions

Date
ContributorWin Bryson
Changes
Sources

Unit History: Pictorial Record of the 401st Bomb Group [BlueBook] Edited and compiled under supervision of Capt. Gordon R. Closeway, 401BG Public Relations Officer. pub. (orig.) 1946, Newsfoto Publishing Co., San Angelo, Texas. 300+pp; ill., 7-1/2"w x 10-1/2"h x 1-1/2"t, oversize hard cover, upholstered, History of the 401BG - formation through operations, from 8th USAAF Station 128, Deenethorpe, U.K., and return to U.S. in 1945.

Date
ContributorPaul Bellamy
Changes
Sources

401BG History (401BG Association)

Date
ContributorPaul Bellamy
Changes
Sources

401BG records (401BG Association)

Date
ContributorPaul Bellamy
Changes
Sources

401BG History (401BG Association)
1st Air Division records (1AD HQ Historical Society)

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)

401st Bomb Group: Gallery (613 items)

A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group in flight. Handwritten caption on reverse: '401BG. B-17 - joined while on local flight.' On reverse: Danny Morris [Stamp].

Object number: FRE 8074 - A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group in...

Swedish personnel examine a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress (IW-D, serial number 43-38452) of the 614th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17 - Sweden.'

Object number: FRE 8075 - Swedish personnel examine a crashed B-17 Flying...

Swedish personnel inspect a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress (IW-D, serial number 43-38452) of the 614th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17 - Sweden.'

Object number: FRE 8076 - Swedish personnel inspect a crashed B-17 Flying...

The wreck of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Zenobia" of the of the 401st Bomb Group after crash landing on take-off at Deenethorpe, 5 December 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Evening News, 612431 CRA. British village wrecked by a Fortress. Deenethorpe. 401BG B-17 crash. 5/12/43 A, 144.' Censor no: 295773. On reverse: US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamp].

Object number: FRE 8077 - The wreck of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed...

A B-17 Flying Fortress (IN-L, serial number 42-31090) nicknamed "Nasty Habit" of the 613th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group returns to base after a raid over Kiel, 13 December 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'IN-L, 42-31090 "Nasty Habit"Printed caption on reverse: '65531 AC - A Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" landing on an 8th AF base after mission over Kiel, Germany, on 13 December 1943. England. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

Object number: FRE 8078 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (IN-L, serial number 42...

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97487) nicknamed "Hangover Haven" of the 401st Bomb Group after crash landing at Deenethorpe, 3 October 1944 Official caption on image: "GAD-1079 - (48-401)-(4-10-44) 7487 Crash." Handwritten caption on reverse: '3/10/44 A, 296 Extra. V. Maslen, 7487, "Hangover Haven".'

Object number: FRE 8079 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97487)...

An airman of the 615th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group points to a flak hole in hi B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31983). Official caption on image: "(GAD-840-266-401)(17-7-44)(42-31983)." Handwritten caption on reverse: 'C4. RF. 401.'

Object number: FRE 8080 - Lieutenant Dan C Knight of the 615th Bomb Squadron...

The damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31983) of the 401st Bomb Group 17 July 1944. Official caption on image: "(GAD-840-269-401)(17-7-44)(42-31983)."

Object number: FRE 8081 - The damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial...

Lieutenant Boudinot Stimson of the 401st Bomb Group with his B-17 Flying Fortress "Flak Rat". Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S. War Secretary's Cousin Pilots Flying Fortress Over Europe. Lieut. Boudinot Stimson, of Greenwich, Connecticut, cousin of U.S. War Secretary Henry Stimson, is pilot of a Flying Fortress in the European Theatre of Operations. Lieut. Stimson made his first operational flight when he piloted "Flak Rat", a B-17 bomber, on the U.S. Army Eighth Air Force raid on Solingen, the Ruhr steel

Object number: FRE 8082 - Lieutenant Boudinot Stimson of the 401st Bomb...

A bomber crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their new B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 12 Dec 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'RF.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Flying Fortress Crew Back In Action Following Crash On English Village. Photo Shows:- Some of the crew walking from their new ship at a station "somewhere in England". L.-R.:- T/Sgt. William D. Woodward, top-turret gunner, of Georgetown, South Carolina; Sergeant Waldon D. Cohen, Ball-turret gunner, of Altoona, Pennsylvania; Sgt. H

Object number: FRE 8083 - A bomber crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their...

The damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31983) of the 401st Bomb Group, 17 July 1944. Official caption on image: "(GAD-840-267-401)(17-7-44)(42-31983)." Handwritten caption on reverse: 'RF. 401BG. 30X.'

Object number: FRE 8084 - The damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial...

The damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31983) of the 401st Bomb Group, 17 July 1944. Official caption on image: "(GAD-840-264-401)(17-7-44)(42-31983)." Handwritten caption on reverse: '401BG.'

Object number: FRE 8085 - The damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial...