452nd Bomb Group

Group
The insignia of the 452nd Bomb Group. media-395129.jpg FRE 5186 The insignia of the 452nd Bomb Group. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5186 - The insignia of the 452nd Bomb Group.

The 452nd Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deopham Green, Norfolk, from January 1944. The air crews hit strategic sites in Germany but also supported the movement of ground forces across Europe after D-Day. On 6 June 1944 itself, the Group bombed coastal defences before the landings. The 452nd Group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for bombing a jet fighter base at Kaltenkirchen, northern Germany, on 7 April 1945, under intense pressure from enemy fighters and anti-aircraft flak.

Commanding Officers

Herbert O Wangeman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 452nd Bomb Group 729th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-22805
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot/Commanding Officer

Marvin F Stalder

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Group commander
Lieutenant-Colonel Robert B Satterwhite of the 388th Bomb Group presents a plaque of behalf of the United States Eighth Air Force to the Mayor of Thetford, HR Watling, historian Professor Frank Dobie and Sir William Gentle to commemorate Thomas Paine. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 25 Oct 1943.' [stamp] and '289762.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: Printed caption on reverse: 'AMERICAN SERVICEMEN'S TRIBUTE TO TOM PAINE. A Plaque in memory of Thomas

Robert B Satterwhite

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Staff
Colonel TC Odom, Group commander of the 352nd Bomb Group christens a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-37817) nicknamed "Mollita". Image via Walt Cochrek. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Ground commander Col TC Odom christens his "Ship".

Thetus C Odom

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: US Strategic Air Forces 452nd Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Deopham Green 3 January 1944 - 5 August 1945

Encompassing

People

Alfred L Battaling

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Alexander N Bebenin

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 731st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O786212
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Albert K Becker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17166412
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Airplane Mechanic

Albert Bettinazzi

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 730th Bomb Squadron

Adam G Bomba

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 731st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16168967
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Aircraft

42-102397

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Cest La Guerre
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 729th Bomb Squadron

42-102514

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 729th Bomb Squadron

42-102535

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lovely lady
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 729th Bomb Squadron

42-102541

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Aint Miss Behavin II
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron

42-102572

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Why Worry II
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 728th Bomb Squadron

Mission

A mission log for Lieutenant Colonel Paul Chryst of the 91st Bomb Group, 3 August 1944 -15 December 1944. Image via Lieutenant Colonel Paul Chryst, 91st Bomb Group.

519

  • Date: 5 August 1944

Revisions

Date17 May 2015 19:52:14
ContributorPete
ChangesChanges to mission associations. Changes to Media
Sources

452nd Bomb Group Assoc.

Date17 May 2015 19:39:27
ContributorPete
ChangesChanges to motto, insignia, aircraft types and mission associations
Sources

452nd Bomb Group Assoc.

Date17 May 2015 19:37:53
ContributorPete
ChangesChanges to citations, commanding officers associations and mission associations
Sources

452nd Bomb Group Assoc.

Date17 May 2015 19:16:02
ContributorPete
ChangesChanges to mission associations
Sources

452nd Bomb Group Assoc.

Date13 Mar 2015 15:19:39
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)

452nd Bomb Group: Gallery (433 items)