92nd Bomb Group

Group
The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group. media-395018.jpg FRE 5075 The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5075 - The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group.

The 92nd Group sometime after arrivial in the UK converted to the role of in-theater combat crew indocrination and training. For this role, the Group traded its B-17F complement and obtained the B-17E, mostly from the 97th BG which was departing for Africa.

Circa May, 1943 the Group made preparations for its return to the combat bombardment role and was re-equipped with F series B-17 and modified YB-40 escort Flying Fortress. YB-40s were B-17s modified to fly as a heavily armed escort for other bombers. These conducted escort missions between May and July, 1943. The escort bombers composed the Group's 327th Bomb Squadron. It was the only Eighth Air Force squadron to fly YB-40s in combat.

Between May 1943 and February 1944, the Group, nicknamed 'Fame's Favoured Few', mainly flew missions attacking strategic targets across occupied Europe culminating in the missions of Big Week, 20-25 February 1944.

The Group's missions continued to support POINTBLANK objectives through the invasion and in flew missions in support of gound objectives. The missions transitioned to transportation and oil objectives until April, 1945.

The Group flew 308 missions using 8,633 sorties and dropped 20,829 tons of bombs. The Group lost 154 aircraft MIA.

CLAIMS TO FAME
First 8th AF Bomb Group to make a non-stop Atlantic flight to the United Kingdom
327th Bomb Squadron was the only unit equipped with the YB-40 for combat
Flew the secret Disney rocket-bomb (TV guided) experimental mission early in 1945
Acted as VIII Bomber Command's Combat Crew Replacement Center Aug-42 to May 43
Led the last 8th AF mission of the war.

Commanding Officers

Lieutenant-Colonel Baskin Lawrence, Lieutenant Chauncey Hicks and Staff Sergeant Willaim Zeigler of the 91st Bomb Group visit Technical Sergeant James Osborne, who was injured when their B-17 Flying Fortress (LL-Y, serial number 42-29797) nicknamed "Old Ironsides" crashed into the Channel on return from a mission over Germany. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for Publication 21 Jun 1943 [censor has added 'also passed U.S.']' [stamp] and '271235' [Censor no]. Printed caption on reverse: 'SAIDMAN. ILLUS. 2
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron 329th Station Complement Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Pilot
James S Sutton 1947 CO 92nd BG
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: O-18122
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer; Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-22174
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Major General
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Bovingdon 18 August 1942 - 11 January 1943

Based

Alconbury 11 January 1943 - 15 September 1943

Based

Podington 15 September 1943 - 9 July 1945

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12164391
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-761861
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: B17-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31207719
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner; Bombardier; Togglier

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 305th Bomb Group 482nd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron 813th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: All American
  • Unit: 301st Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 353rd Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Black Diamond Express
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Virgin Sturgeon Honey Chile II
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 341st Bomb Squadron

Mission

  • Date: 10 February 1945

Revisions

Date18 May 2023 18:06:11
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to Media
Sources

Changed the case of the nickname

Date28 Nov 2019 16:26:16
ContributorEmily
ChangesChanges to aircraft associations
Sources

Associated YB-40 B-17 Flying Fortresses as per list in Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual, p 155

Date23 Aug 2019 11:46:09
ContributorEmily
ChangesChanges to us air force combat units of world war ii description
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of WWII

Date15 May 2019 19:05:49
Contributorphil marchese
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Unit history
AAM unit dates

Date15 May 2019 19:00:09
Contributorphil marchese
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Unit history

Date8 Mar 2017 16:33:38
ContributorSavvyGA
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Typo corrected

Date8 Mar 2017 16:32:26
ContributorSavvyGA
ChangesChanges to description
Sources

Corrected description of YB-40s.

Date15 Nov 2014 22:06:55
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to description and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Nov-2014. Statistics: http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/92bg.HTM

Date6 Nov 2014 20:48:15
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to name, citations, description, commanding officers associations and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 6-Nov-2014. http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/92bg.HTM

Date5 Nov 2014 18:35:50
ContributorLee8thbuff
ChangesChanges to nicknames, motto, person associations, commanding officers associations and mission associations
Sources

Lee Cunningham 4-Nov-2014. Commaders: http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/92bg.HTM

Date3 Oct 2014 20:15:16
ContributorPaul Bellamy
ChangesChanges to mission associations and stations
Sources

1st Air Division records (1AD HQ Historical Society)

Date3 Oct 2014 20:09:01
ContributorPaul Bellamy
ChangesChanges to type, aircraft types, mission associations and stations
Sources

1st Air Division records (1AD HQ Historical Society)

Date27 Sep 2014 18:42:46
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)

92nd Bomb Group : Gallery (321 items)