96th Bomb Group

Group
The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group. media-395035.jpg FRE 5092 The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5092 - The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.

The 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945.



The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations for particularly testing missions. The first was awarded for the bombing of an aircraft factory at Regensburg on 17 August 1943 under intense pressure from enemy fighters. The second was for leading the 45th Bomb Wing through difficult weather conditions and anti-aircraft fire to drop their payload on aircraft components factories at Poznan on 9 April 1944.

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Grafton Underwood 16 April 1943 - 27 May 1943

Based

Andrews Field 13 May 1943 - 11 June 1943

Based

Snetterton Heath 12 June 1943 - 11 December 1945

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 337th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hellcat Agnes
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (MZ-D, serial number 42-102978) of the 413th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group that has crash landed at Snetterton Heath. Official caption on image: "ISAD 10 July 1944. 1805. (WPU, Crash Landing, B-17G, 42-102978, Snetterton Heath) RZ."
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: In the Mood
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron 358th Bomb Squadron
Lieutenant Robert M. Turner of the 385th Bomb Group examines bomb damage in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (SG-N, serial number 42-107031) at Great Ashfield, 23 May 1944. Official caption on image: "(GM-26-12-385)(23-5-44)(G.A. Bomb Damage)." Official caption also on front of other print: "62618 A.C." Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Lt. Robert M. Turner, 550th Squadron, Lost on 13 July 1944 over Munich - nickname? Know of this history behind this shot? [CredD?] E. Vandevanter.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron

Mission

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
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ContributorLucy May
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Sources

Added dates the Group were at different bases in England from Roger Freeman's book 'The Mighty Eighth'.

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Contributorrossingtonj
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Sources

Type added.

Date
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Daughter

Date
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Mr. Councell

Date
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Mr. Councell

Date
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Mr. Councell

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)

96th Bomb Group: Gallery (509 items)