97th Bomb Group

Group
Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im media-379318.jpg FRE 882 Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew immediately began reservicing it ready for the next job.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 882 - Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on...

The 97th Bomb Group flew the Eighth Air Force's first heavy bomber mission from the UK when they bombed a marshalling yard at Rouen on 17 August 1942. Just a month later though the Group were reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force and left England for the Mediterranean theater. Flying first with the Twelfth, and later with the Fifteenth, Air Force, the Group flew bombing missions in support of ground operations as well as bombing more strategic targets in Germany. The Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for leading a strike against an aircraft factory at Steyr, Austria, on 24 February 1944 during Big Week, 20-25 February 1944.



Between 17-Aug-42 and 21-Oct-42, while they flew from Polebrook and Grafton Underwood with the 8th Air Force the Group flew 14 missions using 247 sorties and dropped 395 tons of bombs. The Group had 14 aircraft KIA during this period.



CLAIMS TO FAME (17-Aug-42 to 21-Oct-42)\

Flew the first heavy bombing mission of the war 17-Aug-42 Rouen.

Commanding Officers

Colonel Frank A. Armstrong of the 97th Bomb Group in the cockpit of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Photographed by US Army Air Air Forces.' [caption], 'US Official Phot No. USB 230. (WA) Distributed by the Ministry of Information.' [caption] 'USAA(BRI)CCC:TYPE.' [written annotation] Printed caption on reverse: 'LEADER OF THE US BOMBING ATTACK ON WILHELMSHAVEN. Photo shows:- Col. Frank A. Armstrong of Asheville N.C. who led the bombing attack on Wilhelmshaven- the first American air a

Frank Alton Armstrong

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: O-17459
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer

Joseph H Atkinson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
  • Role/Job: Bombardment Group Commander

Cornelius W Cousland

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • 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

Based

Polebrook 13 June 1942 - 25 November 1942

Based

Grafton Underwood 6 July 1942 - 8 September 1942

Based

Chateaudun-du-Rhumel 8 February 1943

Based

Amendola 16 January 1944 - 1 October 1945

Other

Assigned 8th Air Force

Other

Assigned 12th Air Force

Other

Assigned 15th Air Force

Encompassing

People

Alfred J Iacovone

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron

Andrew L Jackson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18045030
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Ben Klinger

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron

Billy Knowles

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 341st Bomb Squadron

Bernard Leibowitz

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9017) of the 92nd Bomb Group in flight. Passed for publication 5 Sep 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'Q.13312: A Flying Fortress photographed in flight at a U.S. Training Centre.' On reverse: Westminster Press Provincial Newspapers Ltd and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].

41-9017

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Heidi Ho
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 482nd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 94th Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron 342nd Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9019) nicknamed "Little Skunk Face" of the 92nd Bomb Group prepares for take off. Printed caption on reverse: 'New "Fortress" Makes History In The Air. Oct. 1942. The most striking development of the war in the air is undoubtedly the sensational success of the American "Boeing" Flying Fortresses in the daylight bombing of enemy-occupied territory. In the most recent operation 105 German craft were destroyed, probably destroyed or damaged, for the loss of four bombe

41-9019

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lil Skunk Face
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 482nd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (PY-N, serial number 41-9020) of the 92nd Bomb Group prepares for take off at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: '92 BG, 19020 PY-B, Mount Farm.'

41-9020

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Phyllis, Tugboat Annie
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
This photo shows the crew with their B-17E Hangar Queen (41-9021) prior to August 17, 1942. This crew and plane were initially assigned to the 414th BS (97th BG).

41-9021

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Big Bitch/ Hangar Queen
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 92nd Bomb Group fly in formation during a training exercise. Aircraft are, from left to right: B-17E (serial number 41-9022) nicknamed "Alabama Exterminator", B-17E (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", B-17E (UX-?, serial number 41-9017) nicknamed "Heidi Ho", B-17E (UX-V, serial number 41-9013), B-17E (UX-S, serial number 41-9154) nicknamed "The Bat out of Hell", B-17E (serial number 41-9132). Printed caption on reverse: 'B-26340 AC - Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortres

41-9022

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Alabama Exterminator II
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 92nd Bomb Group

Mission

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

http://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/97th_Bombardment_Group.cfm

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/97th_Operations_Group

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/97th_Operations_Group

Date
ContributorJB1
Changes
Sources

1943-44

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Nov-2014. Added claims to fame: http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/97bg.HTM

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Nov-2014. Statistics for period in England: http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/97bg.HTM

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Nov-2014. Adding Commanding Officer Cornelius W. Cousland.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Oct-2014 Commanding Officer connections within site data.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Oct-2014, Commanding Officers http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/97bg.HTM; Biography of Joseph H. Atkinson http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographies/Display/tabid/225/Article/107783/…

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).

97th Bomb Group: Gallery (140 items)

Object number: UPL 20374 - USAAF Captain John E. Abdallah AO 733505

Object number: UPL 20739 - A B-17G-55-VE of the 97th Bomb Group Headquarters...

Object number: UPL 23776 - First Lieutenant William L Tingle, Co-Pilot...

Object number: UPL 23777 - Crew of 124441 - Francis X

Object number: UPL 24074 - Amendola Airfield, Italy February 1945 Home of the...

Object number: UPL 25085 - Ground crew of the 97th Bomb group carry out...

Object number: UPL 25086 - Engine Change en route to England on Boeing B-17E...

Object number: UPL 25090 - Engine change on the Boeing B-17 'Stinky' at the...