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](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/wysiwyg_x2/public/freeman/media-379318.jpg.webp?itok=fzWfGYcJ)
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](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379326.jpg.webp?itok=PgnVoxm0)
- 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
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant General
- Role/Job: Bombardment Group Commander
- 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
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-663939 (18062140 on enlistment)
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 341st Bomb Squadron
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 12180785
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Jarrin Jenny
- Unit: No 11 Combat Crew Replacement Center 303rd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
![A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9089) nicknamed "Johnny Reb" of the 92nd Bomb Group, formerly of the 97th Bomb Group takes off. Image stamped on reverse: 'New York Times Photo.' [stamp], 'Air (Boeing) FLY.' [annotation] and '219847.'[Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached the the reverse however this has been lost. Handwritten caption on reverse: '4/9/42, marsh ground. Johnny Reb.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379328.jpg.webp?itok=xODFO8UW)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Johnny Reb
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The SOONER
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Big Bitch
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron 359th Bomb Squadron
![An airman of the 379th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress. Handwritten caption on reverse: '161.' Press caption removed from reverse. On reverse: Associated Press [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-413441.jpg.webp?itok=y3nWTOGD)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Birmingham Blitzkreig
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron 525th Bomb Squadron
Mission
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 15-Nov-2014. Added claims to fame: http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/97bg.HTM
Lee Cunningham 15-Nov-2014. Statistics for period in England: http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/97bg.HTM
Lee Cunningham 7-Nov-2014. Adding Commanding Officer Cornelius W. Cousland.
Lee Cunningham 20-Oct-2014 Commanding Officer connections within site data.
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/…
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).
