Military site : airfield
Aerial photograph of Matching airfield looking south, the technical site is on the left, 19 July 1948. Photograph taken by No. 58 Squadron, sortie number RAF/58/62.English Heritage (RAF Photography).
The nose art of a B-26 Marauder (serial number 42-95865) nicknamed "Sky Hag" of the 391st Bomb Group.
Lt Gatlin and crew of the 575th Bomb Squadron pose beside the Martin B-26 Marauder "Fifinella." 391st Bomb Group, England, 20 August 1944. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A09099-55355AC.
Lt Jacobi and crew of the 575th Bomb Squadron pose beside the Martin B-26 Marauder "FIifinella." 391st Bomb Group, England, 28 August 1944. Crew : 2Lt Samuel Jacobi (pilot) 2Lt Donald J Hudson (copilot) 2Lt Harold J Emminger (bombardier) Sgt George A Boston (engineer) Sgt Guy W Grazier (rear gunner) S/Sgt John S Surman (gunner). NARA Ref 342-FH-3A09100-A55355AC.
Lt Holliday and crew of the 573rd Bomb Squadron, pose beside Martin B-26 Marauder 'Fifinella'. 391st Bomb Group, England, 13 August 1944. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A11096-A66865AC.
Lt. Martin and crew of the 575th Bomb Squadron, beside Martin B-26 Marauder 'Lady Chance'. 391st Bomb Group, England, 5 August 1944. 53 x missions and counting. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A11076-66843AC.
Lt. Lowder and crew of the 574th Bomb Sqdn. stand in front of Martin B-26 Marauder 'Lady Chance'. 391st Bomb Group, England, 9 August 1944. 60 x missions and counting. 2Lt Owen H. Lowder (pilot) 2Lt Clayton A Sprouls (copilot) 2Lt Stanley M Fisher (bombardier) S/Sgt Ralph H Shaw (engineer) S/Sgt Robert L Downs (rear gunner) Sgt Delbert H Carbaugh (gunner). NARA Ref 342-FH-3A11000-66851AC.
Martin Marauder B-26 41-35010 'Jinx' 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF and crew.
Martin Marauder B-26B 42-95844 'Miss Behavin' 575BS 391BG 9AF.
Lt. F.J. Majka and crew of the 575th Bomb Sqdn. pose beside Martin B-26 Marauder 'Skyhag'. 391st Bomb Group, England. 8 June 1944. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A10993-66844AC.
Built in 1943 as an Eighth Air Force bomber base, Matching was transferred to the Ninth Air Force and first occupied in January 1944 by the 391st Bomb Group, equipped with B-26s. The station had three concrete runways, 50 loop hardstandings and two dispersed T2 hangars. After the 391st Bomb Group moved to France in September 1944, the station was handed over to the RAF, although C-47s of IX Troop Carrier Command were detached to Matching later in 1944 for exercises with British paratroops. Closed in 1945, the station quickly reverted to agriculture and the concrete areas were mostly removed for road hardcore. In the late 1980s, one T2 hangar was dismantled and transferred to North Weald Airfield. The Control Tower remains in use as a radar equipment test facility owned by Raytheon (previously Cossor electronics).
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"The heaviest losses sustained by the 391st Bombardment Group in a single operation occurred on 23 December 1944, after an attack on the railroad viaduct at Ahrweiler, Germany (11). Upon completion of the second bomb run, the formation was attacked by...
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Military | First Lieutenant | Bomber pilot | 391st Bomb Group
Assigned to 573BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany. Shot down by Fw190's 3 miles East of Ahrweiler. Last seen dropping behind formation with both engines smoking, gear down, going into spin, crashed....
Military | Major | Bomb / Nav | 391st Bomb Group
Assigned to 575BS, 391BG, 8AF USAAF. Bomb/Nav of “Silver Dollar,” B-26C 42-107671, shot down about 30 miles south of their target, the railroad viaduct at Ahrweiler, Germany. 23-Dec-44. A/C last seen with starboard engine feathered and port engine...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 391st Bomb Group
Assigned to 575BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Co-pilot of “Silver Dollar,” B-26C 42-107671, shot down about 30 miles south of their target, the railroad viaduct at Ahrweiler, Germany. 23-Dec-44. A/C last seen with starboard engine feathered and port engine...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 391st Bomb Group
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. 15 missions flown. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany. A/C B-26 42-95865 tail shot off by fighters, went down out of control. Killed in Action (KIA). 23-Dec-44 MACR 11664.
Awards: PH.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bomb / Navigator | 391st Bomb Group
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany in B-26 41-35010 'Snakes Revenge' departing the target the formation were set upon by fighters. Dropped out of formation losing oil from both engines,...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 391st Bomb Group
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Transferred to 1st Pathfinder Sqn, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Euskirchen railroad bridge in B-26 42-95878 'Weary Lera' shot down by flak while leading 322BG crashed in flames near Bonn,...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Flight Engineer | 391st Bomb Group
Took part in an amateur film by Lieutenant Donald J. Hudson, US 9th Army Air Force pilot, which records activities of the USAAF 391st Bombardment Group, based at RAF Matching, England, during the Second World War. The footage was shot between October...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio operator | 391st Bomb Group
Assigned to 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Transferred to 1st PFF Sqn(Prov), 9AF USAAF. Shot down by fighters leading 397BG to Ahrweiler, Germany in B-26 44-67881. Killed in Action (KIA). 23-Dec-44 MACR 15984.
Awards: PH.
Military | Major | Bomber pilot | 391st Bomb Group
Assigned to 573BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. 61 x missions flown. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany. Shot down by Fw190's pulling away from target, left engine smoking, right engine on reduced power, fire in radio compartment, crew...
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Command pilot | 391st Bomb Group
Assigned to HQ, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return bombing mission to Arhweiler, Germany. Shot down by fighters, killed in resulting crash 3 miles east of Arhweiler, Germany. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 11651.
Awards: DFC, AM(8 OLC), PH.
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany in B-26 41-35010 'Snakes Revenge' departing the target the formation was set upon by fighters. Dropped out of formation losing oil from both engines,...
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. 62 x missions. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany. A/C hit by fighters, tail turret and gunner torn off in collision with enemy fighter, both wings set ablaze, exploded, crashed two miles...
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 575BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to railroad viaduct at Ahrweiler, Germany. Shot down about 30 miles south of the target, 23-Dec-44. Hit in the bomb bay by flak and attacked by enemy A/C, last seen with...
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. 46 combat missions flown. Severely damaged by fighters and bellylanded at base after raid to Ahrweiler, Germany 23-Dec-44. Repaired. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Gladbach, Germany hit by flak in...
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 573BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. 51 x missions. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany. Shot down by Fw190's 3 miles East of Ahrweiler. Last seen dropping behind formation with both engines smoking, gear down, going into spin,...
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany in B-26 42-95798 hit by flak and by fighters with one engine out, the tail gun position out of service and the bomb bay aflame, crew baled out. 1 x KIA, 5...
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. 60+ combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany. Leaving target set on by fighters and hit in port engine, caught fire, dropped out of formation apparently under control. 6 x KIA 23...
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 573BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. 108 x missions flown. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany. Shot down by Fw190's pulling away from target, left engine smoking, right engine on reduced power, fire in radio compartment, crew...
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany. Fighter attack from rear destroyed tail turret, set right engine, right wing and bombay on fire, went down, exploding over edge of a small town. 23-Dec...
B-26 Marauder
Assigned to 574BS, 391BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to Ahrweiler, Germany in B-26 42-95841 'Powerful Katrinka' hit by flak over the target and crashed. 23-Dec-44, 6 x KIA. MACR 11671.
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 27 September 2014 18:02:17 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978) Roger Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual (2nd edn, London, 2001) Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Ninth Then and Now (London, 1994) Michael Bowyer, Action Stations 1: Wartime Military Airfields of East Anglia 1939-1945 (Cambridge, 1979) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Matching http://www.wartime-airfields.com/usaaf-station-161-matching-green.html |
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