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100th Bomb Group

Group

  • Entrance to the 100th Bomb Group museum at Thorpe Abbotts.

    Entrance to the 100th Bomb Group museum at Thorpe Abbotts.

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  • The wreckage of a B-24 Liberator (GO-K) of the 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group that has crash landed. A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 100th Bomb Group is in the background.

    The wreckage of a B-24 Liberator (GO-K) of the 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group that has crash landed. A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 100th Bomb Group is in the background.

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  • A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 94th Group is attacked by a Nazi fighter aircraft during a mission. Handwritten caption on reverse of print: '14/10/43.' Printed caption on reverse: '62641 USAF - Nazi fighter plane attacking a Boeing B-17

    A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 94th Group is attacked by a Nazi fighter aircraft during a mission. Handwritten caption on reverse of print: '14/10/43.' Printed caption on reverse: '62641 USAF - Nazi fighter plane attacking a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th Bomb Group [sic], 3d Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

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  • Sergeant Walter V Budziszewski, of the 100th Bomb Group, checks his rifle. Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238803.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: '

    Sergeant Walter V Budziszewski, of the 100th Bomb Group, checks his rifle. Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238803.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: '"Now send me a Hun" said Sgt. Walter Charles Buazisz, of 3510, McLeen Avenue, Chicago. Sgt Budzisz likes England all right but he wishes "he could get some American beer". He sends "Happy days" to his fiancee Miss Imogene Starbach, of Freewater, Oregon. Educated at Weber High School, Sgt. Buzisz hopes to take back some real he-man stories for the entertainment of the school. AC 85.'

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  • B-17 Flying Fortresses, (LL-F, serial number 42-97467) of the 91st Bomb Group, (OJ-G, serial number 42-97212) of the 96th Bomb Group and (LD-D, serial number 42-39994 nicknamed SNORT STUFF) of the 100th Bomb Group in Sweden, 1944. SNORT STUFF flown to Sweden on March 6, 1944 mission to BERLIN. Written on slide casing: 'Sweden, 297467 LL:F, 18/7/44, 297212 OJ:G, 11/4/44, 239994, LD:D 6/3/44 (SNORT STUFF-LT SAMUEL BARRICK CREW)

    B-17 Flying Fortresses, (LL-F, serial number 42-97467) of the 91st Bomb Group, (OJ-G, serial number 42-97212) of the 96th Bomb Group and (LD-D, serial number 42-39994 nicknamed SNORT STUFF) of the 100th Bomb Group in Sweden, 1944. SNORT STUFF flown to Sweden on March 6, 1944 mission to BERLIN. Written on slide casing: 'Sweden, 297467 LL:F, 18/7/44, 297212 OJ:G, 11/4/44, 239994, LD:D 6/3/44 (SNORT STUFF-LT SAMUEL BARRICK CREW)

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  • Ground personnel of the 100th Bomb Group extinguish the burning wreckage of a B-24 Liberator of the 445th Bomb Group that has crashed at Thorpe Abbotts. Written on slide casing: '445 BG Co Thorpe Abbotts, 6/4/45.' The plane is # 44-48854 of 701st Bomb Squadron. Pilot : William O. Shank.

    Ground personnel of the 100th Bomb Group extinguish the burning wreckage of a B-24 Liberator of the 445th Bomb Group that has crashed at Thorpe Abbotts. Written on slide casing: '445 BG Co Thorpe Abbotts, 6/4/45.' The plane is # 44-48854 of 701st Bomb Squadron. Pilot : William O. Shank.

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  • An ambulance of the 100th Bomb Group attends to crew of a burning B-24 Liberator of the 445th that crashed whilst attempting to land at Thorpe Abbotts. Written on slide casing: 'Crash at Thorpe Abbotts, 6/4/45.'

    An ambulance of the 100th Bomb Group attends to crew of a burning B-24 Liberator of the 445th that crashed whilst attempting to land at Thorpe Abbotts. Written on slide casing: 'Crash at Thorpe Abbotts, 6/4/45.'

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  • Ground personnel of the 100th Bomb Group extinguish the burning wreckage of a B-24 Liberator of the 445th Bomb Group that has crashed at Thorpe Abbotts. Written on slide casing: '445 BG Co Thorpe Abbotts, 6/4/45.'

    Ground personnel of the 100th Bomb Group extinguish the burning wreckage of a B-24 Liberator of the 445th Bomb Group that has crashed at Thorpe Abbotts. Written on slide casing: '445 BG Co Thorpe Abbotts, 6/4/45.'

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  • The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-52154) nicknamed

    The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-52154) nicknamed "Male Call" of the 453rd Bomb Group. Image via 100th Bomb Group Association. Written on slide casing: '445?'

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  • The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (seria number 42-50592) nicknamed

    The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (seria number 42-50592) nicknamed "Lady Marian" of the 445th Bomb Group. Image via 100th Bomb Group Association. Written on slide casing: '250592, 445.'

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"The Bloody Hundredth", so-called because of a reputation for losing a high number aircraft and crews, flew B-17s from Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk. Their losses were not the highest of any Eighth Air Force Group but on several occasions the Group lost many aircraft during a single mission. Both Distinguished Unit Citations awarded to the Group were awarded for missions when the Group, as well as successfully bombing the target, also lost a number of crews. In the case of the mission to Regensburg on 17 August 1943 the Group lost nine bombers and on a mission to Berlin in early March 1944, the Group lost fifteen bombers. The Group also received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for attacking heavily defended installations in Germany and for dropping supplies to French Forces of the Interior between June and December 1944.

Visit the 100th Bomb Group Foundation website for more information and photos of the group.

US Air Force Combat Units of World War II Description

Constituted as 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Jun 1942. Used B-17’s to prepare for duty overseas. Moved to England, May-Jun 1943, and assigned to Eighth AF. Operated chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization until the war ended. From Jun 1943 to Jan 1944, concentrated its efforts against airfields in France and naval facilities and industries in France and Germany. Received a DUC for seriously disrupting German fighter plane production with an attack on an aircraft factory at Regensburg on 17 Aug 1943. Bombed airfields, industries, marshalling yards, and missile sites in Western Europe, Jan-May 1944. Operations in this period included participation in the Allied campaign against enemy aircraft factories during Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944. Completed a series of attacks against Berlin in Mar 1944 and received a DUC for the missions. Beginning in the summer of 1944, oil installations became major targets. In addition to strategic operations, the group engaged in support and interdictory missions, hitting bridges and gun positions in support of the Normandy invasion in Jun 1944; bombing enemy positions at St Lo in Jul and at Brest in Aug and Sep; striking transportation and ground defenses in the drive against the Siegfried Line, Oct-Dec 1944; attacking marshalling yards, defended villages, and communications in the Ardennes sector during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944- Jan 1945; and covering the airborne assault across the Rhine in Mar 1945. Received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for attacking heavily defended installations in Germany and for dropping supplies to French Forces of the Interior, Jun-Dec 1944. Returned to the US in Dec 1945. lnactivated on 21 Dec 1945.

Commanding officers

  • Darr Alkire

    Military | Colonel | Pilot | 100th Bomb Group
    14 November 1942 to 26 March 1943 XFR First Commanding Officer of the 100th BG. He was relieved of his command with the 100th for alleged incompetence due to statements he made and sent to the 449th BG in Italy. He flew 11 combat missions, on his 12th...

  • Frederick Sutterlin

    Military | Colonel | Pilot; Group Commander | 100th Bomb Group
    Was sent to the 100th BG in Feb. 1945 to replace the Group Cmdr, served until end of war.

  • Harold Huglin

    Military | General | Pilot | 100th Bomb Group
    Ops Officer of the 3rd BW in Feb, 1943 ...

  • Howard Turner

    Military | Major General | Commanding General
    SS w/ Oak Leaf Cluster/ DFC/ AM w/ Oak Leaf Cluster

  • John Wallace

    Military | Major | 100th Bomb Group

  • Robert Kelly

    Military | Colonel | Pilot | 100th Bomb Group
    Shot down 28 April 1944 in B-17 #42-107024. Killed in Action (KIA). PH

  • Neil Harding

    Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer | 100th Bomb Group
    Commanded 100th Bomb Group from July 1943 to 19 April 1944

  • Thomas Jeffery

    Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer
    Commanded 100th Bomb Group from 9 May 1944 to 2 February 1945

Structure

Part of
Encompassing
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Missions

  • VIII Bomber Command 65

    22 June 1943
    The German rubber industry (Chemische Werke Hüls AG) at Marl (district Hüls-Nord), Germany, is the primary objective of this mission and is assigned to the Bomb Groups with the most expericence. Also the industrial area of Antwerp, Belgium is assigned...

  • VIII Bomber Command 67

    25 June 1943
    This mission was intended to be the first major attack on the industrial area of Hamburg, Germany but weather and contrails made fromation flying too difficult and dangerous. As a result, the main formation 197 B-17s from: 91BG (18); 92BG (23); 303BG ...

  • VIII Bomber Command 68

    26 June 1943
    The targets for today are all Luftwaffe installations: the Villacoublay air depot SW of Paris, France is the primary; the airfield at Poissy, France is attacked as the secondary because of cloud cover; the airfield at Tricqueville, France; and the...

  • VIII Bomber Command 69

    28 June 1943
    The primary specific target for this mission are the lock gates at St. Nazaire, France to be attacked by two separate formations and also another force is despatched to bomb the German airfield at Beaumon Le Roger, France. A formation of 120 B-17s of...

  • VIII Bomber Command 70

    29 June 1943
    1st Bomb Wing despatches two formations: one has the air depot at Villacoublay, France as their primary; and one has the Luftwaffe airfield at Tricqueville, France as their primary. ...

  • VIII Bomber Command 71

    4 July 1943
    The aircraft factories at Le Mans and Nantes, France and the lock gates and harbour facilities at La Pallice, France are the primary targets for this mission. The mission is comprised of three elements: ...

  • VIII Bomber Command 72

    10 July 1943
    German airfields at Caen, Abbeville, and Le Bourget at Paris, France are the primary targets for this mission. 112 B-17s form a combined force from 91BG; 92BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG and 381BG to bomb the German airfield (Carpiquet) at Caen, France. Cloud...

  • VIII Bomber Command 73

    14 July 1943
    The German air depot at Villacoublay, France and the German airfields Amiens/Glisy and Le Bourget at Paris, France are the primary targets for this mission. These attacks are made by three separate elements: 116 B-17s are despatched from 92BG (15);...

  • VIII Bomber Command 74

    17 July 1943
    The railroad industry at Hannover, Germany and the aircraft industry at Hamburg, Germany were the intended targets for this mission but weather caused the mission to be cancelled. The element sent to Hannover was a combined force of 207 B-17s from:...

  • VIII Bomber Command 75

    24 July 1943
    Three targets in Norway are the primary targets for this first mission flown by 8th AIr Force to Norway. They are the nitrate works at Heroya and the port areas at Trondheim and Bergen. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (22)...

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Stations

Station Location Date
Based Podington 2 June 1943 – 8 June 1943
Based Thorpe Abbotts 9 June 1943 – 11 December 1945

Connections

People

  • W Abbey

    Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 100th Bomb Group

  • Louis Abbott

    Military | Captain | Navigator | 100th Bomb Group
    Completed 31 missions was hit over Leipzig on 20 July 1944. crash landed in Holland. Evaded with underground in Brussels, Belgium until 9 Sept 1944

  • S Abbott

    Military | Technical Sergeant | 100th Bomb Group

  • R Abel

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 100th Bomb Group
    Died in or near Berlin.

  • A Abney

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Instructor | 100th Bomb Group

  • Robert Abney

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 100th Bomb Group
    Survived the war because he was hospitalized for severe frostbite when his crew and plane flew its last mission on Dec 11, 1943.

  • Glenn Abraham

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 100th Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) crashed near Jemmcritz on 10 Apr 45 in B-17 #4338963

  • Carlyle Abrahamson

    Military | Corporal | 100th Bomb Group

  • Louis Abromowitz

    Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 100th Bomb Group
    Louis Abromowitz was First Navigator on B-17 42-97564 when it was shot down on the 20 July 1944 mission to Merseburg and the plane had to make a forced landing near Chaam, Holland. Like 4 other crew members, Abromowitz managed to evade capture, with...

  • John Accinelli

    Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 100th Bomb Group

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Aircraft

  • 42-102416 Lady Luck

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Cheyenne 1/3/44; Hunter 14/3/44; Grenier 11/4/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-H] Thorpe Abbotts 19/4/44; Missing in Action St Lo, 25/7/44 with Larry Townsend, Co-pilot: Andy Burkhart, Navigator: Arnold Holmes, Bombardier: George Gardner, Radio Operator:...

  • 42-102528

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 11/3/44; Hunter 7/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 92BG Podington 30/4/44; transferred 349BS/100BG [XR-O] Thorpe Abbotts 1/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Henry Jespersen, Co-pilot: Bob Atkins, Bombardier: Joe Savino,...

  • 42-102611 Boss Lady

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 18/3/44; Gr Island 2/4/44; Dow Fd 19/4/44; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-E] Thorpe Abbotts 22/4/44; Missing in Action practice mission 27/6/44 with John Donaldson, Co-pilot: Gail Campbell, Navigator: Gene O’Connell, Bombardier: Hugh...

  • 42-102624

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 19/3/44; Hunter 9/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR- ] Thorpe Abbotts 1/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Clarke Johnson, Co-pilot: Ray Lund, Navigator: Tom Tracy, Bombardier: Willard Hahn, Flight engineer/top...

  • 42-102635

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 20/3/44; Kearney 15/4/44; Grenier 29/4/44; Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR- ] Thorpe Abbotts 1/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Martin Hoskinson, Co-pilot: Marvin Apking, Navigator: Joe Silvestro, Bombardier: Norman Robitoy,...

  • 42-102648

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 23/3/44; Kearney 13/4/44; Grenier 28/4/44; Slated 447BG, Assigned 349BS/100BG [XR-L] Thorpe Abbotts 21/4/44; Missing in Action Berlin 24/5/44 with Bob Roeder, Co-pilot: Paul Lammers, Navigator: Claud Robison, Bombardier: Milton...

  • 42-102657 Boss Lady

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 23/3/44; Gr Island 12/4/44; Dow Fd 11/5/44; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-Y] Thorpe Abbotts 14/5/44; Missing in Action Ruhland 11/9/44 with Albert Trommer, Navigator: Jim Wright, Bombardier: Levi Groce, Flight engineer/top turret gunner:...

  • 42-102667 'Yankee Wine'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 24/3/44; Hunter 16/4/44; Grenier 28/4/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-C] Horham 3/5/44; 4m, transferred 351BS/100BG [EP-J] Thorpe Abbotts 8/6/44; Missing in Action Merseburg 29/7/44 with Bob Schomp, Co-pilot: Henry Preher, Navigator: Bob...

  • 42-102695

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 26/3/44; Kearney 15/4/44; Grenier 29/4/44; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-F] Thorpe Abbotts 1/5/44; Missing in Action Chemnitz 11/9/44 with Hugh Holladay, Co-pilot: Howard Potts (Wounded in Action), Bombardier: Joe Michaud (Wounded in...

  • 42-102958

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 22/4/44; Kearney 6/5/44; Dow Fd 21/5/44; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-Z/G] Thorpe Abbotts 23/4/44; Missing in Action Berlin 3/2/45 with Dick Beck, Walt Rosenberger, Pedro Martinez, Lavelie Giles, Dudley Ingraham, Harry Boyd, Dan...

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Citations

Received first Distinguished Unit Citation for seriously disrupting German aircraft production during the attack on the Regensburg aircraft factory 17 August 1943.

Received second Distinguished Unit Citation for a series of attacks on Berlin in March 1944.

Air Force
8th
Type
Combat
Type category
Bombardment
Nicknames

The Bloody Hundredth

Motto
Peace Through Strength
Insignia
D
Aircraft used
  • B-17 Flying Fortress

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
30 October 2018 16:51:57 Emily Changes to nicknames, motto, us air force combat units of world war ii description, citations and description
Sources

AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II
Date Contributor Update
14 February 2018 09:52:00 Lucy May Changes to description
Sources

https://100thbg.com/
Date Contributor Update
09 March 2016 23:47:08 Jameswbrice Changes to mission associations
Sources

James W Brice
Date Contributor Update
09 March 2016 23:35:02 Jameswbrice Changes to mission associations
Sources

James W Brice, son of
MAJ William R Brice, Bombardier
418th Bombardment Squadron
100th Bomb Group
13th Combat Bombardment Wing
3rd Air Division
Date Contributor Update
07 April 2015 20:28:16 simaguire Changes to nicknames, insignia, aircraft types and mission associations
Sources

Eighth Air Force: The American Bomber Crews in Britain. Donald L. Miller.
Date Contributor Update
03 October 2014 01:26:16 mpfaley Changes to type and mission associations
Sources

Michael P. Faley
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:44 AAM AAM 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)

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