Ernest Patterson
Military | Major | Pilot; Commanding Officer | 25th Bomb Group
On return to base B17 #42-37869 crashed at Oakhampion returning from Atlantic weather reconnaissance mission. 5 KNO +2 RTD +1 RAF
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Group
The 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) was constituted in the days after D-Day and activated in England in August 1944 to carry out photographic and mapping missions over mainland Europe as the Allied armies pushed east. The Group were designated a Bombardment Group but they did not drop bombs. Instead they flew bombers to drop 'chaff' screenings for other Bomb Groups. 'Chaff', strips of metallic paper, would interfere with the enemy's ability to detect aircraft using radar.
Constituted as 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) on 17 Jul 1944. Activated in England on 9 Aug 1944. Served with Eighth AF until V-E Day. Used various aircraft, including B-17’s B-24’s, B-25's, B-26‘s, P-38’s, and L-5’s. Operations included reconnaissance over the waters adjacent to the British Isles and occasionally to the Azores to obtain meteorological data; flights over the Continent for weather information needed in planning operations; night photographic missions to detect enemy activity; and daylight photographic and mapping missions over the Continent. Occasionally engaged in scout missions to target areas for last minute weather information that was furnished to approaching bomber formations, on-the-scene visual evaluation of bombardment strikes, and electronic-countermeasure missions in which chaff was spread to confuse enemy defenses during Allied attacks. Moved to the US, Jul-Aug 1945. Inactivated on 8 Sep 1945.
Military | Major | Pilot; Commanding Officer | 25th Bomb Group
On return to base B17 #42-37869 crashed at Oakhampion returning from Atlantic weather reconnaissance mission. 5 KNO +2 RTD +1 RAF
Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer | 25th Bomb Group
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot / Commanding Officer | 25th Bomb Group
Shortly after the birth of the 8th AAF at Savannah, one of our own, Joseph A. `Joe' Stenglein, 1st Lieutenant and pilot, in the 8th Bomber Command was on the way to the United Kingdom and in charge of 1,000 officers and men making the transition from...
Military | Colonel | Commanding Officer | 25th Bomb Group
Gray was a highly decorated WW II veteran who flew photo reconnaissance missions (unarmed) in enemy airspace with the P-38 Lightning and British Mosquito in the European theater. He was co-commander with Elliott Roosevelt in North Africa. Commander of...
Wing
8 Reconnaissance Wing (P) established by 8th Air Force order No. 69 on 19 February 1944 and headquarters established at AAF Station 113 Cheddington on 23 February 1944.
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Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Group
9 August 1944
9 August 1944
9 August 1944
10 August 1944
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10 August 1944
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11 August 1944
11 August 1944
Station | Location | Date |
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Based | Watton | 22 April 1944 – 23 July 1945 |
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 25th Bomb Group
December 9, 1943 take off crash from Bovington, UK on a weather recon flight in B17#42-37744. 10 KNO. 2 RAF Meteorological Officers aboard.
Military | 25th Bomb Group
Military | 25th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 25th Bomb Group
Assigned 652BS, 25BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Atlantic weather mission 17-Mar-45 in B-17 44-8601; Allah weather flight disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean. Believed to have ditched west of St. Eval due to mechanical failure. Killed in Action ...
Military | Lieutenant | J/E Communications Operator | 25th Bomb Group
Military | 25th Bomb Group
Military | 25th Bomb Group
Military | Master Sergeant | Radar Technician | 25th Bomb Group
KIFA aircraft de Havilland DH98 Mosquito NS538 exploded mid-air near Newmarket/Kennet during test flight.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 25th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) crashed into mountain during search mission, Iceland. Flew with 50th Fighter Squadron in P-38s.
Military | Major | Pilot | 25th Bomb Group
January 1944 -- September 1944: 42 missions
AM w/ 5 Oak Leaf Cluster
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 10/3/44; Hunter 16/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 652BS/25BG Watton 30/4/44; Returned to the USA 4100 BU Patterson 4/2/45; 1103 BU Morrison 27/2/45; Recl Comp 2/5/46.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 24/5/43; Gore 25/5/43; Kearney 9/6/43; Dow 27/6/43; Assigned 350BS/100BG [LN-P/W] Thorpe Abbotts 1/7/43; transferred 25BG Watton 21/3/44; Returned to the USA 8STA Homestead 21/6/44; 4136 BU Tinker 30/6/44; Reconstruction Finance...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26-Jan-43; Pueblo 1-Feb-43; Dow Field, Bangor, Maine 10-Jun-43; Assigned 412BS/95BG [QW-Z] Horham 2-Jul-43; 14m, (force landed Eye AF 22/2/44), transferred SAD 1-Mar-44; 94BG Rougham 25-Jul-43; 25BG Watton 1-Apr-44; 2 BAD 19-Jun-44;...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Dallas 23/9/43; Gr Island 11/10/43; Wilmington 13/10/43; Assigned 652BS/25BG Watton 16/10/43; Returned to the USA 4000 BU Patterson 16/4/46; 4185 BU Independence 29/10/46; 4000 BU Patterson 30/10/46; re-ass USN (CB-17) 31/3/47; 4141 BU Pyote...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 6/12/43; Kearney 8/1/44; Detroit 26/1/44; Grenier 30/1/44;
Assigned 652BS/25BG Watton 31/1/44;
Salvaged n/battle damaged 29/5/45.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 11/12/43; Gr Island 24/12/43; Detroit 25/1/44; Presque Is 30/1/44; Assigned 652BS/25BG Watton 325Photo Wing 5/2/44; crashed on take off for weather recon to Azores 6/6/44 with Clarry Stephenson, Co-pilot: Joe Ward, Navigator: Gene...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 21/4/43; Dow Fd 21/5/43; Assigned 350BA/100BG Podington 2/6/43; Thorpe Abbotts 9/6/43; transferred 625BS/25BG Watton; detailed RAF St Eval, Cornwall 29/5/44 with Mike Lorens, Co-pilot: Larry Ketterer, Navigator: Nathan Swerdelowe,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 29/4/43; Bangor 19/6/43; Assigned 551BS/385BG [HR-O] Gt Ashfield 20/6/43; 25BG Watton, Nfk 1/3/44; Returned to the USA San Bernardino 25/11/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 9/10/45. MARY PAT.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 28/8/43; Scott 29/9/43; Assigned 802 Recon Group (P), 7/10/43; re-assigned 625BS/25BG(R) Watton, as a weather ship from 1 SAD Lt Staughton, Sfk. sal after overshut runway at Watton, with ? no crew named; Salvaged 3SAD 17/9/44....
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 19/10/43; Gr Island10/11/43; Assigned 385BG Gt Ashfield 9/12/43; transferred 652BS/25BG (Recon) Watton 8/44; Salvaged 22/6/45.
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Date | Contributor | Update |
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05 February 2020 09:40:22 | phil marchese | Changes to type |
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Changed mission type to (R) in accordance with designation. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
22 August 2019 09:35:54 | Emily | Changes to motto, insignia, us air force combat units of world war ii description and commanding officers associations |
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Air Force Combat Units of WWII |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
21 November 2018 15:12:24 | Wattonman | Changes to nicknames, motto and insignia |
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Page 95, The 25th Bomb Group ( Rcn) in World War II |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
01 January 2017 03:28:36 | 466thHistorian | Changes to aircraft types, unit previously was association and aircraft associations |
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"The 25th Bomb Group in World War II" - Norman Malayney |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 April 2015 10:43:45 | Emily | Changes to mission associations and stations |
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Associated Watton |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
13 March 2015 15:12:02 | rossingtonj | Changes to type and mission associations |
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Type added. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
04 January 2015 12:52:07 | Al_Skiff | Changes to aircraft associations and mission associations |
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USAAF Photo. |
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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). |