351st Bomb Group
GroupIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
The 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer gunner for the making of recruitment film 'Combat America'. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing an aircraft factory at Anklam, Germany under heavy fire, on 9 October 1943 and the second for a mission on 11 January 1944 bombing aircraft factories at Oschersleben, a DUC that was awarded to all 1st Bomb Division Groups.
Connections
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Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Polebrook | 15 April 1943 - 23 June 1945 |
Encompassing
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 11th Station Complement Squadron
- Highest Rank: Private First Class
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 351st Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-734397
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Duchess
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Jennie
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lonesome Polecat II
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ol’ Jackson ; That Frisco Kid
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron 510th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: My Princess
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
Mission
- Date: 5 November 1943
- Date: 3 November 1943
- Date: 14 October 1943
- Date: 10 October 1943
- Date: 8 October 1943
Revisions
my photo
351st Bombardment Group (center)
others not related to unit
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)