IX Bomber Command
Command
We are currently working on a site-wide upgrade which will be completed in September 2022
You will not be able to search, add or edit information in the American Air Museum archive while this takes place.
You can find out more about our plans here
Group
Constituted as 376th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 Oct 1942 and activated in Palestine on 31 Oct. Began combat immediately, using B-24 aircraft. Operated with Ninth AF from bases in the Middle East, Nov 1942-Sep 1943, and with Twelfth AF from Tunisia, Sep-Nov 1943. Attacked shipping in the Mediterranean and harbor installations in Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy to cut enemy supply lines to Africa. Struck airdromes, marshalling yards, and other objectives in Sicily and Italy after the fall of Tunisia in May 1943. Received a DUC for action against the enemy in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sicily, Nov 1942-Aug 1943. Participated in the famed low-level assault on oil refineries at Ploesti and received another DUC: nearing Ploesti on 1 Aug 1943 and realizing that it was off course, the group attempted to reach its assigned objective from another direction; by this time, however, enemy defenses were thoroughly alerted and intense opposition forced the 376th to divert to targets of opportunity in the general target area
Moved to Italy in Nov 1943 and operated with Fifteenth AF until Apr 1945. Engaged primarily in long-range missions to targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans to bomb factories, marshalling yards, oil refineries, oil storage facilities, airdromes, bridges, harbors, and other objectives. Received a DUC for attacking the oil industry at Bratislava on 16 Jun 1944. Also flew support and interdictory missions, assisting Allied forces at Anzio and Cassino during Feb-Mar 1944, supporting the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944, aiding the Russian sweep into the Balkans during the fall of 1944, and assisting Allied troops in northern Italy during Apr 1945.
Moved to the US in Apr. Redesignated 376th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in May 1945. Inactivated on 10 Nov 1945.
Command
Wing
Wing
The 5th Air Division (5th AD) originated on 19 October 1940 at McChord Field, Washington. Its initial mission was air defense of the northwest United States with three bombardment groups (12th, 17th and 39th) flying early B-17 Flying Fortresses (B-17C...
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Group
The 1st Provisional Group was established on 20 July 1942 at Lydda. It brought together the existing 9th Bomb Squadron and the Hal Bomb Squadron, which were operating the Middle East.
1 August 1943
Operation TIDAL WAVE. B-24D Liberators attack the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. The bombers flew low to avoid radar detection and dropped time delayed bombs. Out of the 177 B-24s that took part in the raid 167 managed to attack their targets. 57...
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Established | Lydda | 31 October 1942 |
Based | Abu Sueir | 8 November 1942 – 10 February 1943 |
Based | Mellaha | 6 April 1943 – 26 September 1943 |
Based | San Pancrazio | 17 November 1943 – 19 April 1945 |
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 15AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Sofia, Bulgaria 20-Dec-43 with Bob Brown crew; Collided with out of control ME109, ripping wing from A/C. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 1592
Awards: PH.
Military | Colonel | B-24 Command Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
Norman C. Appold graduated from the Aviation Cadet Training Program in 1942, commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. After completing pilot training, he served as a B-24 pilot in the 376th Bomb Group, completing 63 missions.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
SSgt. Angelo Aspeci was assigned to the 515th Bomb Squadron, the 376th Bomb Group, and TDY to the 9th Air Force. He was a crew member on the B-24D, 42-40664, Teggie Ann, flown by Col. K.K. Compton on the Ploesti oil refinery bombing mission,...
Military | Captain | Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
Pilot B-24 Liberator #42-40203 'Tobias the Terrible' 515th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF, flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, returned safely to Libya.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 376th Bomb Group
Missing in Action on B-24 41-11603 'Malicious' on 31 January 1943, on a mission to Messina. His aircraft was hit by flak and forced to ditch in the sea.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 15AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Sofia, Bulgaria 20-Dec-43 with Bob Brown crew; Collided with out of control ME109, ripping wing from A/C. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 1592
Awards: AM, PH.
Military | Crew Chief | 376th Bomb Group
He attended Western Carolina University for a year and decided he wanted to serve his country. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps where he served as crew chief mechanic on B24 bomber airplanes in the Libyan desert arena and the boot of Italy with the...
Military | First Lieutenant | Co Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
Co Pilot B-24 Liberator #42-40203 'Tobias the Terrible' 515th BS, 376th BG, 9th AF, shot down on 28th Dec 43 mission to Vicenza marshaling yards, Saletto Italy, pilot John L Sonaglia, 3 KIA / 7 POW. MACR 1617
Military | Lieutenant General | B-24 Command Pilot - Squadron Commander - Commanding Officer | 376th Bomb Group
Keith Karl Compton was an American Air Force Lieutenant General who was Vice Commander in Chief, in the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command. He flew as the Element Lead Aircraft's Command Pilot with Gen. Uzal Ent, the Ploesti Mission...
Military | Technical Sergeant | B-24 Radio Operator | 376th Bomb Group
TSgt. Harry W. Crampton, was assigned as a radio operator on the B-24D, 42-40664, Teggie Ann, in the 515th Bomb Squadron, the 376th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force from Britain, temporarily detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force, USAAF, in Benghazi, Libya, for...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, 41-11613, that was in the 376th Bomb Group, had several names : Florine JuJu - The Blue Streak - Liberandos - Teggie Ann. It should not be mistaken for another B-24D Liberator bomber, 42-40664, also named, Teggie Ann, which was flown on the...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D Liberator aircraft, 41-24024, named, Bewitching Witch, in the 376th Bomb Group in the U.K. It was loaned to the 44th Bomb Group, temporarily detached (TDY) to the 9th Air Force in North Africa, for Operation Tidal Wave, the low level mission...
B-24 Liberator
Trade Winds was transferred, on 24 Feb 45 to the MTO, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 513th Bomb Squadron, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 15th Air Force, where it was assigned it's first mission. Later, assigned to the 837th Bomb Squadron, the 487th Bomb...
B-24 Liberator
Lost en-route to Ploesti, Romania with the loss of all crew members :
...
B-24 Liberator
Shot down by a Bf 109G-6 near Wiemath, Austria on Nov 2, 1943. 8 KIA, 2 POW. MACR 1099
...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, Brewery Wagon, flew on the famous bombing mission to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. It was shot down by flak and an ME-109 as it was approaching it's target over Ploesti. Two of the crew were KIA, eight became POW's. MACR...
B-24 Liberator
Crash landed in Turkey after Ploesti oil refinery raid, 1st Aug 1943. Pilot Wilford E Hines. Crew interned in Turkey.
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, named, Teggie Ann, 42-40664, should not be mistaken for another of two other B-24Ds, two of three B-24Ds, 41-23754, and 41-11613, also named, Teggie Ann, that were in the 8th Air Force in the U.K in 1942-43. Later, 42-40664, Teggie Ann's,...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, Liberator bomber, 41-11636, first named, Wash's Tub, was first flown by Martin Walsh and was originally Halpro aircraft, #24, first, in the Halverson Project in 1942 in the 9th Air Force. It was later transferred to the 8th Air Force, the...
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, Hail Columbia, 41-11825, was assigned to the 9th Air Force, the 98th Bomb Group, and the 344th Bombing Squadron. It was first assigned to the 344th Squadron's CO, Col. John R. Kane's, personal aircraft until Kane became the 98th Bomb Group's...
Distinguished Unit Citations:
North Africa and Sicily, [Nov] 1942-17 Aug 1943;
Ploesti, Rumania, Aug 1943;
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, 16 Jun 1944.
Date | Contributor | Update |
---|---|---|
17 March 2019 06:15:59 | Kickapoo | Changes to person associations |
Sources | ||
Black Sunday ~ Michael Hill |
||
Date | Contributor | Update |
06 November 2016 23:32:20 | 466thHistorian | Changes to stations |
Sources | ||
Date | Contributor | Update |
02 November 2016 22:52:48 | 466thHistorian | Changes to insignia, citations, description, unit part of associations, unit encompassing associations and stations |
Sources | ||
http://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/376th_Bombardment_Group.cfm |
||
Date | Contributor | Update |
28 July 2016 18:56:14 | millebr | Changes to type, nicknames, air forces and aircraft types |
Sources | ||
historyofwar.org |
||
Date | Contributor | Update |
27 September 2014 18:42:45 | AAM | AAM ingest |
Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia |