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.

Structure

Part of

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  IX Bomber Command

  Command

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  5th Bomb 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...

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  47th Bomb Wing

  Wing

Encompassing

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  513th Bomb Squadron

  Squadron

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  512th Bomb Squadron

  Squadron

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  514th Bomb Squadron

  Squadron

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  515th Bomb Squadron

  Squadron

Previously was

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  1st Provisional Group

  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.

Became

Not yet known

Missions

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  Operation Tidal Wave

  1 August 1943
  Operation TIDAL WAVE. B24D 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 B...

Stations

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

Connections

People

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  Henry Alexander

  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.

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  Norman Appold

  Military | Colonel | B-24 Command Pilot | 376th Bomb Group
  Norman 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 Association, completing 63 missions. ...

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  Angelo Aspesi

  Military | Staff Sergeant | Gunner | 376th Bomb Group
  Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Crew member on B-24 42-40664 'Teggie Ann', flew on 1-Aug-43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, successfully returning to Benghazi, Libya. Awards: DFC, AM (4OLC), PH, WWII Victory, EAME.

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  Charles Bley

  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. ...

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  Robert Block

  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.

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  Robert Brown

  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.

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  Lawrence Burgin

  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...

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  Irwin Carr

  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

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  Keith Compton

  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...

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  Harry Crampton

  Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 376th Bomb Group
  Assigned to 515BS, 376BG, 9AF USAAF. Don Hurd crew. Radio operator of B-24 42-40664 'Teggie Ann'. Failed to Return (FTR) Foggia; shot down by enemy fighters over Italy 16-Aug-43, (10 POW), MACR 298 ...

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Aircraft

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  41-11613 Florine Ju Ju, Liberandos, Teggie Ann, The Blue Streak

  B-24 Liberator
  The B-24D, #41-11613, 'The Blue Streak' of the 514th Bomb Squadron, the 376th Bomb Group, and the 9th Air Force was originally named 'Florine Ju Ju', then, '71 Liberandos', '71 Teggie Ann', and last '71 The Blue Streak'. She was a member of the HALPRO...

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  41-28837 'Trade Winds'

  B-24 Liberator
  Assigned 837th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. Transferred to the MTO on February 24th 1945 and assigned to the 513th Bomb Squadron, 376th Bomb Group, 15th AF.

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  42-40563 'Wongo Wongo!'

  B-24 Liberator
  Lost en route to Ploesti, Romania with the loss of all crew members. ...

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  41-24258 Minerva II, Desert Lily

  B-24 Liberator
  Shot down by a Bf 109G-6 near Wiemath, Austria on Nov 2, 1943. 8 KIA, 2 POW. MACR 1099 ...

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  41-24294 BREWERY WAGON

  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...

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  41-24297 'Chief Wahoo' 'War Maid'

  B-24 Liberator
  Crash landed in Turkey after Ploesti oil refinery raid, 1st Aug 1943. Pilot Wilford E Hines. Crew interned in Turkey.

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  42-40664 Honey Chile, Teggie Ann, Liberandos

  B-24 Liberator
  Not to be mistaken for the B-24D # 41-11613, named, 'Florine JuJu' / '71 Liberandos' / '71 Teggie Ann' / '71 The Blue Streak'. ...

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  41-11636 WASH'S TUB - LIBERANDOS

  B-24 Liberator
  The B-24D, Liberator bomber first named, WASH'S TUB - 41-11636 - 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...

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  41-11825 HAIL COLUMBIA - LITTLE CHIEF-BIG DOG - GRUMPY - HAIL COLUMBIA

  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, as Col. John R. Kane's, personal aircraft until Kane became the 98th Bomb...

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  41-24259 'Warmaid'

  B-24 Liberator
  On loan to 93rd BG and scheduled to be flown by 1st Lt Howard W Freese on the 1 Aug 43 Ploesti mission. He was obliged to turn back, jettison the bombs in the sea and return to Benghazi, Libya, due to a serious fuel leak discovered immediately after...

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Citations

Distinguished Unit Citations:
North Africa and Sicily, [Nov] 1942-17 Aug 1943;
Ploesti, Rumania, Aug 1943;
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, 16 Jun 1944.