379th Bomb Group

Group
The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group. media-395065.jpg FRE 5122 The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5122 - The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group.

The 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for operations across the period beginning 28 May 1943 to 31 July 1944. The second was awarded to the 1st Bomb Division as a whole for flying without fighter protection to bomb aircraft factories at Oschersleben on 11 January 1944.



The 379th was comprised of four (4) Bombardment Squadrons (All B-17's)

1) 524th - Squadron Marking: WA

2) 525th - Squadron Marking: FR

3) 526th - Squadron Marking: LF

4) 527th - Squadron Marking: FO

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Kimbolton 20 May 1943 - 12 June 1945

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 42nd Station Complement Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15080111 / O-736083
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 42nd Station Complement Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Private
  • Role/Job: AA Detachment

Aircraft

An airman of the 379th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress. Handwritten caption on reverse: '161.' Press caption removed from reverse. On reverse: Associated Press [Stamp].
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Birmingham Blitzkreig
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 526th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 526th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lucy
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron

Mission

  • Date: 19 February 1945
  • Date: 16 February 1945
Ground crew attend to a crashed P-51 Mustang nicknamed "Baby Jo" of the 357th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: ' Lt Noel Breen ran out of fuel 9 Feb '45.'
  • Date: 9 February 1945
  • Date: 11 October 1944
  • Date: 30 August 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
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Contributorfremaux3
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Sources

photo

Date
ContributorTennyBelle
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8th AF database

Date
ContributorTennyBelle
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unit patch

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Contributorcody1947
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379th BG History

Date
Contributorcody1947
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None

Date
Contributorcody1947
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379th BG records

Date
Contributorcody1947
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379th BG records and this aircraft's record card.

Date
Contributorcody1947
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Placed data on wrong aircraft

Date
Contributorcody1947
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The records of the 379th BG and this aircraft's record card.

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
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466th BG Historian

Date
Contributorcody1947
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Aircraft Record Card & some data from the 379th BG Anthology.

Date
Contributorbombercommand
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American Air Museum Data Base

Date
ContributorAAM
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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)

379th Bomb Group: Gallery (454 items)