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387th Bomb Group

Group

  • 387th Bomb Group Reunion, Dayton OH, 2002

    387th Bomb Group Reunion, Dayton OH, 2002

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  • Second Lieutenant A.K. Jorgensen, First Lieutenant Richard Ulvestad and Second Lieutenant Gordon Hatt talk with a fellow airman of the 387th Bomb Group in front of their B-26 Marauder. Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 14 Oct 1943.'[stamp] and '288177.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: '

    Second Lieutenant A.K. Jorgensen, First Lieutenant Richard Ulvestad and Second Lieutenant Gordon Hatt talk with a fellow airman of the 387th Bomb Group in front of their B-26 Marauder. Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 14 Oct 1943.'[stamp] and '288177.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: '"MARAUDER" GETS HOME WITH ONE ENGINE AFLAME. "Double Trouble" is the name of a B-26 at a US Marauder station. On a recent raid over France it lived up to its name with a vengeance. All but knocked out of the sky by attacking enemy fighters and flak, it came back on one engine, with the other spurting flame, a situation perilous enough to give the most hardened pilot nightmares. PHOTO SHOWS: 2nd Lt. A.K. Jorgensen, San Francisco, Bombardier, 1st Lt. Richard Ulvestad, Forest River, Illinois, Pilot and 2nd Lt. Gordon Hatt, Patten, Maine, co-pilot, talking to a soldier who does their bombing up. US Pool/SG/H Keystone.'

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  • A bomber crew of the 387th Bomb Group with their B-26 Marauder nicknamed

    A bomber crew of the 387th Bomb Group with their B-26 Marauder nicknamed "General Sherman".

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  • A ground crewman of the 387th Bomb Group sits atop a bomb by a B-26 Marauder.

    A ground crewman of the 387th Bomb Group sits atop a bomb by a B-26 Marauder.

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  • Civillians and personnel of the 387th Bomb Group gather around B-26 Marauders.

    Civillians and personnel of the 387th Bomb Group gather around B-26 Marauders.

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  • Two ground crewmen of the 387th Bomb Group with a B-26 Marauder nicknamed

    Two ground crewmen of the 387th Bomb Group with a B-26 Marauder nicknamed "Lil' Annie".

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  • Personnel of the 387th Bomb Group sit together before the start of a mission. Image via Robert C. Allen. Handwritten caption on reverse: '

    Personnel of the 387th Bomb Group sit together before the start of a mission. Image via Robert C. Allen. Handwritten caption on reverse: '"Waiting to Start Engines", Sherman on the left'

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  • A bomber crew of the 387th Bomb Group with their B-26 Marauder.

    A bomber crew of the 387th Bomb Group with their B-26 Marauder.

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  • Ground personnel of the 387th Bomb Group prepare to fit an engine to a B-26 Marauder.

    Ground personnel of the 387th Bomb Group prepare to fit an engine to a B-26 Marauder.

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  • Captain Sherman (wearing sunglasses) of the 387th Bomb Group stands with his crew, including Lieutenant Keefe (furthest right) and B-26 Marauder nicknamed

    Captain Sherman (wearing sunglasses) of the 387th Bomb Group stands with his crew, including Lieutenant Keefe (furthest right) and B-26 Marauder nicknamed "General Sherman". Image via Henry Mitigner. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Capt. Sherman (dark glasses), Lt. Martin Keefe (last on right).'

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The 387th Bomb Group flew just under thirty missions with the Eighth Air Force before being transferred to the Ninth Air Force in October 1943. The Group remained at Chipping Ongar, Essex after being reassigned and continued to hit targets in France. Subsequent to the Allied invasion of the continent, the 387th moved to Stony Cross in July 1944 and on to a series of bases in France. The crews flew from Clastres, north-eastern France, for the mission that resulted in a Distinguished Unit Citation for the Group, awarded for hitting transportation and communication targets at Mayen and Prum, Germany during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 to January 1945.

Structure

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Missions

  • VIII Air Support Command 11E

    31 July 1943
    This is VIII ASC mission 11E. 24 B-26s from 387BG are despatched to fly a diversion for the other B-26s attacking airfields in VIII ASC mission 11. No losses or claims.

  • VIII Air Support Command 19A

    15 August 1943
    The German airfield of Ft. Rouge and St. Omer, France is the target for 36 B-26s desparched from 387th BG. This is the first bobmbing mission for 387th Bomb Group. 31 of the aircraft are effective on the target. There are no losses or claims although...

  • VIII Air Support Command 21

    16 August 1943
    The German airfield of Bernay St. Martin, France is the primary target for 36 B-26s despatched from 387BG. 31 aircraft are effective on the target. There are no claims or losses, although 2 aircraft sustain damage from anti-aircraft fire.

  • VIII Air Support Command 24

    17 August 1943
    This mission was planned as a diversion for the out-bound B-17s attacking at Schweinfurt. 36 B-26s from the 323BG were despatched to attack the German airfield at Poix (Nord), France, which they did at 1552hrs. 35 of these aircraft were effective on...

  • VIII Air Support Command 27B

    19 August 1943
    36 B-26s from 387BG are despatched to bomb the German airfield at Poix/Nord, France. 35 are effective on the target. There are no losses or claims, but 1 is damaged.

  • VIII Air Support Command 33B

    24 August 1943
    An unknown number of B-26s are despatched to fly a diversion for the B-17s attacking the German airfield of Bordeaux/Merignac, France. No information in source data concerning exactly what Bomb Groups participated of the number sent.

  • VIII Air Support Command 34A

    25 August 1943
    21 B-26s from 387BG are despatched to bomb the power station at Rouen, France. All 21 are effective on the target late in the afternoon - 1832 hrs. 2 are damaged by anti-aircraft fire. There are no losses or claims

  • VIII Air Support Command 39B & 40

    31 August 1943
    VIII ASC 39B - 36 B-26s from 387BG are despatched to bomb the German airfield at Lille/Vendeville, France. All 36 are effective on the target, but one aircraft Fails to Return (FTR)-5KIA 1POW. There are no bomber gunner claims against enemy aircraft. ...

  • VIII Air Support Command 40

    31 August 1943
    76 B-26s from: 322BG (36) and 386BG (36) are despatched to bomb military installations at Hesdin, France. The mission is recalled when the target is foound to be obscured by clouds. There are no losses or claims.

  • VIII Air Support Command 41

    2 September 1943
    This mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a formation of 36-B-26s from 386BG despatched to bomb the power station at Rouen, France. The target is obscured by clouds, so the formation diverts to bomb the secondary target of the...

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Stations

Station Location Date
Based Chipping Ongar 25 June 1943 – 18 July 1944
Based Stony Cross 18 July 1944 – 22 August 1944
Based Maupertus 22 August 1944 – 18 September 1944
Based Chateaudun 18 September 1944 – 30 October 1944
Based Clastres 30 October 1944 – 29 April 1945
Based Maastricht 29 April 1945

Connections

People

  • Robert Abell

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Engineer/Gunner | 387th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 31-Aug-43 in B-26B 41-31653 "King Bee" [KX:M] while serving Engineer/Gunner. The aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire and crashed while bombing the German airfield at Lille/Vendeville, France. Loss documented on MACR 471 but...

  • Florenze Ackmann

    Military | 387th Bomb Group

  • Richard Ainsworth

    Military | Pilot | 387th Bomb Group
    Rich Ainsworth told me that he had graduated from all fighter pilot schools, number three in his class. One day soon after graduation the CO called a formation. The CO called out names starting with "A", Ainsworth was called and sent to fly B26s as a...

  • Thomas Alford

    Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 387th Bomb Group
    B-26 #41-31911 crashed on return from mission to Boulogne, FR. due to flak damage. The 322nd was moved to the 9th AF Oct. 1943.

  • Lloyd Allan

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 387th Bomb Group
    Crashed upon landing in Essex 26 June 1943 in B-26 #41-31680. Suffered minor injuries.

  • Lloyd Allen

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 387th Bomb Group
    24 October 1943 Crash landed in #41-31641 at Gosfield, Essex. Returned to duty.

  • Ernest Anderson

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 387th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) 31-Aug-43 in B-26B 41-31653 "King Bee" [KX:M] while serving as pilot. The aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire and crashed while bombing the German airfield at Lille/Vendeville, France. PH

  • Francis Anderson

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 387th Bomb Group
    On 21-Sep-43 while serving as Tail Gunner in B-26B 41-31721 'Cactus Jack' 387BG/559BS his aircraft was despatched with 36 other B-26s to bomb the German airfield of Beauvais/Tillie, France. The aircraft sustained major damage from AA fire over the...

  • Julian Baggett

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator, Gunner | 387th Bomb Group
    Killed in action when his aircraft was shot down on 32nd mission.

  • Neil Bartholme

    Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 387th Bomb Group
    1st Lt Neil G. Bartholome was the co-pilot of the B-26 Marauder #42-96199 when it took off from station 162 Chipping Ongar, Essex UK on a mission to bomb Chartres’ airfield. Around 1755, just as the plane, part of the first bombing group, was starting...

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Aircraft

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Citations

None

Air Force
8th
9th
Type
Combat
Type category
Bombardment
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
13 March 2017 01:18:06 Mike Smith Changes to media associations
Sources

ms
Date Contributor Update
22 February 2017 11:11:27 general ira snapsorter Changes to stations
Sources

Stations added with details from:
- "Battle Colors Volume III - Insignia and Tactical Markings of the Ninth Air Force in World War Two' by Robert A. Watkins;
Date Contributor Update
13 March 2015 15:35:54 rossingtonj Changes to type and mission associations
Sources

Type added.
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 / 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)

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