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397th Bomb Group

Group

  • A B-26 Marauder (serial number 42-96191) nicknamed

    A B-26 Marauder (serial number 42-96191) nicknamed "The Milk Run Special" of the 397th Bomb Group at Steeple Morden, 1945. Image by Alexander "Cal" Sloan. Written on slide casing: '296191, 397 BG.' Flown overseas by Lt. George Overbey and assigned to him in the 597th squadron.

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  • B-26 Marauders (9F-K, serial number 43-34401) nicknamed

    B-26 Marauders (9F-K, serial number 43-34401) nicknamed ""Helen Hi-Water III" and ( 9F-T, serial number 42-96280) nicknamed "Baby Butch II" of the 597th Bomb Squadron, 397th Bomb Group release bombs during a mission. Handwritten caption on reverse: '397BG, 597BS. "Baby Butch II" & "Helen Highwater III".' "Helen Highwater III" was squadron commander Col. Frank Wood's airplane.

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  • Capt Mont F Stephensen at the nose wheel of B-26 43-34434 'Draggin Lady III' 599BS, 397BG, 9AF.

    Capt Mont F Stephensen at the nose wheel of B-26 43-34434 'Draggin Lady III' 599BS, 397BG, 9AF.

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  • Pasquale J Carino, tail gunner; Vito Portanova, engr.; Harold Russell Strickland, toggilier; Everett Willemsen, pilot; Ernest W Lutz, CP; James M Pandiani, radio in front of B-26 'Bar Fly' probably while still in England.

    Pasquale J Carino, tail gunner; Vito Portanova, engr.; Harold Russell Strickland, toggilier; Everett Willemsen, pilot; Ernest W Lutz, CP; James M Pandiani, radio in front of B-26 'Bar Fly' probably while still in England.

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  • Photo taken by Earl C Fox 397BG's photographer from 42-96181 'Draggin Lady' 26-Jul-44. The flight in the distance is flight A box 2 and comprised 42-96139 [Lead], 42-96124 'Holy Moses' far right, 42-96123 'Baby Butch' far left and 42-96172. The near flight, flight C box 2 and comprises 42-96182 'Miss Furie'[Lead], 42-96176 'Lily from Picadilly', 42-96283 and 42-96289.

    Photo taken by Earl C Fox 397BG's photographer from 42-96181 'Draggin Lady' 26-Jul-44. The flight in the distance is flight A box 2 and comprised 42-96139 [Lead], 42-96124 'Holy Moses' far right, 42-96123 'Baby Butch' far left and 42-96172. The near flight, flight C box 2 and comprises 42-96182 'Miss Furie'[Lead], 42-96176 'Lily from Picadilly', 42-96283 and 42-96289.

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  • Pvt 1st class Abraham J Korn 596BS, 397BG, 9AF.

    Pvt 1st class Abraham J Korn 596BS, 397BG, 9AF.

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  • S/Sgt James P Negri 596BS, 397BG, 9AF.

    S/Sgt James P Negri 596BS, 397BG, 9AF.

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  • Martin Marauder B-26 42-96144 'Bank Nite Betty' and crew. Pilot 1st Lt Charles W Este is at far left.

    Martin Marauder B-26 42-96144 'Bank Nite Betty' and crew. Pilot 1st Lt Charles W Este is at far left.

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  • 1st Lt Charles W Estes 596BS, 397BG, 9AF.

    1st Lt Charles W Estes 596BS, 397BG, 9AF.

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  • Bruno T. Daszkiewicz

    Bruno T. Daszkiewicz

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Structure

Part of
Encompassing
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Missions

  • VIII Air Support Command 51

    6 September 1943
    Railroad marshalling yards in France are the targets of this two-element mission. The first element is a formation of 72 B-26s from: 323BG (36) and 322BG (36) despatched to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Amiens, France. This is the second...

Stations

Station Location Date
Based Gosfield 5 April 1944 – 15 April 1944
Based Rivenhall 15 April 1944 – 4 August 1944
Based Hurn 4 August 1944 – 30 August 1944
Based Gorges 30 August 1944 – 11 September 1944
Based Dreux 11 September 1944 – 6 October 1944
Based Péronne 6 October 1944 – 25 April 1945
Based Venlo 25 April 1945

Connections

People

  • Clarence Abrahamson

    Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 397th Bomb Group
    Air Medal Abrahamson was originally with the 385th BG, 549 Squadron and was transferred to the 9th AF when there was a shortage of gunners.

  • Robert Altman

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 397th Bomb Group
    Assigned 599BS, 397BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing raid on the Eller railroad bridge, Germany went missing after attacks by enemy fighters, last seen with one engine on fire. Prisoner of War (POW). 23-Dec-44. MACR 11487. ...

  • Winfred Anderson

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 397th Bomb Group
    65 missions

  • Charles Berry

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Armorer/Gunner | 397th Bomb Group

  • Donald Berry

    Military | Major | Bombarier | 397th Bomb Group
    Donald Russell Berry of Forest City, PA served as a bombardier in the 9th Air Force of the Army during WWII. He flew 65 missions from March to December 1944 and earned 4 battle stars and 12 Oak Leaf Clusters.

  • LeRoy Blattner

    Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 397th Bomb Group
    Killed in action on 3 August 1944 when his aircraft collided with B-26 42-96169 in bad weather, on a combat mission to the railway junction at Courtalain, France.

  • Stephen Briggs

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 397th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 598BS, 397BG, 9AF USAAF. Hit by flak and was returning on one engine. Crash landing due to lack of fuel 1 mile south of Friston. 17-Jun-44. Killed in Action (KIA). Awards: PH.

  • Jacob Brinn

    Military | Sergeant | Armorer/Gunner | 397th Bomb Group
    Jacob Brinn served as armorer/gunner with the 598th Bomb Squadron of the 397th Bomb Group. On 1 August 1944, his B-26 43-34126 "By Golly" was shot down and crashed near Angers, France. Jacob bailed out and survived.

  • Francis Brodley

    Military | Sergeant | Gunner | 397th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 597BS, 397BG, 9AF USAAF. Departed base Perrone (A-72) on mission to Germany, climbing through 10/10 cloud layer departed formation. Crashed 3 km SW Wassigny, partial bomb load detonation destroyed A/C and crew. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR...

  • Francis Brown

    Military | First Lieutenant | 397th Bomb Group

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Aircraft

  • 42-27177

    P-47 Thunderbolt

  • 42-96120 'Mama Liz'

    B-26 Marauder
    Assigned to 597BS, 397BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) hit by flak, dropped 3-4 thousand feet, crew baled out 24-Jun-44 1 x EVD, 5 x POW MACR 6197. ...

  • 42-96121

    B-26 Marauder

  • 42-96124 'Holy Moses'

    B-26 Marauder
    Assigned to 597BS, 397BG, 9AF USAAF. Departed base Perrone (A-72) on mission to Germany, climbing through 10/10 cloud layer departed formation. Crashed 3 km SW Wassigny, partial bomb load detonation destroyed A/C and crew. 6 x Killed in Action (KIA)....

  • 42-96127

    B-26 Marauder

  • 42-96135

    B-26 Marauder

  • 42-96143

    B-26 Marauder
    Assigned to 596BS, 397BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) R/R Oissel. Hit by flak prior to reaching the target. It was last seen going down with two engines smoking, but apparently under control near Aboucourt, France. 8-May-44 MACR 4429. ...

  • 42-96144 'Bank Nite Betty'

    B-26 Marauder
    Assigned to 596BS, 397BG, 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bombing mission to the railroad bridge at Eller, Germany on the Mosel River. Hit by direct flak hit, A/C came apart at the turret and crashed NE of St Vith. No chutes observed. 7 x KIA (KIA)....

  • 42-96152 Missouri Mule II

    B-26 Marauder

  • 42-96160

    B-26 Marauder

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Citations

None

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

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
22 February 2017 11:28:31 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
25 February 2015 17:12:37 rossingtonj Changes to type, mission associations and stations
Sources

Associated with Gosfield.
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:42:45 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / 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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