387TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (MEDIUM)
The Tiger-Striped Marauders
"Screaming Eagle," a B-26 of the 387th Bombardment Group (Medium),
sporting
the group's distinctive diagonal yellow and black "tiger stripe"
tail markings.
This site provides a communications point and information source for
members of the 387th BG and their families. All veterans, families and
devotees are invited to use the site and asked to submit new information,
photographs, comments and corrections. Arrangements have been made to preserve
this site in perpetuity so that it can serve as a reference for future
generations.
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The 387th Bombardment Group (Medium) was one of eight U.S. Army Air Force B-26 equipped medium bomber groups deployed in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Known as the "Tiger-Striped Marauders" or "Tiger Tails" because of the distinctive diagonal yellow and black stripes painted on the tails of its aircraft, the group was comprised of four tactical squadrons: the 556th, 557th, 558th and 559th Bombardment Squadrons, Medium.
BRIEF HISTORY
The 387th Bombardment Group (Medium) was constituted on November 25, 1942,
and activated on December 1 at MacDill Field in Tampa Bay, Florida. The
group formed there and trained with the new B-26 medium bomber produced
by the Glenn L. Martin Company. It rounded out its training with brief
stays at Drane Field, Florida, starting April 12, 1943 and Godman Field,
Kentucky, starting in early May. In late May the aircrews picked up the
group's first 56 combat aircraft at Selfridge Field, Michigan, and spent
four more weeks there and at other locations training, outfitting and and
making some last-minute modifications to the new aircraft. On June 19 the
air echelon left Presque, Maine for England via the northern ferry route,
arriving on June 25. Ground personnel left Godman Field for New York on
June 10, sailed on the Queen Mary on June 23 and arrived at the port of
Clyde on June 29.
In England the group was first assigned to the Eighth Air Force, VIII Air
Support Command, 3rd Bombardment Wing and stationed at a newly built-airfield
near Chipping Ongar, about 20 miles northeast of London. The group flew
its first mission, a diversion, on July 31 and its first bombing mission
on August 15. The Eighth Air Force saw its mission as a strategic one aimed
at destroying the German capacity to make war and thus wanted to focus
on long-range missions against industrial targets deep inside Germany.
Although the twin-engined B-26s carried the same bomb load and flew faster
than the four-engined heavy bombers, they had a much shorter range. Accordingly,
during its tenure with the Eighth Air Force the bulk of the group's missions
were attacks on Luftwaffe airfields in occupied France and Belgium intended
to relieve pressure on the heavies.
In September 1943 Ninth Air Force headquarters arrived in England to assume
the task of providing tactical air support for the invasion of Normandy.
The 387th was transferred to that headquarters on October 16, and assigned
to the IX Bomber Command, 98th Bombardment Wing (Medium).
German construction of V-weapon launching sites targeting English cities presented a new danger, and in the winter of 1943-1944 a good deal of the group's attention was diverted to strike against such sites, both before and after they became operational. The group also participated in "Big Week," the intensive campaign against the German Air Force and aircraft industry involving both the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces, by hitting airfields at Leeuwarden and Venlo in the Netherlands in order to disrupt the defensive response to massed heavy bombers raiding into Germany.
In May of 1944 the group's attention turned full-time to bridges, marshalling yards and coastal batteries in direct preparation for the invasion of Normandy; this included attacks on targets outside the actual invasion area to mislead as to the actual invasion site and disrupt the enemy's ability to move reinforcements to the true invasion site. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, the 387th bombed the defenses at Utah beach. Once the invasion was underway, enemy troop concentrations and strong points were added to the list of priority targets. For the next few months the 387th provided direct air support to allied ground forces by raiding railroad marshalling yards, bridges, road junctions, defended areas and fuel dumps.
In July the 387th moved to Stoney Cross, an airfield close to the English Channel that had been vacated by a fighter group that had moved on to France, to be closer to the fighting. A month later it moved to France itself, the first medium bomber group to do so. Operating from a former Luftwaffe airfield near Cherbourg, the 387th participated in attacks on St. Lo and on German forces at Brest. As the front advanced the group followed, first to Chateaudun and then to Clastres; this enabled the group to have faster response times, deeper penetrations and multiple missions per day. By the fall of 1944 the group was conducting missions over Germany.
At the start of the German counteroffensive known as the Battle of the Bulge the 387th, like the rest of the Air Forces, was at first grounded by bad weather. At the first break in the weather the group flew missions to disrupt German supply and support by hitting strongly defended transportation and communications targets at Mayen and Prum; its performance there earned it a Distinguished Unit Citation. As the Allied forces drove into the Reich, the group continued its mission by attacking bridges, communications centers, marshalling yards, storage installations, and other objectives in front of the advancing Allied Forces. The group launched its last combat mission on April 26, 1945; that mission was recalled three minutes from base because the intended target had been overrun by fast moving U.S. ground forces.
The men of the 387th celebrated V-E day at their camp in an orchard near Maastricht, Holland. During its 21 months of combat operations, the group launched 396 combat missions. It delivered 16,280 tons of bombs onto enemy targets, in the process establishing an outstanding record for bombing accuracy. Nearly 100 of the group's aircraft were either shot down or damaged beyond repair, over 300 airmen were killed or reported missing in action and another 217 were wounded.
The Army was reluctant to disband the group while war was still raging in the Pacific. Although aircrews with the longest service were released beginning July, the group remained together as a unit. After VJ day the sleek Marauders on which the crews had lavished so much attention were flown to a base in Germany and unceremoniously blown up. On November 4th, 1945, the group embarked on the U.S.S. LeJeune at Le Havre, France, for return to the United States. It arrived at Camp Kilmer on November 11, and within three days virtually all personnel had departed for separation centers. The group was formally inactivated on November 17, 1945.
The role of the B-26 groups
in the war in Europe is not as well known as that of the B-17 heavy bombers.
This is partially because the heavy bombers had a strategic mission of
their own while the B-26s flew to support the ground forces, partially
because there were forty groups of heavies as compared to only eight groups
of B-26s, and partially because the heavies flew deep into the heart of
Germany and experienced much heavier losses. The two-engined B-26 medium
bombers compared favorably with the four-engined B-17s--they carried the
same bomb-load, flew faster and had a smaller size that made them less
of a target. What the extra engines and larger wingspan gave the heavies
was the ability to carry a lot more gas; their ability to get from airfields
in England to Berlin and back is what gave them their strategic role.
BRIEF HISTORY
Have completely searched:Constituted as 387th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 25 Nov 1942. Activated on 1 Dec 1942. Trained with
"556th Bombardment"
B-26 aircraft. Moved to England in Jun 1943. Served with Eighth AF until assigned to Ninth in Oct 1943. Began
combat in Aug 1943 and concentrated its attacks on airdromes during the first months of operations. Made
numerous strikes on V-weapon sites in France in the winter of 1943-1944. Hit airfields at Leeuwarden and Venlo
during Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944, the intensive campaign against the German Air Force and aircraft industry.
Helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by attacking coastal batteries and bridges in France during
May 1944. Bombed along the invasion coast on 6 Jun 1944 and supported ground forces throughout the month
by raiding railroads, bridges, road junctions, defended areas, and fuel dumps. Moved to the Continent in Jul
1944 and participated in attacks on the enemy at St Lo in the latter part of the month and on German forces at
Brest during Aug and Sep. Extended operations into Germany by fall of 1944. Received a DUC for action during
the Battle of the Bulge when the group hit strongly defended transportation and communications targets at
Mayen and Prum. Supported the Allied drive into the Reich by attacking bridges, communications centers,
marshalling yards, storage installations, and other objectives. Ended combat operations in Apr 1945. Returned
to the US in Nov. Inactivated on 17 Nov 1945.
9th Air Force, 98th Bombardment Wing,
History w/8th AF:
Assigned 8th AAF: June 25 1943Wing/Command Assignment
VIII ASC, 3 BW: 25 Jun 1943Combat Aircraft:
B-26B, B-26CStations
CHIPPING ONGAR 21 Jun 1943 to 18 Jul 1944Group COs
Col. Carl R. Storrie 19 Jan 1943 to 8 Nov 1943First Mission: 15 Aug 1943
Last Mission: 9 Oct 1943
Missions: 29
Aircraft MIA: 2Early History:
Activated 1 December 1942 at MacDill Field in Florida. Formed and trained there with B-26s. Moved to Drane Field on the 12th of April 1943 and to Godman Field Kentucky in early May 1943. The ground unit left for Port of embarkation on the 10th of June 1943 and sailed on the Queen Mary on the 23rd of June 1943, and arrived at Clyde on the 29th of June 1943. The aircraft flew via the northern ferry route to the United Kingdom in early June of 1943.Subsequent History:
Transferred to the 9th AF, IX BC, on the 16th of October 1943. Moved to Stony Cross in July 1944 and to France in late August of 1944. The unit flew tactical bombing missions in support of Allied land forces. The group was inactivated in the US on November 1945.
COMBAT AIRCRAFT
- Martin B-26 Marauder
The 387th Bombardment Group consisted of about 2000 men organized into a headquarters company, a service company and four bombardment squadrons. Although missions were assigned to and flown as a group, the men of the 387th identified most closely with their squadrons. Each squadron was assigned an identifying color; the prop spinners and propeller tips of the squadron's aircraft were painted in that color.Under USAAF Technical Orders a squadron was to be made up of a maximum of twenty aircraft, half of them operational ready and the other half on standby and/or undergoing required maintenance and service. The squadrons of the 387th were rarely at full strength. Each squadron had four flights, A, B, C and D.
- Headquarters Company
- 556th Bombardment Squadron, Medium - Squadron designation: FW; squadron color: yellow
- 557th Bombardment Squadron, Medium - Squadron designation: KS; squadron color: blue
- 558th Bombardment Squadron, Medium - Squadron designation: KX; squadron color: white
- 559th Bombardment Squadron, Medium - Squadron designation: TQ; squadron color: red
- 53rd Service Squadron -
- 70th Service Squadron -
- 46th Station Complement Squadron -
- Diagonal yellow and black "Tiger Stripes" painted across the top of the vertical stabilizer
- MacDill Field, Florida (1 Dec 1942 - )
- Drane Field, Florida (12 Apr 1943 - )
- Godman Field, Kentucky (c. 11 May 1943 - 10 Jun 1943)
- Station 162, Chipping Ongar, Essex, England (25 Jun 1943 - )
- Station 452, Stoney Cross, Hampshire, England (18 Jul 1944 - )
- Station A-15, Maupertus-sur-mer, France (22 Aug 1944 -)
- Station A-39, Chateaudun, France (18 Sep 1944 - )
- Station A-71, Clastres, France (30 Oct 1944 - )
- Station Y-44, Beek, Holland (29 Apr 1945 - )
- Station B-87, Rosieres-en-Santerre, France (24 May 1945 - 1 Nov 1945)
- Camp Kilmer, New Jersey (14 Nov 1945 - 17 Nov 1945)
Air Echelon: |
1 Dec 1942
12 Apr 1943 12 May 1943 26 May 1943
11 Jun 1943
1 Nov 1945
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- - -
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11 Apr 1943
12 May 1943 10 Jun 1943 26 May 1943
10 Jun 1943
21 Jul 1944
4 Nov 1945
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** *- -*
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After the Normandy invasion, the tactical air forces supporting Allied ground forces in Europe operated from forward air stations closely behind the advancing front. Aircraft operating from these stations could respond more quickly, spend more time over the battlefield and fly several missions on a day. In France, the prefix A was used for facilities initally assigned to the USAAF, B for those initially assigned to the British RAF. When the 387th moved forward an advance unit went first, the air and ground echelons followed a few days later and a final unit brought up the rear.COMMANDERS
- Maj. David S. Blackwell (20 Dec 1942 - 18 Jan 1943)
- Col. Carl R. Storrie (19 Jan 1943 - 13 Nov 1943)
- Col. Jack E. Caldwell (14 Nov 1943 - 12 Apr 1944)
- Col. Thomas M. Seymour (13 Apr 1944 - 17 Jul 1944)
- Col. Grover C. Brown (18 Jul 1944 - 20 May 1945)
- Lt. Col. Richard R. Stewart (20 May 1945 - Jun 1945)
- Col. Philip A. Sykes (Jun 1945 - )
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European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
(Air Offensive Europe, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe campaigns; with bronze star for each campaign after the first)Victory Medal, World War II
(Active service during World War II)
- Combat Record
| Total combat missions flown |
396
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(includes three diversion missions) |
| Total B-26 sorties flown | 11,756 | |
| Total bomb tonnage | 16,280 | |
| Killed in action |
52
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| Missing in action |
250
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| Wounded in action |
217
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| B-26 aircraft lost | ||
| Due to enemy action |
38
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| Battle damage |
31
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| Other |
36
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| Losses inflicted on enemy aircraft | ||
| Destroyed |
10
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| Probable Destroyed |
11
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| Damaged |
7
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- History
- The Group in Print
- Group and Association Publications
- Paul R. Priday, Mission to Mayen
- Air Force Publications
- Maurer Maurer (ed.), Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, Air Force Combat Units of World War II (Washington, DC: Goverment Printing Office, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1).
- The Army Air Forces in World War II: Combat Chronology, 1941-1945, by the Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973.
- Other Publications
- Combat Missions
- Various Documents
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31-Jul-43
02-Aug-43 15-Aug-43 16-Aug-43 17-Aug-43 19-Aug-43 24-Aug-43 25-Aug-43 31-Aug-43 02-Sep-43 03-Sep-43 04-Sep-43 06-Sep-43 06-Sep-43 07-Sep-43 07-Sep-43 08-Sep-43 08-Sep-43 09-Sep-43 14-Sep-43 15-Sep-43 18-Sep-43 18-Sep-43 19-Sep-43 21-Sep-43 23-Sep-43 24-Sep-43 25-Sep-43 27-Sep-43 02-Oct-43 03-Oct-43 09-Oct-43 18-Oct-43 18-Oct-43 21-Oct-43 22-Oct-43 22-Oct-43 24-Oct-43 03-Nov-43 05-Nov-43 07-Nov-43 07-Nov-43 10-Nov-43 11-Nov-43 19-Nov-43 26-Nov-43 29-Nov-43 01-Dec-43 04-Dec-43 05-Dec-43 13-Dec-43 20-Dec-43 21-Dec-43 22-Dec-43 22-Dec-43 24-Dec-43 24-Dec-43 30-Dec-43 30-Dec-43 31-Dec-43 04-Jan-44 07-Jan-44 14-Jan-44 23-Jan-44 23-Jan-44 24-Jan-44 25-Jan-44 25-Jan-44 29-Jan-44 03-Feb-44 03-Feb-44 05-Feb-44 08-Feb-44 08-Feb-44 09-Feb-44 10-Feb-44 10-Feb-44 10-Feb-44 11-Feb-44 13-Feb-44 15-Feb-44 15-Feb-44 20-Feb-44 21-Feb-44 22-Feb-44 24-Feb-44 24-Feb-44 24-Feb-44 25-Feb-44 25-Feb-44 28-Feb-44 28-Feb-44 29-Feb-44 01-Mar-44 01-Mar-44 02-Mar-44 02-Mar-44 03-Mar-44 04-Mar-44 05-Mar-44 05-Mar-44 06-Mar-44 07-Mar-44 08-Mar-44 08-Mar-44 13-Mar-44 18-Mar-44 19-Mar-44 20-Mar-44 23-Mar-44 26-Mar-44 10-Apr-44 10-Apr-44 10-Apr-44 11-Apr-44 12-Apr-44 13-Apr-44 18-Apr-44 18-Apr-44 19-Apr-44 19-Apr-44 20-Apr-44 20-Apr-44 21-Apr-44 22-Apr-44 22-Apr-44 23-Apr-44 24-Apr-44 25-Apr-44 27-Apr-44 27-Apr-44 30-Apr-44 30-Apr-44 01-May-44 01-May-44 10-May-44 10-May-44 11-May-44 12-May-44 12-May-44 13-May-44 15-May-44 15-May-44 19-May-44 20-May-44 20-May-44 24-May-44 24-May-44 25-May-44 26-May-44 27-May-44 27-May-44 28-May-44 28-May-44 29-May-44 29-May-44 31-May-44 02-Jun-44 03-Jun-44 04-Jun-44 06-Jun-44 07-Jun-44 07-Jun-44 08-Jun-44 08-Jun-44 10-Jun-44 10-Jun-44 11-Jun-44 12-Jun-44 12-Jun-44 13-Jun-44 14-Jun-44 14-Jun-44 15-Jun-44 18-Jun-44 20-Jun-44 21-Jun-44 21-Jun-44 22-Jun-44 22-Jun-44 23-Jun-44 25-Jun-44 25-Jun-44 29-Jun-44 30-Jun-44 30-Jun-44 05-Jul-44 06-Jul-44 06-Jul-44 07-Jul-44 08-Jul-44 09-Jul-44 12-Jul-44 14-Jul-44 16-Jul-44 16-Jul-44 18-Jul-44 18-Jul-44 19-Jul-44 23-Jul-44 24-Jul-44 24-Jul-44 25-Jul-44 26-Jul-44 28-Jul-44 28-Jul-44 30-Jul-44 01-Aug-44 04-Aug-44 05-Aug-44 06-Aug-44 11-Aug-44 12-Aug-44 15-Aug-44 15-Aug-44 16-Aug-44 16-Aug-44 16-Aug-44 17-Aug-44 22-Aug-44 26-Aug-44 28-Aug-44 05-Sep-44 06-Sep-44 06-Sep-44 10-Sep-44 12-Sep-44 12-Sep-44 12-Sep-44 16-Sep-44 18-Sep-44 21-Sep-44 27-Sep-44 28-Sep-44 29-Sep-44 02-Oct-44 03-Oct-44 05-Oct-44 06-Oct-44 07-Oct-44 08-Oct-44 10-Oct-44 11-Oct-44 12-Oct-44 14-Oct-44 20-Oct-44 30-Oct-44 04-Nov-44 05-Nov-44 09-Nov-44 16-Nov-44 17-Nov-44 18-Nov-44 19-Nov-44 19-Nov-44 21-Nov-44 25-Nov-44 29-Nov-44 30-Nov-44 01-Dec-44 02-Dec-44 05-Dec-44 06-Dec-44 06-Dec-44 09-Dec-44 11-Dec-44 15-Dec-44 23-Dec-44 23-Dec-44 24-Dec-44 25-Dec-44 25-Dec-44 27-Dec-44 01-Jan-45 02-Jan-45 13-Jan-45 14-Jan-45 16-Jan-45 22-Jan-45 28-Jan-45 29-Jan-45 02-Feb-45 03-Feb-45 06-Feb-45 08-Feb-45 09-Feb-45 10-Feb-45 13-Feb-45 14-Feb-45 14-Feb-45 15-Feb-45 16-Feb-45 19-Feb-45 19-Feb-45 21-Feb-45 22-Feb-45 23-Feb-45 24-Feb-45 24-Feb-45 25-Feb-45 25-Feb-45 26-Feb-45 27-Feb-45 28-Feb-45 01-Mar-45 02-Mar-45 02-Mar-45 03-Mar-45 05-Mar-45 05-Mar-45 08-Mar-45 09-Mar-45 09-Mar-45 10-Mar-45 11-Mar-45 11-Mar-45 13-Mar-45 13-Mar-45 14-Mar-45 15-Mar-45 16-Mar-45 17-Mar-45 17-Mar-45 18-Mar-45 18-Mar-45 19-Mar-45 20-Mar-45 21-Mar-45 21-Mar-45 22-Mar-45 22-Mar-45 23-Mar-45 23-Mar-45 24-Mar-45 24-Mar-45 25-Mar-45 25-Mar-45 26-Mar-45 30-Mar-45 31-Mar-45 03-Apr-45 04-Apr-45 08-Apr-45 09-Apr-45 09-Apr-45 10-Apr-45 11-Apr-45 11-Apr-45 12-Apr-45 16-Apr-45 16-Apr-45 17-Apr-45 18-Apr-45 19-Apr-45 19-Apr-45 26-Apr-45 |
Target
Diversion Diversion St. Omer Airfield Bernay-St. Martin Airfield Poix-Nord Airfield Poix-Nord Airfield Diversion Rouen power plant Lille-Vendeville Airfield Lille-Nord Airfield Lille-Nord Airfield Coutrai marshalling yard Rouen marshalling yard Serqueux marshalling yard Lille marshalling yard St. Pol Marshalling Yard Lille-Nord Airfield Andante coastal defenses Boulogne area coastal defense Lille-Nord Airfield Merville Airfield Beauvais-Tille Airfield Beaumont le Roger Airfield Lille-Nord Airfield Beauvais-Tille Airfield Conches Airfield Evreaux-Fauville Airfield St. Omer-Longuenesse Airfield Beauvais-Tille Airfield St. Omer-Longuenesse Airfield Woensdrecht Airfield Woensdrecht Airfield Evreaux-Fauville Airfield St. Omer-Longuenesse Airfield Evreaux-Fauxville Airfield Evreaux-Fauxville Airfield Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield Beauvais-Nivillers Airfield St. Andre de L'Eure Airfield Mimoyecques V-1 site Montdidier Airfield Meulan-Les Mureauz V-1 site Lille-Vendeville Airfield Martinvast V-1 site Evreaux-Fauville Airfield Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield Chievres Airfield Ligescourt-Bois de St. Saulve V-1 site Amsterdam-Schipol Airfield Le Meillard-Bonniers V-1 site Berk-sur-Mer Airfield Cormette V-1 site Le Meillard-Bonniers V-1 site Cormette V-1 site Le Meillard-Bonniers V-1 site Cocove V-1 site Le Meillard-Bonniers V-1 site Cormette V-1 site Eclimeaux V-1 site La Glacerie coastal defenses Linghem (?) V-1 site Le Grismont V-1 site Zudasques V-1 site Maison Ponthieu V-1 site Bois de Croquy V-1 site Bois Rempre V-1 site Beaulieu FME V-1 site La Longueville V-1 site Ruisseauville V-1 site Bois Rempre V-1 site Losterbarne-Ardes V-1 site Cambrai-Neirgnies Airfield Belleville en Caux V-1 site Beauvais-Tille Airfield Poix Airfield Yorench-Bois Carre V-1 site Amiens marshalling yard Hambures V-1 site La Glacerie V-1 site Chateau de Bosmelet V-1 site Eindhoven Airfield Soesterberg Airfield Soesterberg Airfield Leeuwarden Airfield Ray-sur-Authie V-1 site St. Jossee Au Bois V-1 site Venlo Airfield La Longueville V-1 site Ray sur Authie V-1 site Vacqueriette V-1 site Behen V-1 site Linghem V-1 site Amiens marshalling yard Linghem V-1 site Amiens marshalling yard Montdidier Airfield Malines V-1 site Ray-sur-Authie V-1 site Vacqueriette V-1 site Bois des Huit Rues V-1 site Aulnoye V-1 site Soesterberg Airfield Soesterberg Airfield Lettingham(?)-Les Grandes V-1 site Croisette V-1 site Foret Nationale de Tourhem V-1 site Criel marshalling yard Haine St. Pierre marshalling yard Ijmuiden E-boat pens Le Havre coastal defenses Namur Airfield Namur marshalling yard Bonnieres V-1 site Dunkerque coastal defenses Namur marshalling yard Charleroi-St. Martin Airfield Charleroi-St. Martin marshalling yard Dieppe coastal defenses Malines marshalling yard Bois Cocqueral Airfield Noires Bernes-Wissant V-1 site Zudausques V-1 site Wisques V-1 site Bois des Huit Rues V-1 site Benerville coastal defenses Beauvoir V-1 site Beauvoir V-1 site Wimeaux V-1 site Cambrai marshalling yard Bois d'Enfer V-1 site Somain marshalling yard Monceaux-sur-Sambre marshalling yard Louvain marshalling yard Criel marshalling yard Oissel bridge Hardelot coastal defenses La Parnelle coastal defenses Benerville coastal defenses Fort Mardick coastal defense Douai marshalling yard Somain marshalling yard Quisterham coastal defenses Benerville coastal defenses Fecamp coastal defenses La Parnelle-Barfleur coastal defenses Etaples-St. Cecily coastal defenses Liege-Val Benoit railroad bridge Chartres Airfield La Manoir railroad bridge Orival railroad bridge Liege-Renory bridge Maison La Fitte railroad bridge Conflans railroad bridge Antwerp locomotive sheds Bennecourt highway bridge Epreville field battery Etaples-Camiers coastal defenses Calais-March (marck?) field battery Madelaine coastal defenses Rennes bridge & junction Villedieu railroad siding Pontaubault railroad junction Foret de Grimusq Airfield St. Lo troop concentrations Bretteville defended area Pontaubault railroad bridge Vire road junction Valognes defended town Domfront fuel dump Falaise road junction Ambrieres road junction Villers Bocage defended village Rennes marshalling yard Lambus (Lanbue?) V-1 site Zudausques V-1 site Bois d'Esquerdes V-1 site Cherbourg tank trap Foret de Conches oil dump Remainsil V-1 site Foret de Senoches fuel dump Foret d'Ecouvers (de Couvers?) fuel dump Laye-Le Belles Martin (?) defended area Foret de Conches fuel dump Villers Bocage defended town Caen bridges Cloyes railroad/highway bridge Doulens Citadel V-1 site Chartres troop concentration & mechanized armor Mantes Gassicourt railroad bridge Mantes Gassicourt railroad bridge Nantes railroad bridge Merey railroad bridge St. Lo troop concentrations Foret de la Guerche fuel dump Transfer to Stoney Cross Demouville Area D troop concentration Tours railroad bridge Serquigny railroad bridge Livarot Airfield Livarot ammunition dump St. Lo toop concentration Marigny troop concentration Bourth railroad embankment Senoches fuel dump Caumont (Gaumont?) troop concentrations Maintenon railroad bridge St. Remi-sur-Avre bridge Briollay railroad bridge Blois-Bois de Blois Airfield Brest-Lorient-St. Nazaire - leaflets Corbeil railroad siding Auvers-sur-Oise railroad bridge Conches-Damville choke point Anizy le Chateau Pont Audemer fuel dump Flers l'Falaise (leaflets) Beaumont railroad bridge Transfer to Maupertus St. Gobain fuel dump Querieu - various targets Brest stong points Brest stong points Brest stong points Foret de Haye - various targets Area pillboxes (Brest) Foret de Haye troop concentration Siegfried line pillboxes Metz strong points Chateaudun Ehrang marshalling yard Foret de Parroy - various targets Foret de Parroy - various targets Euskirchen marshalling yard Herbach defense area Duren ammunition dump Duren ammunition dump Duren ammunition dump Bullay railroad bridge Erkelenz railroad bridge & troop concentration Bullay railroad bridge Camp de Bitche installations Camp de Bitche & Rohrbach Trier-Pfazel railroad bridge Moerdijk railroad bridge Moerdijk railroad bridge Eschweiller gun positions Homburg railroad bridge Dieuze troop concentrations Luchen troop concentrations Weisweiller defended area Weisweiller defended area Merzig strong point Landau ordnance arsenal Birgel defended area Kaiserslautern ammunition dump Limberg (Linberg) ordnance depot Pirmasens railroad tunnel Saarlautern defended area Saarlautern defended area Reken (Beken?) road junction Dulmen fuel dump Mariaweiller defended village Ahrweiller-Lebach defended area Dellfield railroad siding Ruthern oil storage Mayen railroad bridge Prum defended area Nideggen railroad siding Irrel highway bridge St. Vith road Nonnweiller railroad bridge Bullay railroad bridge Bad Munster railroad bridge Simmern railroad bridge Ahrweiler railroad bridge Erkelenz rail & communication center Dasburg highway bridge Wittlich defended village (secondary) Rheinbach supply center Rosbach railroad bridge Sinzig railroad bridge Wittlach & Guthenthal (secondary) Calcar defended town Vierson communication center Berg-Gladbach motor transport & AFV center Sinzig railroad bridge Engers railroad bridge Xanten troop concentration & road junction Sellingen ordnance depot Rees communication center Niederscheld marshalling yard Niedersheld railroad bridge Haltern marshalling yard & Reisenbach autobahn bridge Nuttlar-Dulmen railroad bridge Buer (Buir?) supply point Vlatten communication center Mulenbach-Duan overpasses Gettingen railroad bridge Ahrweiler railroad bridge Zeiperich highway bridge Munstereifal road junction Mayen railroad bridge Rheinbach communication center Iserlohn barracks area Giessen ordnance depot Wermelskirchen ordnance depot Unna ordnance depot Kreutzal marshalling yard Ettort (Eitort?) communication center Neiderhausen marshalling yard Arnsberg-Olpe marshalling yard Altenkirchen road junction Brettscheid landing ground Sythen explosive works Westerberg marshalling yard Frankfurt Rhein Main Airfield Gross Ostheim Airfield Pirmasens supply & communication center Landau communication center Siegen marshalling yard Frankenberg marshalling yard Worms road junction Kreutzal marshalling yard Vossen railroad bridge Sythen explosive works Coesfield road junction Stadtlohn road junction Haltern communication center & flak positions Alt Schermbeck communication center Dinslaken defended town Dinslaken defended town Vlotho railroad bridge & flak positions Vlotho flak positions Weyenbusch road junction Friedberg marshalling yard Fleiden marshalling yard Ebenhausen oil storage Wurzburg marshalling yard Holzminden marshalling yard Ehrbach oil storage Nienhagen oil storage Amberg-Kummersbruck ordnance depot Jena marshalling yard & flak positions Rudolstadt ordnance depot Aschersleben marshalling yard Bamberg assembly & storage area Kempten ordnance depot Guzenhausen marshalling yard Kempten ordnance depot Madgeburg defended area Donau oil storage depot Ulm marshalling yard Gunzberg railroad siding Schrobenhausen oil storage |
Remarks
Recalled-weather
Abort
Recalled by escort
Abort-rendevous w/escort not made
Recalled-weather
Abort-weather
Abort-no escort Abort-no escort
Recalled-no escort
Recalled
CHECK A/B
[coordinate: 0-159175]
Recalled
Recalled-no escort
Abort-icing
Abort-engine
Recalled
Secondary targets
coordinates A-161566 & 0-4377158
NTO
|
- Distinguished Unit Citation, 23 Dec 1944.
- Service Medals Awarded
Distinguished Unit Citation Ribbon| Distinguished Service Cross |
1
|
|
| Silver Star |
29
|
|
| Legion of Merit |
1
|
|
| Distinguished Flying Cross |
507
|
|
| Oak Leaf Clusters to the Distinguished Flying Cross |
9
|
|
| Soldiers' Medal |
34
|
|
| Oak Leaf Clusters to the Soldier's Medal |
2
|
|
| Purple Heart |
217
|
|
| Oak Leaf Clusters to the Purple Heart |
17
|
|
| Bronze Star Medal |
86
|
|
| Air Medal |
1,468
|
 |
| Oak Leaf Clusters to the Air Medal |
12,231
|
| Distinguished Service Cross
aa |
1
|
|
 |
| Silver Star
aa |
29
|
|
|
| Legion of Merit
aa |
1 | |
|
| Distinguished Flying Cross
aa |
507
|
|
|
| Oak Leaf Clusters to the Distinguished Flying Cross
aa |
9
|
||
| Soldier's Medal
aa |
34
|
|
|
| Oak Leaf Cluster to the Soldier's Medal
ss |
2
|
||
| Bronze Star
xx |
86
|
|
|
| Air Medal
Meritorious acheivement while participating in an aerial flight; in practice awarded for participating in five combat missions. |
1,468
|
|
 |
| Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal
Awarded for each additional five combat missions. |
12,231
|
||
| Purple Heart
ss |
217
|
|
|
| Oak Leaf Cluster to the Purple Heart
ss |
17
|
- Squadron Associations
- 556th Bomb Squad Association
- 557th Bomb Squad Association
- 558th Bomb Squad Association
- 559th Bomb Squad Association
- Air Force Museum, Wright Patterson Air Force Base
- B-26 43-34581 (museum painted as "Shootin' In")
- Confederate Air Force