801st Bomb Group
GroupBest Web - B-24 - 32-40506 - Fightin' Sam
The 801st Bomb Group was established as part of the Eighth Air Force in late March 1944 to carry out 'Carpetbagger' missions. These were night missions over France and other parts of occupied Europes to support resistance forces by dropping in agents, supplies and leaflets. The B-24 Liberators flown by the Group were painted black to help the crews evade detection by enemy anti-aircraft postions. On 13 August 1944, the Group was redesignated as the 492nd Bomb Group.
Commanding Officers
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 801st Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: O-022617
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer, Pilot
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Harrington | 25 March 1944 |
Other Re-designated 492nd Bomb Group |
Harrington | 13 August 1944 |
Encompassing
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 39076124
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 32800456
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 37574163
- Role/Job: D
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 37322214
- Role/Job: Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 490th Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group 850th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 32787037
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Airplane Mechanic-Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Cancer
- Unit: 406th Bomb Group 458th Bomb Group 486th Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group 406th Bomb Squadron 834th Bomb Squadron 835th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Floozie Flossy | Mary Ruth | The WeWa Special
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron 36th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Black Magic
- Unit: 479th Anti-Submarine Group 801st Bomb Group 406th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 801st Bomb Group 36th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group 36th Bomb Squadron
Mission
- Date: 5 June 1944
- Date: 3 June 1944
- Date: 2 June 1944
- Date: 31 May 1944
- Date: 29 May 1944
Revisions
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)