381st Bomb Group
GroupIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
The 381st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Ridgewell, Essex between June 1943 and April 1945. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing shipyards at Bremen, whilst under heavy attack, on 8 October 1943 and 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.
Commanding Officers
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)
- Service Numbers: O-21388
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group Headquarters (381st Bomb Group)
- Highest Rank: General
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
Connections
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Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Ridgewell | 1 July 1943 - 24 June 1945 |
Encompassing
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 1775th Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company
- Service Numbers: 32410741
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
- Role/Job: Crew Chief
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-688542
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sis
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 306th Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron 535th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Smilin-Thru
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 366th Bomb Squadron 305th Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Big Time Operator
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Flat Foot Floogie
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron 365th Bomb Squadron 534th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: - Our Mom - Spirit of A Nation
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron 534th Bomb Squadron
Mission
- Date: 5 December 1943
- Date: 1 December 1943
- Date: 30 November 1943
- Date: 26 November 1943
- Date: 16 November 1943
Revisions
From the history of the 381st Bomb Group website: http://www.381st.org/
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)