390th Bomb Group
GroupIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
The 390th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Framlingham, Suffolk, between July 1943 and the end of the war in Europe. The Group was engaged in strategic missions until the invasion of Europe when its role became more of a tactical one. This tactical role was more attuned to the needs of ground forces. For instance, the Group bombed the coast near Caen fifteen minutes before the landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944. The Group also carried out humanitarian missions, dropping food supplies for the Dutch in the final weeks of the war. The only man to fly 100 missions, Hewitt "Buck" Dunn, did so with the 390th Bomb Group.
Connections
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Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Framlingham | 14 July 1943 - 4 August 1945 |
Encompassing
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 458th Sub-Depot
- Role/Job: Ground Echelon
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 1091st Quartermaster Company
- Role/Job: Ground Echelon
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 2034th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon
- Role/Job: Ground Echelon
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 6959117
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Virgin Sturgeon
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Eight Ball : 8 Ball : Flak Hack
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron 571st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Cabin in the Sky Rough Group Dorothy Dee
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Royal Flush
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Rose Marie, Hot Rocks
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
Mission
- Date: 9 October 1943
- Date: 8 October 1943
- Date: 4 October 1943
- Date: 2 October 1943
- Date: 27 September 1943
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)