391st Bombardment Group
Encyclopedia
The 391st Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Service Forces
stationed at Camp Shanks
, New York. It was inactivated on 25 October 1945.
During World War II the unit was deployed to Western Europe and fought in combat with Ninth Air Force
as a B-26 Marauder
medium bomber group.
Constituted as 391st Bombardment Group (Medium) on 15 January 1943 and activated on 21 January Trained with B-26's for duty in Europe with Ninth Air Force
. Assigned to RAF Matching, England on 26 January 1944. The group marking was a yellow triangle painted on the tail fin of their B-26s.
The first mission was flown on 15 February and 150 more were completed before the group moved into France in late September 1944. During the ensuing weeks the 391st bombed targets such as airfields, marshalling yards, bridges, and V-weapon sites in France and the Low Countries
to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy
. The group attacked enemy defenses along the invasion beaches on 6 and 7 June 1944
. From June through September, the group continued cross-Channel operations, which included attacks on fuel dumps and troop concentrations in support of Allied forces during the breakthrough at Saint-Lô
in July 1944, and strikes on transportation and communications to block the enemy's retreat to the east.
A total of 20 B-26s were missing in action during the 391st's operations from Matching before the group moved onto the continent, transferring to Roye/Amy, France (ALG A-73) on 19 September 1944. The group then switched to Douglas A-26 Invaders and flew its last mission on 3 May 1945 from Asche, Belgium (ALG Y-29).
The 391st Bomb Group returned to the United States in October and was inactivated at Camp Shanks, New York on 25 October 1945.
Army Service Forces
The Army Service Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces. They were created on February 28, 1942 by Executive Order Number 9082 "Reorganizing the Army and the War Department"...
stationed at Camp Shanks
Camp Shanks
Camp Shanks, named after Major General David Carey Shanks was a United States Army installation in and around Orangeburg in the Town of Orangetown, New York. Situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River, it served as a point of embarkation for troops departing overseas...
, New York. It was inactivated on 25 October 1945.
During World War II the unit was deployed to Western Europe and fought in combat with Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
as a B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
medium bomber group.
History
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
. Assigned to RAF Matching, England on 26 January 1944. The group marking was a yellow triangle painted on the tail fin of their B-26s.
The first mission was flown on 15 February and 150 more were completed before the group moved into France in late September 1944. During the ensuing weeks the 391st bombed targets such as airfields, marshalling yards, bridges, and V-weapon sites in France and the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
to help prepare for the invasion of Normandy
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. The group attacked enemy defenses along the invasion beaches on 6 and 7 June 1944
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
. From June through September, the group continued cross-Channel operations, which included attacks on fuel dumps and troop concentrations in support of Allied forces during the breakthrough at Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
in July 1944, and strikes on transportation and communications to block the enemy's retreat to the east.
A total of 20 B-26s were missing in action during the 391st's operations from Matching before the group moved onto the continent, transferring to Roye/Amy, France (ALG A-73) on 19 September 1944. The group then switched to Douglas A-26 Invaders and flew its last mission on 3 May 1945 from Asche, Belgium (ALG Y-29).
The 391st Bomb Group returned to the United States in October and was inactivated at Camp Shanks, New York on 25 October 1945.
Lineage
- Constituted as 391st Bombardment Group (Medium) on 15 January 1943
- Activated on 21 January 1943
- Inactivated on 25 October 1945
Assignments
- Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 21 January 1943 - 99th Bombardment Wing99th Bombardment Wing (World War II)The 97th Bombardment Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the United States Air Force Reserve, based at Bedford Field, Massachusetts...
, 25 January 1944 – 27 July 1945 - Army Service ForcesArmy Service ForcesThe Army Service Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Ground Forces. They were created on February 28, 1942 by Executive Order Number 9082 "Reorganizing the Army and the War Department"...
(for inactivation), 24–25 October 1945
Components
- 572d Bombardment Squadron572d Bombardment SquadronThe 572d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 391st Bombardment Group, stationed at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia. It was inactivated on 29 October 1945.-History:...
(P2), 21 January 1943 – 25 October 1945 - 573d Bombardment Squadron573d Bombardment SquadronThe 573d Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 391st Bombardment Group, stationed at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts. It was inactivated on 13 October 1945.-History:...
(T6), 21 January 1943 – 25 October 1945 - 574th Bombardment Squadron574th Bombardment SquadronThe 574th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 391st Bombardment Group, stationed at Camp Shanks, New York. It was inactivated on 15 October 1945.-History:...
(4L), 21 January 1943 – 25 October 1945 - 575th Bombardment Squadron575th Bombardment SquadronThe 575th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 391st Bombardment Group, stationed at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia. It was inactivated on 29 October 1945.-History:...
(O8), 21 January 1943 – 25 October 1945
Stations
- MacDill Field, Florida, 21 January 1943
- Myrtle Beach General Bombing and Gunnery Range, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, 24 May 1943 - Godman Field, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, 4 September-31 December 1943 - RAF MatchingRAF MatchingRAF Station Matching is a former World War II airfield in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately east of Harlow; about northeast of London...
(AAF-166), England 25 January 1944 - Roye-Amy AirfieldRoye-Amy AirfieldRoye-Amy Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield which is located approximately 5 km south-southeast of Roye, approximately 98 km north-northeast of Paris....
(A-73), France 19 September 1944 - Asch Airfield (Y-29), Belgium 16 April 1945
- Vitry-En-Artois Airfield, France 27 May – 27 July 1945
- Camp ShanksCamp ShanksCamp Shanks, named after Major General David Carey Shanks was a United States Army installation in and around Orangeburg in the Town of Orangetown, New York. Situated near the juncture of the Erie Railroad and the Hudson River, it served as a point of embarkation for troops departing overseas...
, New York, 24–25 October 1945
Aircraft
- Martin B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
, 1943–1945 - Douglas A-26 InvaderA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
, 1945