Sub-fonds - 392nd Bomb Group (Wendling)

Part of the United States Army Air Force 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force.
Comprised the 576th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949. 577th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949. 578th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949 and the 579th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949
Outline:
Constituted as the 392nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 15 January 1943 (hereafter the 392nd Bomb Group) and activated on 26 January 1943. The Group, nicknamed the Crusaders, moved to England, July-August 1943, was assigned to Eighth Air Force (hereafter 8th Air Force) and based at Wendling, Norfolk, July 1943-15 June 1945. The Group flew its first mission on 9 September 1943 and its last mission on 25 April 1945. In total the Group flew 285 combat missions, suffering 1,552 casualties, including 835 killed in action, or killed in the line of duty, and the loss of 184 aircraft. It returned to the United States in June 1945 and was deactivated on 13 September 1945. The Group was redesignated as the 392nd Bomb Group (Very Heavy) and allotted to the reserve. It was activated on 30 July 1947, redesignated the 392nd Bomb Group (Light) in June 1949 and deactivated on 10 November 1949.
Based at Wendling, Norfolk, July 1943-15 June 1945.
Key missions:
The Group attacked targets in Germany including an oil refinery at Gelsenkirchen, a marshalling yard at Osnabruck, a railway viaduct at Bielefeld, steel plants at Brunswick, a tank factory at Kassel, and gas works at Berlin. It also took part in the intensive campaign of heavy bombing of the German aircraft industry during the 'Big Week', 20-25 February 1944. Sometimes the Group supported ground forces and it also carried out diversion missions. It bombed airfields and V-weapon sites in France prior to the Normandy invasion, June 1944, and struck coastal defences on D-Day. The Group hit German positions to assist ground forces at St Lo, France, during the breakthrough in July 1944, and bombed railways, bridges, and highways to cut off German supply lines during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944-January 1945. It dropped supplies to Allied troops during the air attack on Holland (Netherlands) in September 1944 and during the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. After flying its last combat mission on 25 April 1945, the Group carried food to the Dutch.
Bomb Squadrons:
576th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949.
577th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949.
578th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949.
579th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949.
Attached Units:
The 1217th Quartermaster Service Group was an attached unit and there were also American Red Cross stationed at Wendling. For a full list of attached units, see John Hane, 'Second Air Division Memorial: In memory of all those Americans who, flying from these bases and posts, gave their lives defending freedom, 1941-45' (Author, 1963). A reference copy is available in the Norfolk Record Office searchroom.
Stations:
Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona, 26 January 1943.
Biggs Field, Texas, 1 March 1943.
Alamogordo Army Air Force Base, New Mexico, 18 April-18 July 1943.
Wendling, Norfolk (Army Air Fofce Station no. 118), July 1943-15 June 1945.
Charleston Army Airfield, South Carolina, 25 June-13 September 1945.
Barksdale Field, Louisiana, 30 July 1947-10 November 1949.
Group Commanders:
Col Irvine A. Rendle, 26 January 1943.
Col Lorin L. Johnson, 21 June 1944.
Lt Col Lawrence G. Gilbert, 27 May 1945 onwards.
Major awards:
The Group was awarded a Distinguised Unit Citation for bombing an aircraft and component parts factory at Gotha Germany, 24 February 1944, as part of the 'Big Week' campaign.