Sub-fonds - 445th Bomb Group (Tibenham)

Part of the United States Army Air Force 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force.
Comprised the 15th Bomb Squadron: 1947-1949. 700th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945, 1947-1949; 1952-. 701st Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945, 1947-1949; 1952-. 702 nd Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945, 1947-1949; 1952- and 703rd Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1948
Outline:
Constituted as the 445th Bombardment Group (Heavy) (hereafter the 445th Bomb Group) 20 March 1943. Activated 1 April 1943. Moved to England between October and December 1943. It became operational in combat on 13 December 1943 and was based at Tibenham, Norfolk, 4 November 1943-28 May 1945. The Group flew its final combat mission on 25 April 1945 (after 280 missions and 6,323 sorties) returning to the United States between May and June 1945. It was deactivated on 6 September 1945, redesignated as the 445th Bomb Group (Very Heavy) and allocated to the reserves. It was activated again on 12 July 1947 and deactivated on 27 July 1949. The Group was further redesignated as the 445th Fighter-Bomber Group, allocated to the reserves, and activated on 8 July 1952.
Based at Tibenham, Norfolk, 4 November 1943-28 May 1945.
Key missions:
The Group operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization until the war ended, striking targets in Germany including industries in Osnabruck, synthetic oil plants in Lutzendorf, chemical works in Ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Hamm, an airfield at Munich, an ammunition plant at Duneberg, underground oil storage facilities at Ehmen, and factories at Munster. It participated in the Allied campaign against the German aircraft industry during the 'Big Week', 20 February 1944-25 February 1944, and also occasionally flew diversion and support missions. It helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by bombing airfields, V-weapon sites, and other targets; attacking shore installations on D-Day, 6 June 1944. During missions targeting industrial sites at Kassel, Germany, 27 September 1944, the 445th Bomb Group was attacked by a large group of German fighters and suffered the largest loss of aircraft by a single 8th Air Force bomb group on a particular mission during the Second World War. The Group supported ground forces at St Lo, France, by striking enemy defences in July 1944 and bombed German communications during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944-January 1945. Early on 24 March 1945, it dropped food, medical supplies and ammunition to troops that landed near Wesel, Germany, during the airborne assault across the Rhine. In the afternoon, the Group also flew a bombing mission to the same area, hitting a landing ground at Stormede, Germany. On occasion, the Group dropped propaganda leaflets and hauled fuel to France (nicknamed 'Truckin' missions).
On 27 September 1944, crews from the 389th, 445th and 453rd Bomb Groups took part in one of a long series of bombing missions targeting Kassell in central Germany. Only four out of the 35 B-24s, which set off on the mission that day, made it back to Tibenham airbase. Following a suspected navigational error, the lead aeroplane was unable to correct its path to the right, as it would have run into the stream of bombers coming up from the rear, and decided to continue on and bomb the city of Gottingen, about 50 miles away, instead. The bombers lost their fighter escort, but still managed to drop their bombs at Gottingen. After this drop, as they made to turn, they were attacked from the rear by between 100 and 150 German fighters.
Bomb Squadrons:
15th Bomb Squadron: 1947-1949.
700th Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949; 1952-.
701st Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949; 1952-.
702st Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1949; 1952-.
703st Bomb Squadron: 1943-1945; 1947-1948.
Stations:
Gowen Field, Idaho, 1 April 1943;
Wendover Field, Utah, 8 June 1943
Sioux City Army Air Force Base, Iowa, 8 July-20 October 1943
Tibenham, England (Army Air Force Station no. 124), 4 November 1943-28 May 1945
Fortt Dix Army Air Force Base, New Jersey, 9 June-12 September 1945.
Attached Units:
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.
Group Commanders:
Col Robert H. Terrill, 1 April 1943.
Col William W. Jones, 25 July 1944-12 September 1945.
Major awards:
Distinguished Unit Citation, awarded for attacking an aircraft assembly plant at Gotha, Germany, 24 February 1944.
Croix de Guerre with Palm, awarded by the French government, for operations in the European Theatre of War from December 1943 to February 1945.
Other information:
The American film actor James Maitland 'Jimmy' Stewart (1908-1997) was based at Tibenham. He was assigned to the 445th Bomb Group, as Operations Officer of the 703rd Squadron, and later served as its Commanding Officer. In March 1944, he transferred as group Operations Officer to the 453rd Bomb Group at Old Buckenham.