306th Bomb Group

306th Bomb Group
Unit name	306th Bomb Group
Caption	B-17 Flying Fortress of a heavy bombardment group in 1943
Dates	1942–1946; 1947–1949; later redesignations
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Type	Heavy bombardment
Role	Strategic bombing
Command structure	Eighth Air Force
Nickname	"The Reich Wreckers"
Notable commanders	Brigadier General Ira C. Eaker; Colonel John R. "Jock" Madden

306th Bomb Group

The 306th Bomb Group was a United States USAAF heavy bombardment group formed during World War II that served with the Eighth Air Force in the European Theater of Operations. The group flew strategic missions deep into Nazi Germany and occupied Europe using the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress to attack industrial centers, transportation hubs, and military installations. It became part of the emerging strategic bombing campaign that included units like the 303d Bomb Group and 91st Bomb Group, contributing to operations tied to leaders and campaigns such as Dwight D. Eisenhower’s air-ground coordination and the broader Allied air offensive.

History

Activated in early 1942 under the United States Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, the group trained at locations including Pinecastle Army Airfield and Davis-Monthan Field before deployment to England. Commanded initially by officers with ties to Air Corps Tactical School doctrine, the organization joined the Eighth Air Force during a period of doctrinal evolution influenced by figures such as Haywood S. Hansell and Curtis LeMay. Its personnel included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, and ground crews drawn from states across the United States and units formerly attached to training commands like III Bomber Command.

World War II Operations

Once stationed in England, the group flew long-range strategic sorties from airfields in Suffolk and Norfolk against targets across continental Europe, participating in missions that paralleled operations by the 8th Air Force and coordinated with the Royal Air Force during the Combined Bomber Offensive. Missions included raids on the Ruhr, strikes against the Aircraft factories in Wolfsburg and Focke-Wulf, and attacks on ball-bearing works in Siekmann-area industrial sites. The group took part in notable operations such as the Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission, the bombing of the Hafengesellschaft and marshalling yards used by the Wehrmacht, and support sorties during the D-Day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge. Engagements often involved escort coordination with fighter groups like the 56th Fighter Group and participation in large force raids led by commanders from SAC-era planning teams.

Losses included those from Luftwaffe interceptors including units equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190, as well as flak over heavily defended targets such as Berlin and the Krupp works in Essen. Surviving crews received decorations associated with valor awards tied to leaders and review boards that later influenced postwar recognition by institutions such as the Air Force Association.

Aircraft and Equipment

The group primarily operated the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, transitioning through several subvariants like the B-17E and B-17F during 1942–1944 and later flying the B-17G equipped with chin turrets and improved defensive armament. Ground echelon equipment included maintenance gear produced by contractors such as Boeing and Wright Aeronautical, while navigation and bombing systems incorporated technology from Collins Radio Company and Norden bombsights supplied under Lend-Lease-era procurement frameworks. For short periods, the group coordinated with units operating Consolidated B-24 Liberator aircraft during combined strikes and maintained liaison with ferry units using Lockheed Hudson transports.

Organization and Units

The 306th Bomb Group comprised squadrons such as the 367th, 368th, 369th, and 421st Bombardment Squadrons, each with flight crews and ground support elements. Leadership and staff sections mirrored standard USAAF group organization: a group commander, operations officer, intelligence officer, maintenance officer, and supply officer, interacting routinely with the VIII Bomber Command headquarters. The group’s aircrews included notable aviators who later connected to postwar institutions like the Air University and veterans’ associations tied to the Eighth Air Force Historical Society.

Bases and Stations

Training and stateside stations included fields tied to the Third Air Force and Second Air Force training circuits; notable airfields were used for staging and overhaul with ties to depot facilities at Tinker Field and Ogden Air Depot. In England, the group established its combat station at Grafton Underwood and later at airfields in Polebrook and Molesworth, operating within the theater logistics network that included supply links to Port of Liverpool and forward maintenance at RAF Burtonwood. Postwar elements demobilized through staging areas such as Normandy-area ports and return depots managed by the War Shipping Administration.

Honors and Legacy

The group received campaign credits and unit citations reflecting participation in the European air offensive, with individual airmen earning awards such as the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. Veterans helped establish commemorations and memorials linked to American Air Museum in Britain and reunion organizations that inform historical scholarship at institutions like the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The group’s operational record influenced postwar strategic aviation thinking developed at Maxwell Air Force Base and in doctrinal writings associated with former commanders who contributed to the early United States Air Force heritage.

Category:Bombardment groups of the United States Army Air Forces