391st Bombardment Group

391st Bombardment Group
U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson · Public domain · source
Unit name	391st Bombardment Group
Dates	1943–1945
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Type	Bombardment group
Role	Strategic bombardment
Command structure	Eighth Air Force
Garrison	RAF Ridgewell

391st Bombardment Group

The 391st Bombardment Group was a United States Army Air Forces heavy bombardment unit assigned to the Eighth Air Force during World War II. Activated in 1943, the group trained in the United States Army Air Forces Training Command system before deploying to the European Theater of Operations to conduct strategic bombing against targets in Nazi Germany, occupied France, and the Low Countries. Operating primarily from bases in England and flying Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft, the group participated in major campaigns connected to the Combined Bomber Offensive, supporting operations linked to the Operation Overlord landings and the Battle of the Bulge.

History

Constituted in 1943 under the auspices of the Third Air Force and activated at Salt Lake City Army Air Base before moving to Great Bend Army Air Field, the group completed stateside training with cadre drawn from units such as the 301st Bombardment Group and training schools administered by the Air Corps Tactical School. After consolidation and unit cohesion exercises, cadres transitioned to the European Air Depot system for aircraft modification and combat crew augmentation. In late 1943 the group was assigned to the VIII Bomber Command and redeployed across the North Atlantic ferry route to United Kingdom airfields, integrating into strategic plans formulated at RAF Bomber Command coordination meetings and liaison with Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force staff.

Organization and Units

The group comprised four bombardment squadrons commonly designated by numerical identifiers and tail codes; these squadrons drew personnel from the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command detachments and air depot units. Key subordinate elements included bomb, engineering, ordnance, and navigation sections that coordinated with the Eighth Air Force Headquarters and the 8th Air Force Division logistics apparatus. Maintenance and support functions were provided by attached units from the Air Service Command and medical detachments linked to the United States Army Medical Corps. Ground echelon leadership often liaised with station commanders at nearby RAF stations and with local civil authorities in Essex and surrounding counties.

Combat Operations

Deployed to the European campaign in early 1944, the group participated in the Combined Bomber Offensive's systematic attacks on German aviation industry, oil refineries in the Ruhr, and transportation hubs in Berlin. On numerous strategic missions the group formed part of large formations that included elements of the 1st Bombardment Division and coordinated fighter escort rendezvous with units of the Eighth Air Force Fighter Command such as the 56th Fighter Group and the 4th Fighter Group. Notable operations included pre-invasion strikes in support of Operation Overlord, interdiction sorties against German supply lines during Operation Cobra, and close support during the Battle of the Bulge when the group shifted from strategic targets to tactical interdiction of German Army concentrations and supply depots. Crews encountered defenses from Luftwaffe interceptor wings and flak from units associated with the Flakregimenter, sustaining aircraft losses but achieving bomb damage against targets like the Hermann Göring Works and synthetic oil plants at Pölitz.

Aircraft and Equipment

The primary aircraft flown by the group was the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, equipped with engines and avionics standardized through depot work at Modification Center No. 1 and fitted with Norden bombsights procured through Sperry Corporation contracts. Defensive armament included Browning .50 caliber machine guns with ammunition and parts supplied via the Ordnance Department and machine gun depots coordinated by the Air Materiel Command. Navigation and bombing employed radio aids from Royal Air Force ground stations and long-range navigation systems influenced by technologies developed at the Royal Aircraft Establishment and American signals facilities. Maintenance cycles followed schedules promulgated by the Air Technical Service Command, while spare airframes and engines were sourced through the Lend-Lease program supply chain when cross-theater allocation required.

Bases and Stations

After transatlantic movement via the North Atlantic Route and staging through Presque Isle Army Air Field, the group established its combat station at an RAF base in Essex integrated into the network of airfields controlled by No. 3 Group RAF liaison elements. Rear-area support and personnel rotation utilized depots and staging areas such as Staging Area, Bovingdon and training detachments at de Havilland facilities for airframe repairs. Air transport, VIP movements, and medical evacuation linked the station to East Anglia logistics hubs and to ports such as Liverpool and Southampton for personnel shipments and supply reception.

Honors and Decorations

For performance during the European air campaign, the group and its personnel received citations and campaign credit associated with the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and unit awards recommended by Eighth Air Force command echelons. Individual aircrews earned decorations including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and occasional recommendations for the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism during missions against heavily defended targets. Unit commendations reflected participation in major operations such as the Normandy landings and the Ardennes Counteroffensive, recorded in theater-level after-action reports maintained by United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe staff.

Category:Bombardment groups of the United States Army Air Forces Category:Units and formations of the Eighth Air Force