Prior Unit Histories (2024)

The following unithistories were available prior to compilation of the present 1993documentation.

Sqd histories beganduring WW I, Indian Logos being a popular theme. Little is known of those events.

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The 28^th Sqd was alreadyat Clark Field PI at the beginning of 1941.The 14^th Sqd was formed in 1941 to move B-17s from Hawaii toClark Field PI. The 30^th and93^rd Sqd of the 19^th BG flew to Clark Field in late 1941,and the 14^th, 28^th, 30^th & 93^rdSqds were made part of the 19^th BG, a sub part of the 5^thBomber Command – Later re-designated 5^th AF in Australia. The 14^th and 93^rd wereon Mindanao when Clark field was hit Dec 8, 1941, wiping out almost all 28^th& 30^th aircraft.Personnel from the 19^th BG, escaping from PI, merged withthose of the 7^th BG on Java.The 28^th, 30^th & 93^rd were reformedin Australia – those of the 14^th were merged with the new 435^thin Australia – the 14^th designation was dropped in early ’42 and the435^th dropped in 1943. The14^th did not have a logo so the map of Mindanao is used – also usedby the AGOM.

The reconstituted 19^thBomb Groups 28^th, 30^th & 93^rd Sqdsreturned in B-29s to the pacific in 1945, becoming part of the 314^thWing, 20^th AF on North Field Guam.

When 20^th AF Pacificoperations were closed down at the end of WW II, only the 19^th BGremained as an active unit stationed at North Field, which was renamed AndersonField. When the Korean war broke out,the 19^th BG flew the first bombing missions and moved up to Okinawafor the duration of the Korean war.

HistoryRequest: 19th Bomb Group; Questions - Answers; dated 1943

by Maj J H M Smith

This document was provided by ConradMarvel for inclusion in the 19th BG Assn History.

Headquarters 19thBombardment Group (H)

Office of theIntelligence Officer

AAB, Pyote, Texas

August 18, 1943

SUBJECT: RequestFor Historical Information Concerning 19th Bombardment Group (H).

T0: Major John H. M. Smith, Headquarters, Second Air Force,Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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1. Thisoffice has been charged with the production of a comprehensive and definitivehistory of the 19th Bomb Gp (H). This history has been divided up into threephases and this section is now interested in the first installment, fromJanuary, 1939, to December 7, 1941.

2. It isthe understanding of this section that having been an integral part of the 19thduring the period in question, you may have some information that would be ofmaterial use in the compilation of this history.

3. Byanswering the enclosed list of questions as completely as possible you would berendering this organization a great favor. If there are any bits of documentaryevidence at your disposal: such as, photographs, special orders, etc. theforwarding of such to this office would be of definite value. Kindly includeall other information which you think would be of assistance in the compilationof the history and send same to this office.

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GERALD F. ALLABEN,

2nd Lt, Air Corps,

Asst Int 0.

1 Inc 1:

Incl 1 -List of Questions.

1st Ind. JHMS/aio

HEADQUARTERS 396THBOMBARDMENT GROUP (H), AAB, Moses Lake, Washington, 2 NOV. 1943.

TO: Commanding Officer, 19th Bombardment Group, AAB, Pyote,Texas.

1. Attachedhereto are answers to questions requested.

2.Documentary evidence requested was sent under separate cover from the SecondBomber Command.

3. InAugust, copies of these questions were referred to Lt. Col. Edward A. Teats,Major Edward C. Graham, and Capt. Staneil Nanney, Second Air Force.

4. Enclosedalso, are answers to the questions prepared by Colonel Edwin B. Broadhurst,Second Air Force. Should any further information be desired, I may be reachedthrough Headquarters 396th Bombardment Group (H), Drew Field, Florida.

J. H. M. SMITH,

Major, Air Corps.

2 Incls:

Incl l-Info frCol. Broadhurst.

Incl 2-Info frMaj. Smith

Q1 When did you become a member of theGroup?

A1 October 1, 1940.

Q2 Where was the organization at that time?

A2 March Field, Riverside, California.

Q3 Who was the Commanding Officer, wheredid he come from, when was he relieved, and where did he go?

A3 The following Commanding Officers with informationpertinent as to where they came from, when they were relieved add where theywent is given for all Commanding Officers of the 19th Group from Oct. 1, 1940,when I joined the 19th Group, until I was relieved on approximately Dec. 10,1941:

a. MajorEugene L. Eubank commanded the 19th Group. Major Eubank had previously beenCommanding Officer of the 32nd Squadron, 19th Group at March Field, had beenrelieved by transfer to station unknown by this officer and has returned asCommanding Officer of the Group, relieving Colonel, now Brigadier General,Burwell. Major Eubank was promoted to Lt. Colonel just prior to the Group goingoverseas. He is now a Brigadier General. General Eubank was relieved asCommanding Officer of the 19th Group on approximately Dec. 10, 1941, butpreviously, by approximately a month had held the joint command of the 19thGroup and the newly activated 5th Bomber Command at Clark Field, Stotsenberg,Pampanga, Philippine Islands. He was relieved from the 19th Group and moved theHeadquarters of the 5th Bomber Command to Manila, approximately two (2) daysafter war started, where he moved directly under the Far Eastern Air Force withGeneral Brereton, in command.

b. MajorDavid R. Gibbs commanded the Group at Clark Field from Dec. 10 to Dec, 12. Themorning of Dec. 12, he took off in a B-18 for Mindanao and was never heard fromagain. He is presumed to have been killed in action. Major Gibbs was GroupOperations Officer, then Commanding Officer of the 30th Squadron, until he assumedcommand of the Group,

c. MajorEmmett O'Donnell ("Rosie") who had brought the 14th Squadron fromHawaii to the Philippines in Sept. then assumed command of the Group that wasleft at Clark Field. Major “Mike" Walsh and Major Cecil Combs commandedthe Air Echelon at Mindanao and in Australia. Major O'Donnell commanded theGroup from approximately Dec. 12, 1941 to Jan. 12, 1942 during which time thebulk of the Ground Echelon moved to Del Monte Island of Mindanao, PhilippineIslands. On approximately Jan. 12, Major O'Donnell, in an old B-18, withauxiliary gas tanks fabricated from 50 gallon gas barrels, flew to Australiawith Lt. Clyde Box as Co-Pilot and Lt. Edwin S. Green as Navigator.

d. MajorCecil Combs, who was commander of the 93rd Squadron assumed command of the Air Echelon, 19th Group, whenit was transferred to Malang, Java, on approximately Jan. 1, 1942. He retainedcommand of the section of the group which was performing Combat until thebeginning of the evacuation of Java on approximately Feb. 24 When he joinedGeneral Brereton and staff by air to India.

e. Capt.James T. Connally replaced Major Combs and upon assuming command assumed therank of Major. Under the direction of General Eubank, Who was senior officer inJava, after Generals Brett and Brereton organized the evacuation of the 19thand the 7th Groups in Java. Major Connally commanded until March 14, 1942 whenthe 19th Group and the 7th Group were combined and reorganized as the 19thGroup at Melbourne, Australia.

f. Lt.Colonel Kenneth Hobson, who was the surviving senior officer of the 7th Groupassumed command of the new 19th Group. He commanded until relieved by GeneralEubank on approximately Apr. 1, but continued to act as Deputy Commander underGeneral Eubank until General Eubank was relieved, and this was on approximatelyMay 1, 1942. Major Connally who in the meantime, had commanded the 93rdSquadron resumed command of the Group with Headquarters at Townsville, NorthQueensland, Australia. The organization of the Group at that time was composedas follows: Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron and the 435th Squadronunder Major William Lewis, Jr. were located at Townsville. The 30th Squadronunder Major Ray Schwanbeck was located at Cloncurry, North Queensland. The 93rdSquadron, under Capt. Felix Hardison and the 28th Squadron, under Major ElbertHelton were located at Longreach, Queensland, Australia. Major Connally wasrelieved on July 10, 1942 when the Group was brought together, less the 435thSquadron at Mareeba, North; Queensland.

g. Lt.Colonel Richard Carmichael relieved Major Connally on July 10. ColonelCarmichael, class West Point, 1936, had previously been in command of the TaskForce which proceeded from Hawaii through Figi to Brisbane and Townsville onFeb. 1942 and which formed a cadre for the 435th Squadron. He was relievedafter the return of the 19th Group to the United States.

h. FromDec. 20, 1942 to Feb. 14, 1943 several officers had commanded the Group forshort periods only. These were as follows: Major Ted Faulkner, Group ExecutiveOfficer, who left to take command of the 333rd Group. Lt. Colonel FelixHardison, who had had the 93rd Squadron, and Major John E. Dougherty who hadbeen Group Operations Officer.

I. On Feb. 14, the 19th Group that had returnedfrom overseas was broken up and distributed throughout the Second Air Force. Onthat day, also, Major Elbert Helton, who had had the 28th Squadron assumedcommand, Colonel Helton (He was promoted shortly) had come with the 7th Groupto Java and had previously been stationed at Salt Lake City. He was relieved ofcommand on approximately June 1 by Colonel Louis P. Turner.

j. Colonel Turner had been Base Commander atAlamogordo, N.M. after his return from Hawaii. He retained command of the Groupuntil after this officer was transferred from the 19th Group on July 10, 1943.

Q4 Give supplemental information as aboveon all staff personnel, as the Operations Officer, Executive Officer, etc.

A4: Executive Officers of the 19th Group have been as follows:

a. MajorRonald Hicks, who was shortly relieved to go to the First Bombardment Wing asExecutive Officer at March Field.

b. MajorRobinson; was Executive Officer until approximately Oct. of 1940 when he wasappointed Commanding Officer of a Provisional Squadron to go to Alaska.

c. Lt. Kenneth R. Kreps, who had been Adjutant,became the new Executive Officer and retained this position until Dec. 10, 1941when he went with General Eubank to the 5th Bomber Command, Manila.

d. Therewas no Executive Officer of the Group during the period Dec. 10, 1941 to March14, 1942. On March 14, 1942, Capt. Robert ("Pappy") Northcutt, whohad commanded the 9th Squadron, 7th Group, at Madeoin, Java, became ExecutiveOfficer. He was relieved in May 1942.

e. Capt.Ted Faulkner, who was in the 435th Squadron became the new Executive Officerand retained this position until he assumed command of the Group shortly afterDec. 20, 1942.

f. MajorJohn E. Dougherty, who had been Group Operations Officer became ExecutiveOfficer and held this position off-and-on until Feb. 14, 1943 when he wasrelieved from the 19th Group and transferred to the 21st Wing.

g. Capt.Edward C. Habberstad, was Executive Officer until the Table of Organization waschanged to provide for the Executive Officer becoming Deputy Group Commanderand retained this position until approximately July 1, 1943 when he wasrelieved and transferred to the 46th Bombardment Wing, Dalhart, Texas.

h. An Administrative Executive position wascreated by the change of Table of Organization on approximately March 1, 1943and Major J. H. M. Smith was made Executive Officer. He retained this positionuntil relieved on July 10, 1943 when he was transferred to the Second BomberCommand.

Operations Officers of the 19th Group have been as follows:

a. MajorDavid R. Gibbs, was Operations Officer when this officer was assigned to the19th Group. He retained this position until 1941 (May) when he assigned commandof the 30th Squadron. Major Gibbs was a graduate of the Academy and had been inthe 19th Group for some time.

b. Lt. Patrick McIntyre was Operations Officerafter Major Gibbs until the 19th Group arrived in the Philippines. He continuedas Asst. Operations Officer under Capt ”Mike" Walsh. Lt. McIntyre wastransferred to Group Headquarters from the 32nd Squadron which was then part ofthe 19th Group.

c.“Mike" Walsh returned from temporary duty in England in August 1941 andcame from the 93rd Squadron to Group Headquarters. He was Group OperationsOfficer until approximately Jan. 1 when he was transferred to the Far EasternAir Force under General Brett in Java.

d. Capt.James T. Connally was Operations Officer in Java and had also returned fromEngland with Capt. Walsh, coming to the Group from the 32nd Squadron. He wasrelieved when he assumed command of the Group on Feb. 24.

e. Operations Officer from Feb. 24 untilapproximately Sept. 1942 was Capt. Sam Maddux. Capt. Maddux was originally inthe 30th Squadron. He continued as Asst. Operations Officer until his return tothe United States in Nov. 1942. He is now assigned to the General Staff inWashington, D. C.

f. Major John E. Dougherty and Major RaySchwanbeck were jointly Operations Officers from approximately Sept. until theGroup returned to the United States. Major Schwanbeck returned in Nov. 1942 andis now assigned to the Training Command.

g. On February 14,1943, Major David R. Rawlsbecame Operations Officer. Major Rawls had been in the 435th Squadron and wasin Group Operations until he became Deputy Group Commander on approximatelyJuly 1, 1943. At that time, he was relieved by Major Robert Thacker whocommanded the 435th Squadron.

14th Bombardment Squadron:

ThisSquadron became part of the 19th Group on Nov. 1, 1941 at Clark Field, PhilippineIslands. It had been organized as a composite Squadron from the 5th and 11thGroups of the 7th Air Force at Hickam Field under Major "Rosie"O"Donnell and had arrived in the Philippine Islands with nine (9)airplanes on approximately Sept. 10, 1941. When Major O'Donnell became GroupCommander, he turned the Squadron over to Capt. Sam Maddux who had beentemporarily assigned from the 30th Squadron. According to the official recordsin Washington, D.C., this Squadron Headquarters was never evacuated from thePhilippine Islands, and is officially carried as in the Philippine Islands.

28 th Bombardment Squadron:

The 28thBomb Squadron (Medium), so far as this officer knows was originally organizedin the Philippine Islands and for many years was the only Air Corps unit there.It was originally stationed at Nichol's Field, Manila but was moved to ClarkField in approximately 1939 when the 19th Group arrived at Clark Field onapproximately Nov. 1, 1941. The 28th Squadron was under the command of Major“Moe" Daley, who had had the Squadron for only a short time. Its strengthwas approximately 50 Officers and 200 Enlisted Men, The Squadron had B-10 andB-18 airplanes. Upon the assignment of this Squadron to the 19th Group, it wasredesignated "Heavy" and Capt. Horrigan, who had been in commandafter Major Daley, was made Base Commander of Clark Field, was relieved byMajor Fischer, who was Operations Officer in the 14th Squadron. Several of themore experienced officers of the 19th Group were assigned to the 28th Squadron.The B-18's were distributed among the other squadrons and four (4) B-17's wereassigned to the 28th Squadron. Major Fischer remained in command of thisSquadron until he was evacuated on Feb. 5, 1942 and no commanding Officer wasdesignated for the Squadron until it was reorganized from the 11th Squadron,7th Group, of the personnel in Australia on March 14, 1942. Major Elbert Heltonwas placed in command and retained command until the Group was returned to theUnited States. Major Jack Thompson became the Squadron commander at Pyote,Texas on Feb. 14, 1943. He was relieved in June by Capt. Victor Poncik, who inturn was relieved about July 1 by Capt.

30th Bombardment Squadron:

On Oct. 10, 1940, Major Thomas Blackburn wasin command of the 30th Squadron. He continued in command until he was relievedin May 1941 by Major David R Gibbs. Major Blackburn went to the 9th PursuitWing, March Field. Major Gibbs had been the Group Operations Officer. Heretained command of the Squadron until Dec. 12, 1942 in which time he has beenreported missing in action, presumed dead. Capt. Broadhurst, Lt. Schwanbeck andLt. Elmore G. Brown were successively in command of this ground echelonSquadron in the Philippines. On March 14, 1942, when the Group reorganizationtook place, Major Raymond V. Schwanbeck assumed command of the 30th Squadron.He was relieved in July 1942 to become Group Operations Officer by Major DeanC. Hoevet. "Pinky" had been in the 93rd Squadron as Flight Leader andhe reorganized and revitalized the Squadron. He was killed in Sept. 1942 when,with the Squadron Engineering Officer, the Squadron Bombardier, the SquadronNavigator and one (1) of the Squadron Flight Leaders, his plane fell into thesea off Cairns, North Queensland and burned during an experimental bombingflare flight. Major John A. Rouse was brought from the 93rd Squadron to takecommand of the 30th. He was relieved on Feb. 14, 1943 by Major Paul E. Cool whohad been in the 28th Squadron. Capt. Edson P. Sponable became the 30th SquadronCommanding Officer, in May and was still in command when this officer wastransferred.

93rd Bombardment Squadron:

MajorWittkop commanded the 93rd Squadron from Oct. 1940 until May 1941. He left totake command of the 46th Medium Bomb Group at Fresno. The new SquadronCommander was Major Cecil E. Combs, who had previously had the HeadquartersSquadron. Major Combs kept the 93rd Squadron until he went to India in Feb.1942, while the ground echelon that was left on Bataan was under the command ofCapt. Morris C. Shedd. It has been officially reported to this officer thatwhen Bataan fell, Major "Moe" Daley was in command of the 93rdSquadron which was attempting to hold a bridge against armored Japanese forces,and that Major Daley was able to withdraw with the bulk of the Squadron toSignal Hill, Bataan for a final stand. When the 19th Group was reorganized inAustralia, Major James T. Connally assumed command of the 93rd Squadron untilhe was relieved by Capt. Felix Hardison in May 1942 to become Group Commander.Capt. Hardison led the 93rd Squadron until Feb. 14, 1942 when he wastransferred to the headquarters Second Bomber Command, Fort George Wright,Washington. Capt. Richard T. Hernlund took the 93rd Squadron and was still incommand when the, undersigned was transferred.

435th Bombardment Squadron:

ThisSquadron was formed, as has been stated before, in Australia on March 14, 1942with station at Townsville, North Queensland. Major William C. Lewis, Jr., whohad been with the 7th Group and had come over with the Task Force from Hawaiiwas in command. He was relieved in Feb. 1943, when Major Robert Thacker becameCommanding Officer. Major Thacker kept the Squadron until this officer wastransferred.

Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron:

Major RonaldHicks was commanding the Headquarters Squadron in addition to his other duty inOct. 1940. When Major Hicks went to First Bombardment Operational TrainingWing, Capt. Cecil Combs was brought up from the 93rd Squadron to take command.He remained in command until relieved by Capt. Cornelius B. Cosgrove, who hadbeen Group Personnel Officer in July 1941. Major Combs moved to the 93Squadron. Capt. Cosgrove took the Squadron overseas and was then transferred toHeadquarters, Far Eastern Air Force, when Capt. William C. McDonald, who was inthe 93rd Squadron became Headquarters Squadron Commander. The element of thisSquadron which was left on Bataan, was placed under the command of MajorCharles Miller, who had been Group Adjutant. The Headquarters SquadronDetachment, which accompanied the troops to Mindanao, was in the command of Lt.Ray McDuffee, formerly Group Intelligence Officer. At Melbourne, in March,Major Jack W. Hughes was made Headquarters Squadron Command and he kept theSquadron until Major Phillip Mathewson was removed from any further combatflying, because of flying fatigue. He was the last Commanding Officer of theSquadron. Major Hughes went to the Headquarters of the North Eastern Area JointCommand in May 19

Q5 What was the strength of the Group andwhat Squadrons were attached to it?

A5 In 1940, the T/O at that time providedfor 38 Officers and 206 Enlisted Men per Tactical Squadron, with Headquarters& Headquarters Squadron of approximately 25 Officers and 232 Enlisted Men.There were 3 Tactical Squadrons: The 30th, 32nd, and 93rd and the Headquarters& Headquarters Squadron. For Tactical purposes, only, the 38thReconnaissance Squadron was attached to the 19th Group. On Jan. 15, 1941, the19th Group broke off cadres for the 41st Bomb Group (Medium) and the 30th BombGroup (H) and on approximately May 24 these cadres moved out. On Sept. 27,1941, the 19th Group less the 32nd Squadron and the 38th ReconnaissanceSquadron moved to the Philippine Islands. On Nov. 14, the 28th Bomb Sq (Medium)was redesignated a (Heavy) Squadron and was assigned to the 19th Group, and the14th Bomb Squadron (Heavy) was also assigned to the Group. The T/O at that timewas largely, then, the one in 1940 and provided for approximately 48 Officersand 232 Enlisted Men per Tactical Squadron, and the Headquarters andHeadquarters Squadron had approximately 25 Officers and 2xx Enlisted Men. Uponevacuation from the Philippine Islands, the ground echelon of Squadrons wereabandoned except .for a few key personnel who were evacuated to Java andAustralia. Of the total strength of the Group in the Philippines ofapproximately 210 Officers and 1300 Enlisted Men, only 140 Officers and 240Enlisted Men were evacuated. The records of the War Department have officiallydeclared that the 14th Bomb Squadon was not evacuated from the PhilippineIslands. On March 14, 1942, the reorganization of the Group took place, basedon the T/O which was approximately the same as in the Philippines. Thefollowing Squadrons were reformed, Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron, inwhich was established a pool of the extra Officers and Enlisted Men, the 28thBomb Squadron which was composed mostly of personnel of the 11th Squadron, 7thGroup, the 30th Bomb Squadron and the 93rd Bomb Squadron, and one which wassplit more or less evenly with bulk of the 19th Group personnel with theirstrength augmented by extra personnel of the 7th Group and the 435th BombSquadron which was formed from the Ground Echelon of the 22nd Squadron, 7thGroup and the Task Force from Hawaii which was operating at Townsville, NorthQueensland. This Squadron was designated Variously as follows: 14th BombSquadron, 14th Reconnaissance Squadron, 40th Reconnaissance Squadron andfinally 435th Bomb Squadron. Aug. 1942, when the T/O was changed to provide fora Group Headquarters in lieu of Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron, the19th Group did not comply and retain this Headquarters Squadron until returnedto the United States, The Group was reorganized on the present T/O on Feb. 14,1943 with the following Squadron, Group Headquarters, 28th Squadron, 30thSquadron (which was the Mother Squadron), 93rd Squadron and the 435th Squadron.

Q6 What was the function of the Group?

A6 The 19th Group was one (1) of theoriginal Heavy Bombardment Groups, and in 1940, when the undersigned joined theGroup, was one of the "High Priority" Groups in the 54th Group, ArmyAir Forces program. In 1940-41, its essential function was the training ofHeavy Bombardment Pilots and in Jan. formed the cadre for two (2) new Groups.When the Army Air Forces decided on the zoning of the United States, and theremoving of Heavy Bombardment to the interior, the 19th Group was moved toAlbuquerque, N.M. in June 1941. At Albuquerque, the primary mission of the Groupwas the continuing of training of pilots and navigators and the beginning ofpreparations for combat. In May 1941, the navigation and pilot training thatthe 19th Group had been performing was culminated in a mass flight of (29)B-17s from March Field to Hamilton, to Hickam on the first long distanceover-water mass flight. Lt. Colonel Emmons accompanied the Group on thisflight, which was under the command of General Eubank. While at Hickam, pilotsof the 7th Air Force and crew chiefs, were checked off on the B-17s. Thefunction of the Group after the arrival in the Philippines was summed up bywords of General Brereton, when he visited Clark Field late in Nov. 1941,"The 19th Group is the main defensive weapon in the Philippines."Intensive combat crew training was being carried on at this time with bombingand gunnery tactics and navigation was being given to the navigators on thelong range over-water reconnaissance flights that the 19th Group was making upto and within 3 miles of Formosa. After the declaration of war, the mainfunction of the air echelons of the 14th and 93rd Squadrons was the bombing ofJapanese Naval Targets particularly invasion convoys and the carrying on oflong range armed reconnaissance missions. in the Luzon area. The ground echelonattempted to maintain Clark Field as an advanced base for these ships tooperate from, but after the abandonment of the Air in the Philippines on Dec.24, this part of the Group was redesignated Ground Forces and were training asInfantry. On Dec. 30, 1941, 109 Officers and 650 Enlisted Men of the 19th Groupwere sent by boat under the command of Colonel William Morse from Bataan toMindanao, where they were made a part of the Bisayan-Mindanao Force. After Dec.24, the main function of the air echelon was the defense of the NetherlandsEast Indies and when the Group moved to Java, on the First of Jan. 1942, it wasfor the purpose of establishing an advanced base from which to operate againstthe Japanese Force invading the Netherland East Indies. The defense of thisarea was abandoned on approximately Feb. 24, 1942 and immediately air and waterevacuation of the air forces was begun. This evacuation was made with thebelief that it would be possible to establish at a North Australian Base, abase of operations for the defense of Australia and the first air evacuationfrom Java was composed of an advanced party, under the command of Capt. RaySchwanbeck, to establish at Brooms, North Territory Australia, such a base. Itwas found however, that this was impractical due to the supply difficulties andthe decision of the United States Forces in Australia (USFIAUST), not to defendNorthern Australia, therefore, for the next two (2) months, the Groupreorganized in Australia and moved north to North Queensland to become a partof the North Eastern Area Joint Command with the RAAF. The primary mission ofthis force was the defense of Port Moresby, New Guinea, and north eastern andeastern Australia. From April 1 until July 1, the 19th Group provided the HeavyBombardment for the Joint Command and in cooperation With the Royal AustralianNavy PBYs long range reconnaissance. When the 19th Group moved to an advancedbase at Mareeba, North Queensland, the first move northward by the alliedforces was made and it became apparent from that time on, that eventually the19th Group would be able to provide offensive Heavy Bombardment rather thandefensive. Up until the time the Group left Australia on Nov. 1, 1942, that wasthe primary function. Beginning on Feb. 14, 1943, at Pyote, Texas, the 19thGroup became a part of the Second Air Force training program as a First PhaseRTU Group. When this officer left the Group on July 10, 1943 the Group wascontinuing this mission.

Q7 What was its standing in the Air Forcesof the United States?

A7 In October, 1940, the 19th Group was oneof the three (3) Heavy Bombardment Groups in the Second Air Force. It wastherefore on "High Priority" for personnel, equipment and trainingfacilities. Early in 1941, it was chosen as one of the "MotherGroups" from which expansion of the Air Force could be made. Thisexpansion was known as the Fifty-Four (54) Group Program. In May of 1941, theGroup was chosen as the one Group in the Army Air Forces to fly (26) B-17Ds toHawaii in the first mass long distance over-water flight in the history of theAir Force. Up to and including the time when the 19th Group was chosen to gooverseas, it was the first priority Heavy Bombardment Group in the UnitedStates.

Q8 Give all changes of station, personnel, typeof aircraft flown, and reasons to changes?

A8 When the undersigned reported to the19th Group in October 1940, the Group was stationed at March Field, Riverside,California. The type of aircraft were YB-17, B-17Bs, B-18; A-17, and BT-14which were used for training. On June 1 1941, the Group in compliance withpolicies of the War Department to evacuate Heavy Bombardment to inland bases,the 19th Group was transferred to Albuquerque, New Mexico, on permanent changeof station. At the same time, cadres of the 446th Bombardment Group (Medium)moved to Tucson, Arizona and the 30th Group (Heavy) to New Orleans, Louisiana.Approximately at the time the Group arrived at Albuquerque, (2) PT-17s wereassigned each Squadron for training purposes. A few B-17Cs were received whilethe Group was still at March Field but were brought to the Groups on a loanbasis, only, from the British Governor for the purpose of providing trainingairplanes for the 19th Group to train pilots, crew chiefs, and crew members andin connection with United States Government turning B-17Cs over to GreatBritain. Most of the B-17Ds received in May of 1941, while the Group was stillat March Field were transferred to Hawaii on the mass flight. In September andOctober of 1941, the Group received additional B-17Cs and Ds which were takento McClellan Field for modification at Sacramento Air Depot, and were flighttested for a flight to the Philippines. The few Bs still remaining weretransferred to the 32nd Squadron and the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron which didnot proceed with this Group Overseas.

The Groupwas transferred to the Philippines in two (2) echelons, air and ground, theGround Echelon departing by train for San Francisco on Sept. 27, 1941 andembarking on the USAT Holbrook on Oct. 4, 1941. The Air Echelon departedHamilton Field for the Philippines via Hawaii, New Guinea and Australia. Onapproximately Oct. 17, 1941 all airplanes were in place at Clark Field. By Nov.10, 1941, at Clark Field, the 19th Group was augmented by the assignment of the14th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) which had preceded the 19th Group to thePhilippines from Hawaii in September and the 28th Bombardment Squadron(Medium). The airplanes received from the 14th Squadron were all B-17Ds and the26th Squadron had approximately six (6) B-18s, having transferred its B-10s tothe Tow Target Squadron, same station. Clark Field was evacuated on Dec. 24,1941. The Group then being dispersed on Bataan, Del Monte, Batchelor Field,Australia, and Singsari Airdrome, Malang, Java. Such personnel as could beevacuated from the Philippines by air and submarine joined the Group in Javaand were all assembled on March 14 at Melbourne. Stations in Australiaincluded: Cloncurry, North Queensland, Longreach, Queensland, and on July 11,Mareeba, North Queensland and Townsville, North Queensland. When the Group wasreorganized in March 1, 1942, at Townsville, personnel from the 7th Group werejoined with the 19th Group. Most of the B-17D and C airplanes were destroyed incombat and the replacement type airplanes brought to Java by the 7th Group wereB-17E type with the remote control, lower turret. Only one (1) B-17E, with theball turret was received in Java. When the Group finally was returned to theUnited States from Mareeba and Townsville in November and December 1942, allairplanes were of the B-17E with the lower ball turret, or B-17F type. Thefirst station of the 19th Group in the United States upon its return fromcombat was Pocatello Army Air Base, Pocatello, Idaho which was evacuated inJanuary because of bad weather, to Pyote, Texas. All air equipment of the Groupduring its period of operation at Pyote, Texas was B-17F airplanes. Theexperienced personnel who returned with the 19th Group from Australia weredispersed throughout the Second Air Force with maximum advantage taken of theexperience and ability of the Officers and Men in the training program. Overone hundred (100) Enlisted Men were granted commissions or made WarrantOfficers. A great deal of inexperienced personnel was transferred into theGroup as replacements.

Q9 Give all accomplishments, shortcomings,failures, and any other interesting facts.

A9 During the time this officer wasassigned to the 19th Group, the following accomplishments of the Group were noted:

(a) One (1)airplane, Major Wittkop, flew the sick wife of the Minister from Peru back toher home in South America.

(b) TheGroup participated in a mass flight maneuver at the inauguration of PresidentRoosevelt in February 1941.

(c) Massover-water, long distance flight from Hamilton Field to Hickam Field, Hawaiiin. May 1941.

(d) Thereceipt of Special Safety Award for the lowest number of fatal accidents inthat year.

(e) AFlight of (26) B-17Cs and Ds from Hamilton Field to Clark Field, PhilippineIslands in October and November 1941.

(f)Citation by the Secretary of War as part of the Far Eastern Aid Force in thedefense of the Philippines, Dec. 8 to Dec. 28, 1941.

(g)Citation by the Secretary of War for participation in the defense of the PhilippinesDec. 7, 1941 to April 1942.

(h)Citation by the Secretary of War for participation in the defense ofNetherlands East Indies, Jan. 1 to March 10, 1942.

(i)Citation by the Secretary of War for participation in the campaign of theSolomon's by repeated attacks against Rabaul, New Britain, Aug. 8 to 12, 1942.

(j)Citation by the Secretary of War as a member of the Papuan Forces in thedefense of Port Moresby and the capture of Buna, October and November 1942.

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Thefollowing short comings of the Group were noted during the period October 1,1940 to July 1943. When war struck in the Philippines, the 19th Group wasinexperienced for the conflict in light of the experiences learned since Dec.7, 1941. Gunnery and Bombing had not been sufficiently emphasized and thesplendid showing of the Group during that period was due almost entirely to thegreat experience of the pilots and skill of the navigators.

One of theprinciple shortcomings of the Group during its period of combat was thedesperate measure of the Higher Command to attempt to stop the advances of theJapanese. One (1) resulted in many futile, ill-advised, wholly inadequateattacks carried out by this Group. The suicide measures in many cases resultedin great losses of personnel and equipment with the minimum of military return.Lack of supplies, particularly spare parts, also seriously handicapped theGroup.

Q10 Give an outline of the Group activitiesif possible over the period of time in question.

A10 Most of the activities of the 19th Grouphave been rather adequately covered in the discussions of the previousquestions, however, after the return of the Group to the United States, theGroup began participation in the training program with the Second Air Force.The first crews for training reported to the Group on Feb. 14, 1943 and weredesignated as the Davis Provisional Group. Crew training since that time hasbeen mostly in First Phase and the forming of replacement crews.

J. H. M. SMITH,

MAJOR, Air Corps.

WB\UNITHIST\G19-1945.DOC

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Prepared 1 September 1945

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The following is an exacttranscript of the text, except for enhanced headings, of what was prepared andissued Sep 1, 1945. The one issued by Hdqs was identical as those issued by theSqd's except for the cover page and the inclusion of home addresses for allpersons in the Hdqs Sqd.

Note: The listing of attached names, those assigned to the 19^thBG on Guam on or prior to August 1945, has been moved and made part of the 19^thBG Roster.

Preface

Thiscompilation of the history of the 19th Bomb Group (VH) is based on anaccumulation of facts derived from conversations with men of the old 19thGroup, recorded recollections, and historical documents.

Facts aboutthe 19th Group before December 1941 are very unreliable. The records from 7December 1941 until the Group was reactivated in April 1944, are incomplete.Since then, the records have been fairly complete and accurate. Since most ofthe present members of the 19th Group are primarily interested in the lastphase, the greater part of this history is made from the recent records andcontains achievements of the 19th Group under it's present organization.

1 September 1945

HISTORY 1927-1940

TheNineteenth Bombardment Group was originally activated as an inactive unit on 18October 1927, as the Nineteenth Observation Group. It was redesigned theNineteenth Bombardment Group on 8 May 1929, and on 24 June 1932 was madeactive.

MarchField, CA, 1939

Theoriginal components of the Group were, the thirtieth, Thirty-second andNinety-third Bombardment Squadrons, and a Headquarters and HeadquartersSquadron. The Thirty-eighth Reconnaissance Squadron was attached to the Groupas it's observation 3rd photographic component. Available information startswith the Nineteenth Group at March Field, California, on 1 January 1939, whereit was pursuing the leisurely, though thorough training of its personnel. Thedevastating power of heavy and very heavy bombardment, as yet, was not eventhen envisaged.

TheNineteenth was one of the three heavy Bombardment Groups in the Second AirForce, and in 1940 was one of the high priority Groups. Early in 1941 it waschosen as one of the "Mother Groups" from which expansion of the ArmyAir Force could be made.

Albuquerque,NM, 1941

The days ofpeace were drawing to a close, and foresight demanded preparation, whichincluded flying of day and night missions. These missions required a new base,so on 14 June 1941, the B-17-C's and D's of the Nineteenth Group landed atAlbuquerque New Mexico.

Thepressure was on -- only a miracle could keep the United States out of the war,and the United States was woefully unprepared Potential enemies to the East andto the West had to be held at arm's length from the mainland; therefore, thebest trained Group had to be placed on the perimeter of our defense line. On 1September 1941, the Nineteenth Group was alerted.

OnAlert, Philippines 1941

The Groupwas divided, leaving only the 30th and the 93rd Squadrons to compose the wholeGroup, and on 5 October 1941, the ground echelon steamed through the GoldenGate bound for Manila. the air echelon had a still greater problem, for planeshad to be gotten across quickly, and be ready for operations upon arrival. Atlast the planes headed west, pioneers in the first long distance over-waterflight in the history of the Air Force. The ground echelon arrived at ClarkField on 23 October, and within a. week all the planes had landed without asingle mishap.

Soon theNineteenth Group was augmented by the 28th Bombardment Squadron.

On 1December 1941, the group was alerted. Day and night preparations for combatwere made; satellite fields were established. There was a lull caused by thenews of the arrival of the Japanese Ambassador in Washington Then came the newsof the sneak attack on Hawaii, and without warning, the Japanese Air Powerswept over Clark Field, and bombs fell, giving the field the first taste ofwar.

Squadrons

At thisPoint the previous histories of the individual squadrons which were to make upthe 19th Group will be brought up to date.

28thSquadron

The 28thSquadron was organized in the Philippines fifteen years before the attack on 8December 1941 and for many years was the only Air Corps Units located there. Itwas originally stationed at Nichols Field, Manila, but was moved to Clark Fieldin 1939. The organization was not actually a part of any Group, but a lonebombardment squadron, part of the Philippine defense, just prior to the arrivalof the 19th Group. The squadron was equipped with B-10's, and later B-18's,which towed targets for artillery practice of the guns of Corrigador,searchlights practice, and had a general training program.

30thSquadron

The 30thBombardment Squadron was originally organized on 13 June 1917, at Kelly Field,Texas, as the 30th Provisional Aeronautical Squadron, which was redesigned the30th Aeronautical Squadron on 28 June 1917. The 30th aeronautical Squadron leftthe United States on 23 August 1917, on the United States Steamship"Baltic". They did not participate in combat however, and returned tothe United States on 4 April 1919, and was disbanded at Garden City, LongIsland, New York, on 14 April 1919. On 24 March 1923, the 30th aeronauticalSquadron was reconstituted as an inactive unit as the 30th Bombardmentsquadron. It was made active on 22 June 1932, and was made part of the 19thBombardment Group.

93rdSquadron

The 93rdBombardment Squadron saw action in World War I as part of a Pursuit Squadron.It was made up from the famous La-Fayette Escadrillo. Action was seen by themat St. Mihiol, and in the Argonne Forest. After the war the squadron wasinactivated, and the next record of the squadron is as a. part of the 19thBombardment Group.

435thSquadron

The 435thBomb Squadron was organized 16 May 1942 in Australia, and was dubbed the"Kangaroo Squadron". Before that time the organization was designatedthe 14th Bomb Squadron and later the 40th Reconnaissance Squadron. This wasprimarily a reconnaissance squadron, however it participated in many bombingmissions. During most of its active duty the 435th has been part of the 19thGroup, although at times it operated independently.

ClarkField, PI, Dec 8, 1941

At theoutbreak of hostilities on 8 December 1941 (Manila Time), the 19th BombardmentGroup was stationed at Clark Field, Manila. Fortunately the 93rd Squadron wason maneuvers at Del Monte, and therefore missed the first attack on ClarkField, which caused many casualties, and destroyed most of the aircraftstationed there. Patchwork was done on the strips and aircraft not destroyedwere dispatched to Del Monte where all planes available began reconnaissanceand bombing patrols. Planes were lost but much damage was done to the enemy.Our planes Continued to land at Clark Field after dark for several days, since,repairs and refueling facilities could still be made there. Captain ColinKelly, of the 93rd Squadron, was lost after his plane scored a direct hit on anenemy battleship.

From about17 December to 24 December 1941, most of the air echelon of the Group moved toBachelor Field, Darwin, Australia, and flew almost daily missions back to thePhilippines. They bombed, carried medicine and supplies, and returned withevacuated personnel.

ClarkField to Bataan Dec 24, 1941

ClarkField, with, all facilities was completely destroyed by about 24 December 1941,and most of the ground echelon moved into trenches in Bataan. A week later thesurvivors were evacuated and some of them reached Australia after many trialsand fighting as ground troops in Del Monte.

Java,Dec 1941

On 30December 1941, the air echelon of the 19th Bomb Group was ordered to Sengasari,Malang, in Java. There were 10 planes in flying condition and in the early partof January, seven to nine planes were able to fly missions. In the early partof March planes and personnel remaining were again ordered to Australia.

Austrailia,Mar 1942

On 14 March1942, the 19th bomb Group was reorganized at Melbourne. On 17 March, after a.carefully planned trip of the 435th Squadron, part of the 19th Group broughtGeneral Mac Arthur, his family and Staff out of the Philippines. A few dayslater the trip was repeated, bringing President Quezon out. All landing had tobe made after dark because of the proximity of the Japanese. Medical Supplieswere carried up and much mail was brought back.

Townsville, Australia

In April,the 19th transferred it's Headquarters to Garbutt Field, Townsville,Queensland, Australia.

The 19thGroup participated in the Coral Sea Battle in the early part of May 1942, andtheir land based planes helped to demonstrate the effectiveness of that type ofaircraft against carrier based aircraft. The defeat of the Japanese there savedPort Moresby and probably Australia.

Mareeba,Australia

On 24 July 1942,the Group moved it's headquarters to Mareeba, Australia, and the 28th, 30th and93rd Squadrons operated out of there, until the Group returned to the States.

Primarytargets were the harbor and two airfields at Rabaul, Lae, Gasmoto, Timor,Bouganville and Buna. Weather was one of the greatest enemies. The 435thSquadron, which was at times a part of the 19th Group, did most of the photoand reconnaissance work, not only for the 19th Group, but also for the Navy andother units in Australia.

The latestofficial mission of the 19th was flown 2 November 1942. All during November,orders were issued sending air Crews to the States. On 29 November the groundechelon left Mareeba, for Towensville, where it sailed from Austrailia.

PocatelloID, Dec 1942

These menreached Golden Gate bridge in December. After being issued clothing, the menwere given furloughs and instructed to report to Army Air Base, Pocatello,Idaho, 30 December 1942. Christmas at home was almost too good to be true.

PyoteTX, Jan 1943

On 31December 1942, the 19th Group was ordered to AAB, Pyote, Texas, but it was notuntil 1 February 1943, that the Group was ready to start operations, becausepersonnel straggled into the Base all through the month of January. The Groupwas to be used as a. nucleus for training new; combat crews. Since most of thepersonnel had seen extensive combat duty in the Pacific area, it was thoughttheir experience would be of great aid.

The firstGroup to report for training was the Davis Provisional Group. It received 2ndand 3rd phase training. Groups reporting in late received only lst phasetraining, but by November all three phases of training were given.

On 25November 1943, a new training program was organized in which the old system ofhaving both a base and group organization was abolished and one HeadquartersOrganization took over all functions of the station. The 19th Bomb Group as atactical unit was reorganized as the 19th Combat Crew training School.

GreatBend, KS, April 1944

Not until 1April 1944 was the 19th reactivated as the 19th Bombardment Group (VH). Thefirst visible evidence did not appear until 27 April when Capt (now Major)James L Coley reported to AAB Great Bend, Kansas. Major Joseph H, Sellikenassumed command 28 April 1944. Other officers and enlisted men were assigned tothe Group, and on 11 May, 1944, the three present squadrons were organized withonly a skeleton assignment of personnel. The group was soon to startfunctioning as a Tactical Unit in training. However, it had need for more staffpersonnel and more training. Thus, on 25 May 1944, Headquarters and most of thepersonnel were transferred to AABDalhart, Texas, which was serving as a manning phase base for B-29Units. On 20 May 1944, before being transferred to Dalhart, Colonel John G.Fowler, form Chief of Staff of the 1st Air Force assumed command.

Within a.few days the organization was augmented by the first large group of assignees,composed of personnel who were to hold key positions in both Group Headquartersand the three squadrons. Many of these, who had just arrived, were soon ridingagain, because a group of Officers and enlisted men were placed on TD toAAFTAC, Orlando, Florida for approximately thirty days. This cadre consistedprimarily of Communications, Operations and Intelligence personnel. The firsttwo weeks were spent attending lectures given for Very Heavy BombardmentPersonnel, by the school of applied Tactics. The later part of training wasreceived at Pinecastle, where training missions were planned and executed underthe direction of the training staff. Thus was born the team work which hassince made the 19th's Combat Planning so efficient.

Headquartersremained at Dalhart, under the command of Lt. Col. John C. Wilson, andinstituted training and conditioning of its own for the men there and those whocontinued to report.

When thecadre returned from Orlando the Group was gradually approaching full strength.On 30 June 1944, Lt Col. Philip L. Mathewson assumed command.

During thestay at Dalhart, Texas, and the early days at Great Bend, personnel werescattered to the four corners of the United States, taking special training forthe vast assignment ahead. Many men who had not received furloughs for sixmonths were granted time off.

Lt. Col.(now Colonel) John A. Roberts, our present Commanding Officer assumed command16 July 1944.

On 17 Julythe ground echelon was moved to Great Bend to take over the work of the groundechelon of the 498th Bomb Group, which had started on it's long and tiring tripto it's base of combat operations on Saipan. The air echelon was transferred toGreat Bend, 21 August 1944.

CombatCrews were assigned during the latter part of August and the first part. ofSeptember. By the end of September the .actual strength was almost up to theauthorized strength.

At GreatBend Army Air Field on 1 September 1944, the 19th Bombardment Group (VH)operated as a complete unit for the first time. Combat training began inearnest. Paragraph 12 of the Inspector General's report dated 26 September 1944is quoted: "12. Coordination between Sections: This is on a high level inthis Group and there is every indication that it will be reflected in theresults of the Group Training.

Re-classificationand on-the-job training went on during the period. Files were gotten in orderand instructions and suggestions were issued in preparation for the P.0.M.inspection which was soon to come. Morale was high and the men could sense theimpending move. The ground personnel went through bivouac exercise as part oftheir overseas training.

At the endof September, 11 B-17 aircraft and 14 B-29 aircraft were assigned to the Group.The first part of the training was in B-17's and the latter part in B-29' s.Maintenance was the bottleneck in the flying training, because most of theaircraft had been flown many hours in training. The efforts of the maintenancesection could not overcome the constant need for maintenance on the exhaustedtraining, aircraft. Moreover, the intricate mechanisms of the planes determinedthat a great number of hours of training for the combat crews would benecessary.

DuringOctober and November the tempo of activities increased. Last minute changes inpersonnel were being made. Field equipment was issued, records were brought up todate and the Group passed the P.0.M. Inspection with flying colors. The groundechelon prepared to leave on it's long and tiring trip overseas. Supplies werecrated. Training in the B-17's was completed and training in B-29's was wellunder way. Long missions to Batista, Cuba were started, and on the firstmission the first losses were sustained by the Group, since it was reactivated.These missions were continued until all the crews completed this mission.Emphasis was placed on "over water navigation" and "radarnavigation".

Pointof Embarcation, Dec 1944

The monthof December found the 19th Bomb Group Ground Echelon ready for transfer toP.0.E. Eight months of training completed in various stages at Dalhart, Texasand Great Bend Kansas, as well as specialized training for individuals throughout the States, culminated in the departure of the Group ground echelon, 7& 8 December 1944 by troop train for Seattle, Washington. Upon arrivalthere the contingents were moved by truck convoy to Fort Lawton Staging AreaThere final arrangements were made for boarding the ship. Clothing wasrechecked, shots were given, censorship lectures and abandon ship lectures anddrills were attended. At 2200, 18 December 1944, the troops departed FortLawton and were aboard the Troop Ship MS Noordam by 2400. Three minutes beforemidnight, 18 December 1944, the MS Noordam left port, and the States, andsailed to the West -- the unknown and war.

GoundEchelon Embarcation 18 Dec 1944

Lt. Col.John C. Wilson commanded the Group; Major Lee C. Free commanded the 28thSquadron; Major Arthur D. Sullivan the 30th Squadron; and Captain (now major)Max G. Hill the 93rd Squadron.

Christmasmorning there was a cheer from all onboard as Diamond Head and other land.marks at Hawaii came into view. Many on board had been so sick that they hadlost interest in living, but now there was new life, for the ship was passingWaikiki Beach, Honolulu and was entering Pearl Harbor.

After fourdays the troop ship MS Noordan sailed from Hawaii as a part of a convoy guardedby two destroyer escorts. On 7 January 1945 land again came into view and soonanchor was dropped at Eniwitok. There, for the first time since sailing,everyone was able to set foot on firm ground again.

After fivedays, on 12 January 1945, the Noordan, as part of a convoy, sailed again. Bythis time tension on board had increased because of the feeling that asubmarine might be too near for comfort.

GoundEchelon Arrive Guam 16 Jan 1945

Landing onGuam, 16 January 1945, the ground echelon immediately commenced setting upquarters. The first week found pup-tents covering the area that was later tobecome hard-stands for the 29th Group Area. The air strips were being built atbreakneck speed by the Engineers working around the clock. The permanent camparea was still covered with dense tropical jungle.

In a fewdays the bull dozers started pushing the jungle back to make way for thepermanent camp area. Almost over night the area was cleared and tents begangoing up. Even though the ground still served as the floor this new area was abig improvement because it provided good drainage. The rain at times could pourdown in torrents causing water to be eight inches to two feet deep in lowspots. when the air echelon began to arrive, Headquarters and Supplies were inthe permanent area.

After theground echelon departed from Great Bend, the air echelon continued it'straining and most of the men were granted overseas furloughs and leaves. AfterChristmas, because of the adverse weather at Great Bend, it was decided to sendthose crews which had not completed their training to Puerto Rico. Part of thestaff accompanied the crews. After approximately two weeks the crews returned.Then, between 25 and 31 January, the crews departed for AAB Kearney, Nebraska,where they were processed. About the same time, the flying personnel departedGreat Bend for Hamilton Field, for staging.

FlyingEchelon Arrive Guam Feb 1945

All duringFebruary the air echelon continued to arrive at North Field, Guam. Training wasstarted but it was short lived because there was a cry for more bombs on thetargets.

FirstMission from Guam 25 Feb 1945

The 19thGroup, in support of Navy maneuvers, participated in it's first mission againstthe Japanese home land on 25 February 1945, striking Tokyo Urban Area.

When thefield order came, there was momentary confusion. This was the day that was totest the training of all the personnel of the Group. Target information had tobe collected, bombs had to be hauled and loaded, planes had to be checked andrechecked, operational information had to be coordinated. When the crews werebriefed everyone was tense because "this was war". At 250714K as dawnwas breaking over North Field, Aircraft 307 Piloted by Captain (now Major) FredT. Blakely and accompanied by Colonel Roberts, led the group on it's firstcombat mission against Japan. Eleven aircraft were furnished by the Group andGP and Incendiary bombs were carried and dropped from 25,000 feet. Ten of theaircraft bombed the primary target given by coordinates in Tokyo Urban area.One plane bombed a target of opportunity.

The 19thBomb Group as part of the 314th Bomb Wing commanded first by Brigadier GeneralThomas S. Power, and later by Colonel Carl R. Storrie, along with other operationalwings of the XXI Bomber Command, began the bombing of Japan in earnest. Thenext two missions were radar scope photo missions. The second bombing missionwas again over Tokyo, 9 March 1945. On the previous missions little enemyopposition had been encountered and there was a feeling that perhaps war wasnot as bad as expected. However, on this mission the reality of the horrors ofwar were brought home because three crews and the Commanding Officer andOperations Officer of the 93rd Squadron failed to return. The crews lost werecommanded by lst Lt. Robert J. Auer, 28th Squadron, Captain Gordon L. Munster,and Captain Samuel M. Carr, both of the 93rd squadron. Major Sam T. Bakahas,Commanding Officer and Major Ollio J. Laird, Operations Officer, were on the93rd Squadrons which failed to return. The beginning of the low levelincendiary attacks which was destined to play a leading roll in the destructionof Japan's will to fight and productive capacity was started.

ColonelRoberts, along with Colonel Storrie and Brigadier General Power decided thatbombing could be more effective, without additional losses, at altitudesbetween 5,000 and 8,000 than at 15,000 to 20,000 feet, where the wind was veryStrong and bombing was very inaccurate.

The"powers that be" decided that all aircraft factories in Japan wouldbe destroy. The 19th Group took part in the plans and when one factory inNagoya

was spared by some seemingly magical spell, this Group wasselected to try experiments by lighting the target by flares. Finally it wasthe 19th Group that destroyed the target -- the Mitibushi Aircraft Factory.

Otherfactories attacked were Shizueka Engine Plant, Omura Aircraft Factory, KoriyamaChemical Plant, Hitachi Aircraft Plant, at Tackikawa, Otake Oil Refinery,Kawnishi Assembly Plant in Kobe, Tamashima Aircraft Plant and Nakajima aircraftPlant in Tokyo.

The Navywas meeting strong air opposition in the Ryukyus campaign. The 19th Group,along with other units of the XX air Force, took part in repeated attacks onthese airfields in Kyushu, from which enemy aircraft were supplied to theRyukyus. (Kanoya, East Kanoya, Nittagahara, Miyazaki, Kobubu, Ibusuki, Chran).Meagor enemy opposition was encountered on most of these missions which weredaylight missions.

The nextphase of bombing was the incendiary attacks on what remained of Tokyo, Nagoya,Kobe, Osaka and Yokohama. The last phase was the destruction of the smallercities of Japan -- Amagasaki, Kagoshima, Shizueka, Nobeoka, Shinonoseki,Tokushima, Kofu, Gifu, Uwajima, Hiratsuka, Okasaki, Omuta, Mito, Mikage andIsezaki -- which had taken on importance due to the destruction of the largercities with all their productive capacity.

When thenews came that Japan had decided to accept the Potsdam Ultimatum, withreservations, the 19th Group was ready for another mission. On 14 August,everyone was waiting and waiting for the Japs last answer, but it did not comeand the scheduled crews took off with definite instructions to return shouldword of the Jap surrender be received. Not until the planes were landing uponreturn, 15 August 1945, did the word come from Washington that President Trumanhad received official word of the Japanese full & acceptance of the termsof the Potsdam Ultimatum. Although combat missions were flown after this, nomore bombs were dropped on Japan.

PostJapanese Surrender Sep 1945

In additionto the bombing missions many missions were flown by single aircraft for thepurpose of gathering weather information, radar scope photographs, radar windruns, RCM and Super dumbo. These missions were very vital to the success of theprimary duty -- more bombs on the target. From the time bombing missions werehalted up to 1 September, Prisoner of War Reconnaissance and Prisoner of WarSupply missions were flown.

During thestay on Guam, the Group did more than fly missions, although that was theprimary duty. Since the Group moved in ahead of schedule, the Engineers had notcleared the area properly, much less built up the area. When the area was clearedthe personnel of the Group had to build. First, latrines, then mess halls,offices, barracks, briefing, buildings, PX, theater, Chapel and clubs werebuilt. Showers were built and water was available at certain hours during theday. Missions were flown within 15 days after the jungle was cleared from partof the camp area.

Maintenancefor the group was excellent. No other Group in the XX Air Force had maintenancethat equaled that of the 19th Group.

Aircraft ofthe 19th Group, along with other Groups of the 314th Bomb Wing were named forcities in the States. Names of cities from which one or more of the crewmembers came, usually, appears on the nose of the B-29's.

When theGroup started operations, 25 February 1945, 30 B-29's and 45 crews were assignedto it. As of 1 September 1945, a total of 81 B-29's and 98 crews had beenassigned to the Group for combat duty. The aircraft of the Group weredistinguished by a large "M" within a square on the tail fin andrudder.

Ten of theoriginal and seven replacement crews were lost on missions. Twenty aircraftwere lost to combat and thirteen were reassigned. Ten of the original crews(not intact) have completed the assignment of thirty-five missions.

Aircraft689 (M-10) completed forty-eight combat missions which is the greatest numberof any aircraft in the Wing. Aircraft 815 (M-11) completed thirty-eight combatmissions without an abort, which is the record for the Wing.

The crewcommanded by Lt. (now Captain) Robert J. Murphy, was the first crew of theGroup and Wing to complete it's tour of missions.

The crewscommanded by Lt. (now Captain) Floyd M. Maupin and Lt. (now Captain) John L.White, flew their entire assignment of thirty-five missions without abortingonce.

The 19thBomb Group is the only Group that was fighting on both the first and last dayof the present war. The 19th is one of the most decorated Groups in the entireAir Force. The Group has four citations from the President. Books and articleshave been written and more will be written about the individual acts of braveryon the parts of individuals and crews of this organization.

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1953 History of the 19thBomb Group

from AF Combat Units of WW II

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Authorized as 19th Observation Group on18 Oct 1927. Redesignated 19thBombardment Group in 1929. Activatedon 24 Jun 1932. Redesignated 19thBombardment Group (Heavy) in 1939. Equipped first with B-10's, later withB-18's, and still later (in 1941) with B-17's. Moved to the Philippine Islands,Sep-Nov 1941.

On 7 Dec1941 (8 Dec in the Philippines), when the Japanese first attacked Clark Field,the group suffered numerous casualties and lost many planes. The 93d squadron,however, was on maneuvers at Del Monte and therefore missed the attack.Supplies and headquarters were hastily moved from Clark Field to comparativelysafe points nearby, and planes that had not been too heavily damaged were givenemergency repairs and dispatched to Del Monte. There the 19th beganreconnaissance and bombardment operations against Japanese shipping and landingparties. Sustaining heavy losses, the group ceased these actions after abouttwo weeks, and the ground personnel joined infantry units in fighting theinvaders. Some of the men were evacuated, some escaped, but most were eitherkilled or captured.

Meanwhile, late in Dec 1941 the airechelon moved to Australia to transport medical and other supplies to thePhilippine Islands and evacuate personnel from that area. The men in Australiamoved to Java at the end of 1941 and, flying B-17, LB-30, and B-24 aircraft,earned a DUC for the group by attacking enemy aircraft, ground installations,warships, and transports during the Japanese drive through the Philippines andNetherlands Indies early in 1942. The men returned to Australia from Java earlyin Mar I942, and later that month the group evacuated Gen Douglas MacArthur,his family, and key members of his staff from the Philippines to Australia.After a brief rest the group resumed combat operations, participating in theBattle of the Coral Sea and raiding Japanese transportation, communications,and ground forces during the enemy's invasion of Java. From 7 to 12 Aug 1942the 19th bombed airdromes, ground installations, and shipping near Rabaul, NewBritain, being awarded another DUC for these missions. Capt Hart Pease Jr wasposthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during 6-7 Aug 1942:when one engine of his bomber failed during a mission over New Britain, CaptPease returned to Australia to obtain another plane; unable to find one fit forcombat, he selected the most serviceable plane at the base and rejoined hissquadron for an attack on a Japanese airdrome near Rabaul; by skillful flyinghe maintained his position in the formation and withstood enemy attacks untilhis bombs had been released on the objective; in the air battle that continuedafter the bombers left the target, Capt Pease's aircraft fell behind theformation and was lost. The group returned to the US late in I942 and served asa replacement training unit. inactivatedon 1 Apr 1944.

Redesignated 19th Bombardment Group(Very Heavy). Activated on 1 Apr1944. Trained for combat with B-29's. Moved to Guam Dec 1944-Feb 1945, for dutywith Twentieth AF. Entered combat on 12 Feb 1945 with an attack against aJapanese airfield on Rota. Flew its first mission against the Japanese homeislands by striking Tokyo on 25 Feb 1945. Conducted daylight raids againststrategic objectives, bombing aircraft factories, chemical plants, oilrefineries, and other targets in japan. Participated in incendiary operations,receiving one DUC for its low altitude attacks on the urban industrial areas ofTokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, and Osaka, in Mar I945, and another DUC for striking theindustrial section of Kobe on 5 Jun. Struck airfields from which the enemy waslaunching kamikaze planes against the invasion force at Okinawa, Apr-May 1945.Dropped supplies to Allied prisoners and took part in show of force missionsover Japan after the war. Remained overseas as part of Far East Air Forces.Trained, participated in sea search operations, and flew photographic mappingmissions. Redesignated 19thBombardment Group (Medium) in Aug 1948.

On 28 Jun1950 the group flew its first mission against the North Korean forces that hadinvaded the Republic of Korea. It moved to Okinawa early in Jul 1950 andcontinued operations against the enemy until 1953. Targets included troops,supply dumps, airfields, steel mills, hydro-electric plants, and light metalindustries. lnactivated on Okinawa on1 Jun 1953.

Squadrons. 14th: 1941-1942. 23rd:1935-1938. 28th: 1941-1944; 1944-1953. 30th: 1932-1944;1944-1953. 32rd: 1932-1941. 76th: 1932-1936. 93rd 1939-1944; 1944-1953.435th: (formerly 40th): 1941-1944.

Stations. Rockwell Field, Calif, 24 Jun1932; March Field, Calif, 25 Oct 1935; AIbuquerque, NM, 7 Jul-29 Sep 1941;CIark Field, Luzon, 23 Oct 1941; Batchelor, Australia, 24 Dec 1941; SingosariJava, 30 Dec 1941; Melbourne, Australia, 2 Mar 1942; Garbutt Field, Australia,18 Apr 1942; Longreach, Australia, 18 May 1942; Mareeba, Australia, 24 Jul-23Oct 1942; Pocatello, Idaho, 9 Dec 1942; Pyote AAB, Tex, 1 Jan 1943-1 Apr 1944.Great Bend AAFId, Kan, 1 Apr 7 Dec 1944; North Field, Guam. 16 Jan.1945; Kadena, Okinawa, 5 Jul 1950-1 Jun I953.

Commanders. Lt Col Harold M McClelland,c. 24 Jun 1932-1934; Col Harvey S Burwell, 1939; Col Eugene L Eubank, 2 Apr1940; Maj David R Gibbs, 10 Dec 1941; Maj Emmett O'Donnell Jr, 12 Dec 1941; LtCol Cecil E Combs, Jan 1942; Lt Col Kenneth B Hobson, 14 Mar 1942; Lt Col JamesT Connally, 15 Apr 1942; Lt Col Richard N Carmichacl, 10 Jul 1942; Lt Col FelixM Hardison, 1 Jan 1943; Lt Col Elbert Helcon, 13 Feb 1943; Col Louie P Turner,5 May 1943; Lt Col Frank P Sturdivant, 27 Jan 1944; Col Bernard T Castor, 11Feb-1 Apr 1944. Maj Joseph H Selliken, 28 Apr 1944; Col John G Fowler, 20 May1944; Lt Col John C Wilson, 29 May 1944; Lt Col Philip L Mathewson, 30 Jun1944; Col John A Roberts Jr 16 Jul 1944; Lt Col George T ChadwellSep 1945; Col Vincent M Miles Jr, I Mar I946; Col Elbert D Reynolds, 13 Apr1946; Col David Wade, 26 Apr 1947; Col Francis C Shoemaker, 8 Nov 1947; ColRobert V DeShazo, 2 Dec 1947; Lt Col Clarence G Poff, 1949; Col Theodore QGraft, I7 Sep 1949; Col Payne Jennings, 26 Sep 1950; Col Donald 0 Tower, 29 Mar1951; Col Adam K Breckenridge, 26 Jut 1951; Col Julian M Bleyer, 6 Feb 1952;Col Willard W Smith, 8 Jul 1952; Col Harvey C Dorney, 24 Dec 1952-1 Jun 1953.

Campains. World War II: AmericanTheater; Philippine Islands; East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan; Papua;Guadalcanal; Western Pacific. Korean War: UN Defensive; UNOffensive; CCF Intervention; Ist UN counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UNSummer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, I952; ThirdKorean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, I953.

Decorations. Distinguished UnitCitations: Philippine Islands, 7 Dec 1941-10 May 1942; Philippine Islands, 8-22Dec 1941; Philippine Islands and Netherlands Indies, 1 Jan-1 Mar 1942;Philippine Islands, 6 Jan-8 Mar 1942; Papua, 23 Jul-[Oct 1942]; New Britain,7-12 Aug 1942; Japan, 9-19 Mar 1945; Kobe Japan, Jun 1945; Korea, 28 Jun-15 Sep1950. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. Republic of Korea PresidentialUnit Citation: 7 Jul 1950-[1953]. Insigne. Shield: Azure, within thesquare of the constellation of Pegasus, a winged sword, point to base, all or.Crest: On a wreath of the colors (or and azure) an osprey guardant, rising,wings elevated and addorsed proper. Motto: IN ALIS VINCIMUS -- On Wings WeConquer. (Approved 19 Oct 1936)

1953 History of 28^th Squadron

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Lineage:Organized as 28th Aero Squadron on 22 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 16 Jun

1919. Reconstituted and consolidated (9 Jan 1922) with 28thSquadron which was authorized on 30 Aug 1921. Organized on 20 Sep 1921.Inactivated on 28 Jun 1922. Activated on 1 Sep 1922. Redesignated: 28th BombardmentSquadron on 25 Jan 1923; 28th Bombardment Squadron (Medium ) on 6 Dec 1939;28th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 16 Nov 1941; 28th Bombardment Squadron(Very Heavy) on 28 Mar 1944. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1944. Activated on 1 Apr1944. Redesignated: 28th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 10 Aug 1948; 28thBombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 1 Jul 1961.

Assignments: Unkn, 22 Jun 1917-Mar1918; attached to RAF for operations and training, Mar-Jun 1918; unkn, Jun-Aug1918; 3rd Pursuit Group, Aug 1918; 2d Pursuit Group, Dec-Apr 1919. Ninth CorpsArea, 20 Sep 1921-28 Jun 1922. Philippine Department, 1 Sep 1922; 4th CompositeGroup, 2 Dec 1922; 19th Bombardment Group, 16 Nov 1941-1 Apr 1944 (groundechelon attached to the 5th Interceptor Command, c 24 Dec 1941-May 1942). 19th Bombardment Group, 1 Apr 1944;19th Bombardment Wing, 1 Jun 1953.

Stations: Camp Kelly, Tex, 22 Jun 1917;Toronto, Ont, Canada, 25 Aug 1917; Deseronto, Ont, Canada, 1 Sep 1917;Taliaferro Field No.1, Tex, 5 Nov 1917; Garden City, l'N, 25 Jan-5 Feb 19 18;St Marie-Cappel, France, 20 Mar 19 18 (fiights operated from various stationsin Nord, Pasde-Calais, and Somme, until squadron reassembled at St Omer on 24Jun: headquarters and B flights located in Flanders; C flight in Picardv; Afljght in Flanders until 6 Jun when it moved to Picardy and joined C flight atRousseauville in the Amiens sector); Boisdinghem, France, 1 3 Apr 1918;Alquines, France, 15 Apr 191b3; St Omer, France 24 Jun 1918; Issoudun, France,26 Jun 19 16; Orly, France, 8 Jut 19 18; Vaucouleurs, France, 16 Aug 19 18;Lisle-en-Barrois, France, 20 Sep 191b3; Foucaucourt France; 6 Nov 1918; Grand,France, 15 Feb 1919; Colombey-les-BeIles, France, 15 Apr 1919; Le Mans, France,4-19 May 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, 31 May-16 Jun 1919. Mother Field, Calif, 20Sep 1921-28 Jun 1922 Clark Field, Luzon, 1 Sep 1922; Kindley Field, Corregidor,Sep 1922; Camp Nichols, Luzon, 4 Nov 1922; Clark Field, Luzon, Dec 1922; CampNichols, Luzon, 4 Jun 1923; Clark Field Luzon, 16 Jun 1938; Batchelor, Australiac. 24 Dec 1941 (ground echelon in Luzon and Mindanao, c 24 Dec 1941-May 1942);Singosari.Java 30 Dec 1941; Melbourne, Austrdlia, c 4 Mar 1942; Cloncurry,Australia c. 28 Mar 1942 (detachment operated from Perth, Australia 28 Mar-18May 1942); Longreach, Australia c 5 May 1942; Mareeba Australia 24 Jut c 18 Nov1942; Pocatello, Idaho, c. 30 Dec 1942; Pyote AAB Tex 24 Jan 1943-1 Apr 1944.Great Bend AAFld Eon, 1 Apr Dec 1944; North Field, Guam, 16 Jan 1945; Kadena,Okinawa, 27 Jun 1950-14 May 1954; Pinecastle AFB. Fla. c. 28 May 1954;Homestead AFB, Fla, c. 25 Jun 1956.

Aircraft: JN-4, 1917; in addition toSpad XIII, briefly included Spad VII during period 1918-1919. Apparentlyincluded DH-4, 1921-1922. In addition to DH-4, 1922 c. 1928, and NBS-l, 1924-1930,included LB-5 and OA-l during period 1929-1931; B-3, c. 1931-1937; B-10, 1937-1941; B-18 and B-17, successively during 1941; B-17s, LB-30s, and probablyB-24s, 7 Dec 1941- 1942; B-17, 1942-1944. B-29, 1944-1954; B-47, 1954-1961;B-52, 1962-.

Operations: Flying trajning unit,Nov-Dec 19 17; maintained aircraft and underwent combat training while attachedby flights to tactical units of RAP serving on front with British Second andFifth Armies, 20 Mar-c. 24 Jun 19 18 (C Flight, attached to 25 Squadron, RAF,at Villers-Brettonneux, Beauvais, and Rousseauville, participated in SommeDefensive, 2 1 Mar-6 Apr 191b3); combat as pursuit unit with American FirstArmy, 2 Sep-10 Nov 1918. Combat in Southwest Pacific, 1 Dec 1941-c. 16 Nov1942; ground echelon fought with infantry units in Philippine Islands, c. 24Dec 194 l-May 1942; replacement training, 1 Feb 1943- 1 Apr 1944; combat inWestern Pacific, c. 12 Feb-15 Aug 1945 Combat in Korea, 28 Jun 1950-25Jul 1953. ServiceStreamers: American Theater.

Campaigns:World War I: Flanders; Lys; Picardy; Lorxaine; St Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne. WorldWar II: Philippine Islands; East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan; Papua;Guadalcanal Western Pacific; Air Combat Asiatic-Pacific Theater; Korean War: EMDefensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive: CCFSpring offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; KoreaSummer-Fall, 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1953.

Decorations: Distinguished UnitCitations: Philippine Islands; 7 Dec 1941-10 May 1942; PhiLippine Islands, 8-22Dec 1941; Philippines and Netherlands Indies, 1 Jan-l Mar 1942; PhilippineIslands, 6 Jan-8 Mar 1942; Papua, 23 Jul-[c. 16 Nov 1942]; New Britain, 7-12Aug 1942; Japan 9-19 Mar 1945; Kobe, Japan, 5 Jun 1945; Korea, 28 Jun-15 Sep1950. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. Republic of Korea PresidentialUnit Citation: 7 Jut 1950-27 Jut 1953.

Emblem: A Mohawk Indian head in profilewith scalp lock, single feather and wampum necklace, above the head, a bluediamond.

1953 30^thSquadron History

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Lineage: Organized as 30th AeroSquadron on 13 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 4 Apr 1919. Reconstituted, andredesignated 30th Bombardment Squadron on 24 Mar 1923. Activated on 24 Jun1932. Redesignated 30th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 Dec 1939. Inactivatedon 1 Apr 1944. Redesignated 30th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy). Activatedon 1 Apr 1944 .Redesignated: 30th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 10 Aug 1948;30th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 1 Jul 1961. Discontinued, and inactivated,on 1 Feb 1963.

Assignments:Unkn, 13 Jun-Sep 1917; Third Aviation Instruction Center, Sep 1917-Jan 1919;unkn, Jan-14 Apr 1919. 19th Bombardment Group, 24 Jun 1932-1 Apr 1944 (groundechelon attached to the 5th Interceptor Command, c. 20 Dec 1941-May 1942 ).19th Bombardment Group, 1 Apr 1944; 19th Bombardment Wing, 1 Jun 1953; 4133rdStrategic Wing, 1 Jan 1962-1 Feb 1963.

Stations: Camp Kelly, Tex, 13 Jun-11Aug 1917; Etampes, France, 19 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, 23 Sep 1917;Bordeaux, France, c. 6 Jan-c. 18 Mar 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, c. 5-14 Apr 1919.Rockwell Field, Calif, 24 Jun 1932; March Field, Calif, 25 0ct 1935;Albuquerque, NM, Jun-7 Sep 1941; Clark Field, Luzon, c. 23 Oct 1941; Batchelor,Australia, c. 20 Dec 1941 (ground echelon in Luzon and in Mindanao, c. 20 Dec1941-May 1942); Singosari, Java, c. 31 Dec 1941; Melbourne, Australia, c. 5 Mar1942; Cloncurry, Australia, c. 27 Mar 1942; Longreach, Australia, c. 13 May1942; Mareeba, Australia, c. 24 July. to Nov 1942; Pocatello, Idaho, c. 9 Dec1942; Pyote AAB, Tex, 24 Jan 1943-1 Apr 1944. Great Bend AAFld, Kansas, Apr-8Dec 1944: North Field, Guam, 16 Jan 1945: Kadena, Okinawa, 27 Jun 1950-16 May1954; Pinecastle AFB, Fla 30 May 1954; Homestead AFB, Fla, c. 25 Jun 1956; GrandForks AFB, ND, 1 Jan 1962-1 Feb 1963.

Aircraft: Included 0-27, OA-4, YOA-5,B-3, and B-12 during period 1932-1936; included B-10, B18, and B17,successively, during period 1935-1941; B-17's, and probably B-24's and LB-30's,7 1941-1942; B-17, 1942-1944. B-29, 1944-1954; B-47, 1954-1961; B-52,1962-1963.

Operations: Repaired and overhauledaircraft engines, 1917-1918. Combat in Southwest Pacific, 7 Dec 1941-c. 16 Nov1942; ground echelon fought with infantry units in Philippine Islands, c. 20Dec 1941-May 1942; replacement training, 1 Feb 1943-1 Apr 1944 .Combat inWestern Pacific, c. 12 Feb-15 Aug 1945. Combat in Korea, 28 Jun 1950-25 Jul1953.

Service Streamers: Theater ofOperations.

Campaigns: World War II: PhilippineIslands; East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan; Papua; Guadalcanal; WesternPacific; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Korean War: UN Defensive; UNOffensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive;UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1952; ThirdKorean Winter; Korea Summer-Fall, 1953.

Decorations: Distinguished UnitCitations: Philippine Islands, 7 Dec 1941-10 May 1942; Philippine Islands, 8-22Dec 1941; Philippines and Netherlands Indies, 1 Jan-l Mar 1942; Philip pineIslands, 6 Jan-8 Mar 1942; Papua, 23 Jul-[c. 10 Nov 1942];New Britain, 7-12 Aug1942; Japan, 9-19 Mar 1945; Kobe, Japan, 5 Jun 1945; Korea, 28, Jun-15 Sep1950. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. Republic of Korea PresidentialUnit Citation: 7 Jul 1950-27 Jul 1953.

Emblem: On a blue disc bordered 1yellow between four cardinal compass, points indicated by three yellowtriangles and a green fleur-de-lis outlined white for the north point, a whiteskull in profile with black shadows and with a yellow wing protrudingdiagonally upward from its back and extending over the disc and from the eve awhite lightening flash streaked red extending diagonally downward over thedisc. (Approved 8 Sept 1953)

1953 32 SquadronHistory

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Linage: Organized as 32d Aero Squadronon 13 Jun 1917. Demobilized on 14 Apr 1919. Reconstituted and redesignated 32dBombardment Squadron on 24 Mar 1923. Activated on 24 Mar 1923. Activated on 24June 1932. Redesignated: 32d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 6 Dec 1949[1941?];32d Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on 5 Aug 1945. Inactivated on 15 Oct1945. Activated on 4 Aug 1946. Redesignated 32d Bombardment Squadron (Medium)on 28 May 1948.

Assignments: Unkn, 13 Jun-Sep 1917;Third Aviation Instruction Center, Sep 1917-Jan 1919; unkn, Jan--14 Apr 1919. 19th Bombardment Group 24 Jun 1932(attached to IV Bomber Command, 22 Oct1941; apparently attached to 7th Bombardment Group for operations, c. 8 Dec1941); Sierra Bombardment Group, 16 Dec 1941; Fourth Air Force, 17 Jan 1942(attached to IV Bomber Command, 26 Jan 1942); Second Air Force (attached to301st Bombardment Group), 16 Mar 1942; 301st Bombardment Group, 31 Mar 1942--15Oct 1945; 301st Bombardment Group, 4 Aug 1946; 301st Bombardment Wing, 16 Jun1952.

Stations:. Camp Kelly, Tex, 13 Jun--11Aug 1917; Etampes, France, 20 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, 28 Sep 1917; Bordeau,France, c. 6 Jan--c. 18 Mar 1919; Mitchel Field, NY, c. 5--14 Apr 1919.Rockwell Field, Calif, 24 Jun 1932; March Field, Calif, 25 Oct 1935;Albuquerque NM, c. 4 Jun--22 Nov 1941 (Air echelon, which was at HamiltonField, Calif, under orders for movement to Philippine Islands at time ofJapanese attack on Hawaii on 7 Dec 1941, apparently moved to Muroc, Calif, c. 8Dec 1941; ground echelon departed San Francisco aboard ship on 6 Dec 1941 andreturned on 9 Dec 1941); Bakersfield, Calif, 17 Dec 1941 (air echelon evidentlydeparted for Southwest Pacific c. late Dec 1941; concurrently dissolved andpersonnel assigned to other units); Geiger Field, Wash, c. 14 Mar 1942;Alamogordo, NM, 27 May 1942 (operated from Muroc, Calif, c. 28 May-14 Jun 1942); Richard E Byrd Field, Va, 21 Jun--19 Jul 1942; Chelveston, England, 18 Aug1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, 26 Nov 1942; Maison Blanche, Algeria, 6 Dec 1942;Biskra, Algeria, 16 Dec 1942; Ain M'lila, Algeria, 16 Jan 1943; St-Donat,Algeria, 8 Mar 1943; Oudna, Tunisia, 6 Aug 1943; Cerignola, Italy, 11 Dec 1943;Lucera, Italy, 2 Feb 1944-Jul 1945; Sioux Falls AAFld, SD, 28 Jul 1945;Mountain Home AAFld, Idaho, 17 Aug 1945; Pyote AAFld, Tex, 23 Aug--15 Oct 1945.Clovis AAFld, NM, 4 Aug 1946; Smoky Hill AAFld, Kan, 16 Jut 1947; BarksdaleAFB, La, 7 Nov 1949; Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, 15 Apr 1958.

Aircraft: Included C-26, 0-27, B-12,and apparently B-3 during period 1932-1935; included B10, B-18, and B-17,successively, during period 1935--1941; B-17, 1942--1945. B-29, 1947--1953;B-47, 1953-1958; RB-47, 1958; B-47, 1958--1961; E-47, 1961-.

Operations: Aircraft repair,1917--1918. Antisubmarine Patrols off California coast, mid-Dec 1941, and c.late May--early Jun 1942. Combat in ETO and MTO, 2 Oct 1942--c. 26 Apr 1945.Electronics countermeasures, 1958.

Service Streamers: Theater ofOperations.

Campaigns:Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Egypt-Libya; Tunisia;Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; SouthernFrance; North Apennines; Rhineland; Central Europe; Po Valley; Air Combat, EAMETheater.

Decorations: Distinguished UnitCitations: Tunisia, 6 Apr 1943; Germany, 25 Feb 1944. Air Force Outstanding UnitAward: 1 Jan 1961--31 Dec 1962.

Emblem: On a dark blue equilateraltriangle, one point down, a conventionalized fowl, white outlined with yellow,grasping two green lightning bolts which cross below the fowl and behind ayellow compass rose surmounted by a green drop bomb outlined with white.(Approved 21 Nov 1936.)

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1953 93^rdSquadron History

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Lineage: Organized as 93rd Aero Squadron on 21 April 1917. Demobilized on31 Mar 1919. Reconstituted and consolidated (1936) with 93rd BombardmentSquadron which was constituted on 1 Mar 1935. Redesigned 93d BombardmentSquadron (Heavy), and activated, on 20 Oct 1939. Inactivated on 1 Apr 1944.Redesignated 93rd Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy). Activated on 1 Apr 1944.Redesignated: 93rd Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on to Aug 1948; 93rdBombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 1 Jul 1961. Discontinued, and inactivated on 1Feb 1963.

Assignments: Unkn, 21 Aug 1917-Aug1919; 3rd Pursuit Group, Aug-Dec 1918; unkn, Dec 1918-31 Mar 1919. 19thBombardment Group, 20 Oct 1939-1 Apr 1944 (ground echelon attached to 5thInterceptor Command, c. 19 Dec 1941-May 1942). 19th Bombardment Group, 1 Apr1944; 19th Bombardment Wing, 1 Jun 1953; 4239th Strategic Wing, 1 Aug 1961-1Feb 1963.

Stations:Kelly Field, Tex, 21 Aug-29 Sep 1917; England, 29 Oct 1917; Beaulieu, England,Jan-24 Jun 1918; Issoudun, France, c. 7 Jul 1918; Vaucouleurs, France, 26 Jul1918; LisIe-en-Barrois, France, 24 Sep 1918; Foucaucourt, France, 6 Nov 1918;Colombey-les-Belles, France, c. 15 Dec 1918-unkn; Garden City, NY, c. 14-31 Mar1919. March Field, Calif, 20 Oct 1939; Albuquerque, NM, Jun-27 Sep 1941; ClarkField, Luzon, c. 23 Oct 1941; Batchelor Field, Australia, c. 19 Dec 1941(ground echelon in Luzon and Mindanao, c. 19 Dec 1941-May 1942); Singosari, Java,c. 1 Jan 1942; MeIbourne, Australia, c. 1 Mar 1942; Cloncurry, Australia, 29Mar 1942; Longreach, AustraLia, 18 May 1942; Mareeba, Australia, 23 July-c 25Oct 1942; PocateIlo, Idaho, c. 28 Dec 1942; Pyote, Tex, c. 19 Jan 1943-1 Apr1944. Great Bend AAFld, Kan, 1 Apr-7 Dec 1944; North Field, Guam, 16 Jan 1945;Kadena, Okinawa, 27 Jun 1950-18 May 1954; Pinecastle AFB, Fla, c. 2 Jun 1954;Homestead AFB, FIa, c. 25 Jun 1956 Kinche!oe AFB, Mich, 1 Aug 1961-1 Feb 1963.

Aircraft: In addition to Spad XIII,briefly included Spad VII, 1918. B-18 and B-17, successively, 1939-1941;B-17,and probably B-24 and LB-30, during period 7 Dec 1941-Oct 1942; B-17, 1942-1944B-29, 1944-1954; B-47, 1954-1961: B-52 1961-1963.

Operations:Combat as pursuit unit with First Army 11 Aug-10 Nov 1918. Combat in SouthwestPacific, 7 Dec 1941-c. 24 Oct 1942; ground echelon fought with infantry unitsin Philippine Islands, c. 19 Dec 194l-May 1942; replacement training unit, 1Feb 1943-1 Apr 1944. Combat in Western Pacific, c. 12 Feb-15 Aug 1945. Combatin Korea, 28 Jun 1950-25 Jul 1953.

Service Streamers: American Theater.

Campaigns: World War I: Lorraine; StMihieI; Meuse-Argonne. World War II: Philippine Islands; East Indies; AirOffensive, japan; Papua; GuadalcanaI; Western Pacific; Air Combat,Asiatic-Pacific Theater. Korean War: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCFIntervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive- UN Summer-FallOffensive; Second Korean Winter; Korean Summer-Fall 1952; Third Korean Winter;Korea Summer-Fall 1953.

Decorations: Distinguished UnitCitations: Philippine Islands, 7 Dec 1941-10 May 1942: Philippine Islands, 8-22Dec 1941; Philippines and Netherlands Indies, 1 Jan-1 Mar 1942; PhilippineIslands, 6 Jan-8 Mar 1942; Papua, 23 Jul-[24 Oct 1942]; New Britain, 7-12 Aug1942; Japan, 9-19 Mar 1945; Kobe, Japan, 5 Jun 1945; Korea, 28 Jul-15 Sep 1950.Philippine Pesidential Unit Citation. Republic of Korea Pesidential UnitCitation: 7 Jut 1950-27 Jul 1953.

Emblem: A screaming Indians head in warpaint with two feathers and a necklace of teeth, all proper. (Approved 24 Apr1942 from World War I emblem.)

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1953 435^thSquadron History

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Linage: 40th Reconnaissance Squadronformed on 14 Mar 1942 by authority of War Department but apparently withoutformal constitution and activation. Redesignated 435th Bombardment Squadron(Heavy) on 22 Apr 1942. In activated on 1 Apr 1944. Redesignated 435thBombardment Squadron (Very Heavy ). Activated on 1 Apr 1944. Inactivated on toMay 1944. Activated on 7 Jul 1944. Inactivated on 28 May 1946.

Assignments: 19th Bombardment Group 14 Mar 1942--1 Apr 1944 (attached to AlliedAir Force, c.17 Jul--c. 24 Sep 1942). 19thBombardment Group, 1 Apr--10 May 1944. 333d Bombardment Group, 7 Jul1944--28 May 1946.

Stations: Townsville, Australia, 14Mar--c.15 Nov 1942: Pocatello, Idaho, c. 30 Dec 1943; Pyote AAB, Tex, 5 Jan1943--1 Apr 1944. Great Bend AAFld, Tex[KS], 1 Apr--10 May 1944. Dalhart AAFld,Tex, 7 Jul 1944; Great Bend AAFld, Kan, to Dec 1944--19 Jun 1945; Kadena,Okinawa, 5 Aug 1945--28 May 1946.

Aircraft: LB-30, 1942. B-17 1942-1943. B-29, 1944-1946.

Operations:Evacuated General Douglas MacArthur and President Manuel Quezon from thePhilippine Islands, Mar 1942; combat in Southwest Pacific, 14 Mar--c. 13 Nov1942; replacement training, 1 Feb 29 Oct 1943; not manned, 29 Oct 1943--1 Apr1944. After training for B-29 operations, deployed to Pacific too late forcombat before end of war in 1945.

Service Streamers: American Theater.

Campaigns: Philippine Islands; EastIndies, Papua: Guadalcanal.

Decorations: Distinguished UnitCitations: New Britain, 7--12 Aug 1942; Papua, 23 Jul--(c. 13 Nov 1942); NewGuinea, New Britain, New Ireland, and Solomon Islands, 10 Sep--10 Oct 1942.Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Emblem:On a blue disc, border white, a kangaroo leaping proper, infront of a largewhite cloud formation, peering through a telescope grasped in the forelegs andholding a large gold aerial bomb in a loop of the tail. (Approved 6 May 1943.)

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1953 314^th Wing History

Constituted as314th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) on 15 Apr I944 and activated on 23 Apr.Moved to Guam, Dec 1944-Feb 1945. Assigned to Twentieth AF. Engaged in veryheavy bombardment operations from Feb to Aug 1945.

Redesignated314th Composite Wing in Jan 1946. Assigned to Far East Air Forces. Moved toJapan in Jun 1946.

Inactivated on 20Aug 1948.

Redesignated314th Air Division

Activated inJapan on 1 Dec 1950. Assigned to Far East Air Forces. Provided air defense forJapan and logistic support for combat operations in Korea.

Inactivated inJapan on 1 Mar 1952.

Activated inKorea on 15 Mar 1955. Assigned to Far East Air Forces.

COMPONENTS:

Groups: 3rdBombardment: 1946-1948. 19th Bombardment: 1944-1946. 29th Bombardment:1944-1946. 35th Fighter: 1946-1948. 39th Bombardment: 1944-1945. 49th Fighter:1946-1948. 330th Bombardment: 1944- 1945.

Wings: 35thFighter: 1951-1952. 58th Fighter: 1955-___. 374th Troop Carrier: 1950-1951.437th Troop Carrier: 1950-1951.

STATIONS:Peterson Field, Colo, 23 Apr- 9 Dec1944; North Field, Guam, 16 Jan

1945; Johnson AB, Japan, 15 Jun 1946-20 Aug 1948. Nagoya,Japan, 1 Dec 1950-1 Mar 1952. Osan-Ni, Korea, 15 Mar 1955-____.

COMMANDERS: BrigGen Roger M. Ramey, 1 Jun 1944; Lt Col Hewitt T. Wheless, 15 Jun 1944; Col JohnG Fowler, 24 Jun 1944; Brig Gen Thomas S. Power, 29 Aug 1944; Col Carl R.Storrie, 23 Jul 1945-unkn; Brig Gen Jarred V. Crabb, c. Jun 1946; Col ClarenceD. Wheeler, 30 Jul 1946; Brig Gen David W. Hutchison, 23 Aug 1946; Brig GenHerbert B. Thatcher, 18 Feb 1947; Col Edward H. Underhill, c. Apr 1947-1948.Brig Gen Delmar T. Spivey, 1 Dec 1950-1 Mar 1952. Col William W. Momyer, 15 Mar1955; Col Thomas L. Mosley, c. Sep 1955-__.

CAMPAIGNS: AirOffensive, Japan; Western Pacific.

DECORATIONS:None.

INSIGNE: On anultramarine blue disc, in sinister base, a globe, proper, with silver waterareas and brown land areas, fimbriated gold, winged at dexter by a stylizedwing of the last, charged with four aerial bombs gales palewise, points tobase.

Motto: DESTRUCTIOAB ALTO --- Destruction from Above. (Approved 20 Jan 1945. This insigne wasmodified 9 May 1956.)

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1981 19^thBomb Group History

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[Thisversion is a copy and enhancement of the 1981 version entitled: "Background of the 19th BombardmentWing (Heavy)" sponsored by Col R.L. Purdum, Commander, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. This document is part ofthe 19th BG Association History being compiled and placed on disk by DLandau.]

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The 19thBombardment Wing (Heavy) is one of the oldest organizations in the Air Forcewith a long and proud history of service to the nation. The wing, or it'scomponents, has served in two world wars and two armed conflicts in addition tobeing on standby for

immediate response during several internationally tensepolitical situations. The 19th has earned the distinction of being the mostdecorated unit within the Strategic Air Command as well as one of the mostdecorated units in the service. Unit honors include a record of ninePresidential Unit Citations and two Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, as wellas the Republic of Korea Presidential Citation and the Philippine RepublicPresidential Unit Citation.

"CHECKMATETO AGGRESSION" reads the motto of the 19th Bombardment Wing. For more thanfifty years, the men, women, and machines of the 19th have stood ready to flyand fight in defense of the United States. Today, outfitted with the B-52GStratofortress and the KC-13SA Stratotanker, the "Black Knight" ofthe 19th continue this wing's glorious heritage.

The wingcame into existence on the eighteenth of October 1927, as the 19th ObservationGroup, an inactive unit of the Army Air Corps. In March 1932, the unit wasactivated at Rockwell Army Air Field, California and redesignated as the 19thBomb Group. The unit remained in California until 1941 flying B-10s and B-18s.

In 1941,now flying the newly built B-17C long-range bomber, the 19th Bomb Groupdeployed to the Philippines. Enroute the Group under the command of Lt ColEugene Eubanks made aviation history. For the first time ever, a mass flight ofheavy bombers flew the 2,400 miles from the west coast of the United States toHawaii.

By earlyfall 1941, the 19th had completed deployment of personnel and equipmentoverseas and was now prepared to function as the long-range strike arm of theFar East Air Force.

December 8,1941, the 19th was caught off-guard at Clark Army Air Field, the Philippines,and was virtually destroyed by a Japanese attack. The attack destroyed most ofthe aircraft and seriously damaged the remaining aiycraft. Despite this, the19th Bombardment Group was the first American air unit to strike back at theJapanese.

Two days following the attack on Clark Field, the remnantsof the Group attacked and destroyed one troop transport and severely damagedanother while the Japanese fleet was steaming off the Luzon coast inpreparation for the lnvasion of the Philippines.

For thenext two weeks, the 19th fought heroically in a series of small, but effective,strikes against the enemy. However, in the face of insurmountable odds, on the24th of December 1941, the 19th Bombardment Group was forced to withdraw toAustralia. It was aboard one of the remaining aircraft belonging to the 19ththat General Douglas MacArthur and his staff evacuated the islands. Theremaining personnel of the 19th joined in small bands with other servicepersonnel in guerrilla type actions which hampered the Japanese occupation ofthe islands. Others were captured by the enemy and forced to partake in the nowinfamous Bataan Death March. Records of the 19th prior to 1941 are sketchy dueto most having been destroyed while at Clark Field.

FromAustralia, the 19th went as part of a joint allied command to the NetherlandsIndies to participate in the defense of Java. This was in conjunction withBritish, Dutch, and Australian forces. Though the allies put up a stiffresistance, they were once again forced to withdraw to Australia in March 1942.

FromBatchelor Field near Darwin, Australia, the 19th conducted operations againstthe enemy. The Group was suffering from such severe personnel shortages thatcrew members had to service their own aircraft prior to missions. It was fromBatchelor Field in May of 1942, the 19th launched strikes in support of thefirst significant allied victory in the Pacific, the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Followingthis much needed victory, the 19th started flying what are now termed asinterdiction missions against the enemy. Supply routes became the major targetsof the 19th during this period. Rabaul, a key point in the Japanese supplylines, was bombed with increasing frequency by the 19th during the spring andsummer of 1942. The Group flew the largest single bombing attack against theJapanese, up to that time, on 1 April 1942. This attack was in support' of theU.S. Marine's invasion of the Japanese fortress on Guadalcanal. The mission ofthe 19th was to destroy the Vanakanau airdrome at Rabaul. During the attack,the 19th destroyed fifty enemy aircraft on the ground and seven pursuitaircraft in the air as well as severely damaging the airdrome area. The raidcost the loss of one B-17 commanded by Captain Hart Pease, Jr. For his heroicactions during the attack, Captain Pease was awarded the Congressional Medal ofHonor posthumously.

In Octoberof the same year, the 19th, battle-weary and critically undermanned, wasrotated back to the U.S. for refitting and replacements' training. The Groupoperated a B-17 Combat Crew Training School stationed at Pyote Army Air Field,Texas, until the Group was inactivated 1 April 1944, and reactivated the sameday as a training group for the B- 29 aircraft newly located at Great Bend ArmyAir Base, Kansas.

Early in1945, the 19th Bombardment Group reentered the war against Japan. This timeflying the B- 29 Superfortress from bases on Guam, the 19th launched missionsinto the heartland of Japan. The 19th not only was the first American unit tostrike back at the Japanese in 1941, but was also the Group chosen to fly thelast bomb strike against the Japanese in 1945.

Theaccomplishments of the 19th Bombardment Group during World War II werestaggering when considering the abuse the Group took from the enemy during theearly stages of the war. Of the aircraft originally stationed at Clark Army AirField, the Philippines, in 1941, only three were able to evacuate to Australia.Of these three, only one was to ever return to the United States. Thisaircraft, nicknamed the "Swoose" which stands for "not as prettyas a swan but not as ugly as a goose" (the aircraft was refitted fromdamaged aircraft while at Clark), now rests in the Smithsonian Institute'sNational Air Museum as a monument

to the gallant men and machines that flew during World WarII.

After thehostilities with the .Japanese ceased in 1945, the 19th was given theassignment of maintaining it's combat readiness while stationed on Guam. It wasfrom Guam the 19th was once again called upon to make the first retaliatoryattack against an armed enemy of the United States.

Withinforty-eight hours following the Communist invasion of South Korea, the 19th wasflying B- 29 airstrikes out of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, in support of theUnited Nations ground forces.

By the timethe war drew to a close in 1953, the 19th Bombardment Group had flown 645missions, 5,950 sorties, and had dropped more than 52,000 tons of bombs onenemy targets. The 19th lost ninety-one crew members and twenty aircraft whileperforming their assigned mission. For their display of capability in Korea,the 19th was awarded it's ninth Presidential Unit Citation. The Group was alsoawarded the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

The unitwas redesignated the 19th Bombardment Wing (Medium) on the first of June 1953.Following the signing of the truce in Korea, the wing reverted to its stance asa combat-ready watchdog and began preparing for high altitude strategicwarfare. Finally, in May of 1954, after spending nine years overseas, the 19threturned to the United States. This time to Pinecastle (later McCoy) Air ForceBase, Florida. June 1954 also saw the 19th Bombardment Wing leave the Far EastAir Force to become a member of the Strategic Air Command.

Temporarily,the mission of the wing became primarily a training one in the transition phaseto the new jetpowered B-47. The unit went from a combat unit to training forcombat- ready status. The wing remained in training until August of 1955 whenit was declared combat-ready.

The wingwas once again on the move the following year although this time not very faraway, Homestead Air Force Base, Florida. Homestead was to remain the home forthe proud 19th until 1968 when it was reassigned to the current home at RobinsAir Force Base, Georgia.

In July of1961, the 19th was reclassified as the 19th Bombardment Wing (Heavy), and begantransition training for the B-52 Stratofortress weapon system. The first"Buff" arrived in February of 1962, and by June, the wing wasdeclared combat-ready with its new equipment. The B-52 Stratofortress alongwith the KC-135 Stratotanker, remains the tool with which the wing carries out it'smission..

The UnitedStates intelligence sources discovered a massive buildup of Soviet missiles onthe island of Cuba in October 1962. With the island located less than a hundredmiles from the U.S. mainland, President John F. Kennedy placed U. S. ArmedForces on alert and prepared for action. The 19th, still stationed at Homesteadduring this time, was prepared to be one of the nation's primary strike forces.The entire wing was on alert for days prior to President Kennedy's speech tothe nation on the 22nd of October 1962.

The basebegan to overfill with units of the U.S. Army, just in case it became necessaryto invade Cuba. Normal functions around Homestead were suspended as troopsprepared for. the worst. The situation was tense, but in the end, the Sovietsrelented and began to dismantle their weapons.

Nineteenhundred and sixty-three was a bad year as far as the 19th Bombardment Wing isconcerned. In August, two KC-135 aircraft and their crews departed Homesteadfor a normal refueling training mission over the Atlantic. At 1500 hours, bothaircraft were reported missing approximately eight hundred miles northeast ofMiami. The United States Air Force Rescue Service out of Orlando along with theU.S. Coast Guard assisted the 19th in searching for the lost crews. The onlytrace ever found of the two aircraft and their crews was a life jacket and asmall amount of debris believed to be from the missing aircraft, althoughnothing conclusive could be determined. The explanation for the disappearance ofthe aircraft and the crews was never discovered. The two aircrafts' lastposition was from within the infamous Bermuda Triangle.

During U.S.military operations in Southeast Asia, the 19th provided aircraft and personnelto bases in Guam, Okinawa, and Thailand. The 19th's primary mission is to flyand fight -- anywhere in the world. Throughout this era, aircraft from the 19thlogged nearly 23,400 combat/combat support hours. One crew member of the 19th,Capt James Turner, was killed while participating in a bombing operation.Turner Trailer Park on Robins AFB is named in his memory.

A militaryorganization is dependent upon its equipment, but the equipment is only as goodas the personnel who maintain and use it. The personnel of the 19th have aproud heritage to uphold. The military in a peacetime environment is sometimestaken for granted by the uninformed, and yet the thankless job of defending thesecurity of every man, woman, and child must continue uninterrupted. Thepersonnel of the 19th Bombardment Wing do this job. They are indeed prepared tofly and fight anywhere in the world in defense of the United States.

As in theearly stages of World War II, the personnel of the 19th continue to strive forexcellence in performance of everyday tasks so that we may remain a free andunconquered people, regardless of the status of the equipment. The personnelare professionals in every sense of the word, but more importantly we areservants of the nation. The wing does the best job it can with what it has regardlessof the circ*mstances.

Today, thewing remains as it was in the past. The wing has been, the wing is, and thewing will continue to be "CHECKMATE TO AGGRESSION."

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The BlackKnight has been symbolic of the Strategic Air Command's 19th Bombardment Wingsince 1968.

The BlackKnight originated as the trade symbol of the United Paint Company, Spokane,Washington. Following the 1961 Combat Competition, the Spokane Chamber ofCommerce Armed Services Committee made a gift of the Black Knight to thecompetition winners, the 4137th Strategic Wing. The Black Knight emblem wasapproved for the 4137th by Air Force Headquarters in 1961.

The 4137thwasplaced on the inactive rolls in 1963 and the newly organized 465th Bomb Wingrequested and received approval to include the Black Knight in its emblem in1964. Like the chess knight, able to move in any direction, the wing felt theBlack Knight was indicative of the wing's maneuverability, global range.tactical posture, and symbolic of the wing as a deterrent force.

Like the4137th, the 465th was placed on the inactive rolls in 1968. That same year the19th Bombardment Wing moved from its home at Homestead AFB, Florida to itspresent home at Robins AFB, Georgia. All of the 19th's personnel and equipmentwere then being used in Southeast Asia so the personnel and equipment belongingto the 465th now came to the 19th. Along with the personnel and equipment, camethe Black Knight. Ever since then, the 19th has been known as the black Knightsof SAC.

The 465thhad awarded a small replica of the Black Knight to individuals in appreciationfor outstanding contyibutions to the wing. The 19th has continued with thistradition.

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19thBMW Station List

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COMMANDERS OF THE

19TH BOMBARDMANT GROUPAND 19TH BOMBARDMENT WING

BATTLE HONORS

DISTINGUISHEDUNIT CITATIONS

The 28thBomb Squadron has been assigned to the 19th Bombardment Wing since 1941. Thehistory of the squadron dates back to the Lafayette Escadrille of World War Ifame. On the 22nd of June, 1917, the 28th was activated as the 28th AeroSquadron in the U.S. Army.

DuringWorld War I, the 28th flew one hundred and thirty patrols and bombing missionsover Germany and areas held by the Axis powers. The squadron is credited withfifteen victories and another fifteen probables between 22 June 1917 and thewar's end.

Followingthe war, the squadron was demobilizedand not reconstituted until 30 August1921.

From 1921until 1941, when the 28th was assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group stationedat Clark Army Air Field, the Philippines, the squadron participated in variouspeacetime operations. The history of the 28th since 1941 is the history of the19th Bombardment Wing.

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The 912thAir RefuelingSquadron, Heavy, was activated on the third of August 1961, andorganized on the first of December 1961.

Originallya component of the 4137th Strategic Wing, the 912th has successfully providedlong-distance inflight refueling for USAF and allied units worldwide asrequired by the Strategic Air Command.

Flying theKC-135 Stratotanker, the crews of the 912th have participated in refuelingmissions in Southeast Asia (operating out of U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand), inEurope (operating out of Torrejon AB, Spain), and in the Alaskan area(operating out of Eielson AFB, Alaska). Since 1962, the 912th has conducted acontinuous stream of actual and simulated aerial refueling exercises of theStrategic Air Command.

The 912threceived an Air Force Outstanding Unit Citation for the period 1 December 1961to 31 March 1962 and again for the period of 1 July 1976 to 30 June 1978.

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Thenon-tatical components of the wing consist of the 19th OrganizationalMaintenance Squadron, the 19th Field Maintenance Squadron, the 19th MunitionsMaintenance Squadron, the 19th Security Police Squadron, and the HeadquartersSquadron.

The 19thOrganizational Maintenance Squadron was awarded the Air Force Outstanding UnitAward for the period 1 July 1974 to 30 June 1976 and for the period 1 July 1976to 30 June 1978. In 1976 the unit was selected as the Best OrganizationalMaintenance Squadron within the Strategic Air Command. In 1978, the unitreceived an outstanding rating from Headquarters SAC, MaintenanceStandardization Evaluation Team (MSET) and was selected as the BestOrganizational Maintenance Squadron within Eighth Air Force. During a recentSAC operational Readiness Inspection, the unit received an exce llent rating.

The 19thField Maintenance Squadron was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award forthe periods 1 July 1964 to 30 June 1965; 1 July 1967 to 30 June 1968; and 1July 1976 to 30 June 1978. In 1978 and 1979, the unit received excellentratings from the Headquarters SAC Inspector General.

The 19thMunitions Maintenance Squadron was awarded an Air Force Outstanding Unit Awardfor 1 July 1976 to 30 June 1978. In 1979 the Headquarters SAC Inspector Generalrated the unit excellent.

In 1978 theSecurity Police Squadron won first place in Eighth Air Force and ranked sixthin the Strategic Air Command in GIANT SWORD competition.

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Aircraftof the 19th Bomb Wing, 1932 to Present

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BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Thematerial for this paper was drawn, in large part, from the histories of the19th Bombardment Group, and its assigned units, the 28th, 30th, and 93rdBombardment Squadrons. Those histories are deposited in the Archives of theUSAF Historical Division, Research Institute, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

Supplementaryinformation was obtained from the following sources: records of the Second,Fourth, Fifth, and Twentieth Air Forces; histories of the IV and XXI BomberCommands, the 14th, 23d, 32d, and 435th Bombardment Squadrons, the 19th and314th Bombardment Wings, March Field, and Pyote Army Air Base; documents fromthe Office of the Adjutant General and Air Adjutant General; the Unit RecordCard; maintained by Director of Statistical Services, Headquarters USAF,Washington, D. C., and The Army Air Forces in World War II, Vol. 1.

The listsof battle honors and citations were provided by Directory of Military Personnel,Headquarters USAF, the authoritative source for that information.

end 1981 version

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These glass globes were made in China and provided tomembers at the 19^th 2000 reunion by Art Aronsen

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