Air Force Combat Units of WWII

300 AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR I1tives, Feb-May 1945. Bombed flak positionsin support of the airborne assaultacross the Rhine in Mar 1945. Returnedto the US, Jul-Oct 1945. Znactivated on24 OCt 1945.SQUADRONS. 668th: 1943-1945. 669th:1943-1945. 670th: 1943-1945. 67zst:1943-1945-STATIONS. Will Rogers Field, Okla, 5Feb 1943; Lake Charles AAFld, La, 4 Jun1943; Laurel AAFld, Miss, Nov 1943- c.I Jan 1944; Wethersfield, England, Feb1944; Melun, France, Sep 1944; Laon/Athies, France, Feb 1945 ; Cormeilles-en-Vexin, France, May-Jul 1945; CampMyles Standish, Mass, c. 23-24 Oct 1945.COMMANDERS. Lt Col Richard D Dick,Feb 1943; Col Harold L Mace, Oct 1943;Col Theodore R Aylesworth, 3 Aug 1944-1945.CAMPAIGNS. Air Offensive, Europe;Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland;Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.DeCORATIONs. Distinguished Unit Cita-tion: France, 6-g Aug 1944.INSIGNE. None.417th BOMBARDMENT GROUPConstituted as 417th BombardmentGroup (Light) on 23 Mar 1943 and activatedon 28 Mar. Trained with A-20’s.Moved to New Guinea, Dec 1g43-Jan194, and assigned to Fifth AF. Begancombat in Mar 1944, operating in supportof ground forces on New Guinea and strik-ing airfields, bridges, personnel concentra- Oct-15 Nov 1945.tions, installations, and shipping in thatarea. Operated from Noemfoor, Sep-Dec1944, attacking airfields and installationson Ceram, Halmahera, and western NewGuinea. Moved to the Philippines in Dec1944, and until Jun 1945 supported groundforces and attacked enemy airfields, transportation,and installations on Luzon,Cebu, Negros, and Mindanao. Receiveda DUC for attacking Japanese convoys atLingayen, 30 Dec 1944-2 Jan 1945, actionthat not only impaired enemy shippingand supply strength, but also helped toclear the way for the American invasion ofLuzon. Flew its last missions in Jul,dropping propaganda leaflets to Japanesetroops on Luzon. Moved to Okinawa inAug 1945 and to Japan in Nov. Inactivatedon 15 Nov 1945.SQUADRONS. 672d: 1943-1945. 673d:1943-1945- 674th: 1943-1945 675th:1943-1945.STATIONS. Will Rogers Field, Okla, 28Mar 1943; DeRidder AAB, La, 4 Aug-IoDec 1943; Cape Sudest, New Guinea, 28Jan 1944; Dobodura, New Guinea, 7 Feb194; Saidor, New Guinea, 8 Apr 1944;Noemfoor, c. g Sep 1944; Tacloban,Leyte, 6 Dec 1944; San Jose, Mindoro, 22Dec 1944; Okinawa, 17 Aug 1945; Itami,Japan, c. 1-15 Nov 1945.COMMANDERS. Col Jack W Saunders,31 Mar 1943; Lt Col Howard S Ellmore,5 Jul 1944; Lt Col Milton W Johnson, 2Jan 1945; Lt Col Charles W Johnson, 28Apr 1945; Lt Col James E Sweeney, 10