World War Photos

B-17G “Lady Godiva” of 388th Bomb Group and Me 410 A-1/U4

388th Bomb Group:

Overview:

• Assigned to Eighth Air Force (8th AF): June 1943
• Primary Aircraft: B-17F (from blocks 90-BO, 45-DL, 35-VE); B-17G
• Component Squadrons: 560th, 561st, 562nd, and 563rd Bombardment Squadrons (H)

Wing & Command Assignments:

• VIII Bomber Command (BC), 4th Bombardment Wing (BW), 403rd Provisional Combat Bombardment Wing (PCBW): June 1943
• VIII BC, 3rd Bombardment Division (BD), 45th Combat Bombardment Wing (CBW): September 15, 1943
• 3rd BD, 45th CBW: January 8, 1944
• 3rd Air Division (AD), 45th CBW: January 1, 1945

Stations:

• Knettishall: June 23, 1943 – c. August 5, 1945 (Ground echelon in on July 8, 1943)
• Aphrodite and Batty Projects at Fersfield: July 12, 1944 – January 1, 1945

Group Commanding Officers:

• Col. William B. David: February 1, 1943 – October 6, 1944
• Col. Chester C. Cox: October 7, 1944 – August 1945

Combat Record:

• First Mission: July 17, 1943
• Last Mission: April 1945
• Total Missions: 306 (plus 19 Aphrodite and 6 Batty missions)
• Total Credit Sorties: 8,051
• Total Bomb Tonnage: 18,162.4 tons (including 264.7 tons of supplies, etc.)
• Aircraft MIA (Missing in Action): 142
• Other Operational Losses: 37
• Enemy Aircraft Claims: 225 destroyed, 80 probable, 116 damaged

Major Awards:

• Two Distinguished Unit Citations:
  • August 17, 1943: Regensburg (all 4 BW groups)
  • June 26, 1943, Hanover; May 12, 1944, Brux; June 21, 1944, Russia

Claims to Fame:

• Conducted APHRODITE radio-controlled bomber project

Early History:

• Activated: December 24, 1942, at Gowen Field, Idaho.
  • Initial formation began at Wendover Field, Utah, in early February 1943.
  • Final training occurred at Sioux City Army Air Field, South Dakota, from early May 1943 to June 1, 1943.
  • Air Echelon: Began overseas movement via the northern route (Newfoundland, Greenland, Iceland) to Prestwick, Scotland.
  • Ground Echelon: Departed Sioux City on June 12, 1943, for Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, and sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on July 1, 1943, arriving at Clyde on July 7, 1943.

Subsequent History:

• Redeployed to the USA: June/August 1945.
  • Aircraft left Knettishall between June 9, 1945, and July 5, 1945.
  • Ground echelon sailed on the Queen Elizabeth from Greenock on August 5, 1945, arriving in New York on August 11, 1945.
  • Personnel received 30 days R&R.
  • Group re-established at Sioux Falls Army Air Field, South Dakota, and inactivated there on August 28, 1945.

Aircraft Markings and Identification:

• B-17F/G Fortresses (June 1943 – July 1945):
  • Original B-17Fs were delivered in a Dark Olive Drab and Neutral Gray factory finish.
  • Group Marking: A “Square H” was applied in early July, consisting of a 48-inch high white square with a 36-inch high Insignia Blue letter “H”. There were variations, with some squares extending to 60 inches wide and onto the rudder.
  • Squadron Codes:
    • 560th Bomb Squadron: Aircraft letters A to N, excluding C and I.
    • 561st Bomb Squadron: Same as 560th.
    • 562nd and 563rd Bomb Squadrons: Aircraft letters O to Z.
    • Note: Letter C was not used until the squadron complements were increased in November 1943.
  • Silver B-17Gs (from March 1944): The “Square H” was either white on black or bare metal in the black square, with call letters in black. Dimensions matched those of camouflaged aircraft.
  • 45th Combat Bomb Wing Markings (from February 1945): Black parallel stripes applied to the wings and tail. The underwing identification markings were added in mid-May 1945, with the Group using the WIT code (e.g., LHN for the 561st Bomb Squadron).

Unique Feature:

• The 388th Bomb Group was unique in that it was the only long-term heavy Bomb Group in the 8th Air Force whose aircraft had no distinguishing squadron markings during combat operations.