B-24H 42-52154 MALE CALL 453rd Bomb Group

B-24H 42-52154 MALE CALL

B-24H 42-52154 E8-G+ “MALE CALL” of the 453rd BG, 734th BS

The 453rd Bombardment Group (Heavy):

Overview and Command Assignments

  • Assigned to Eighth Air Force: December 1943 – May 1945
  • Wing & Command Assignments:
    • VIII Bomber Command (BC), 2nd Bombardment Division (BD), 2nd Combat Bomb Wing (CBW): 23 December 1944
    • 2nd BD, 2nd CBW: 8 January 1944
    • 2nd Air Division (AD), 2nd CBW: 1 January 1945

Component Squadrons

  • 732nd Bombardment Squadron (H): Squadron code E3
  • 733rd Bombardment Squadron (H): Squadron code F8
  • 734th Bombardment Squadron (H): Squadron code E8
  • 735th Bombardment Squadron (H): Squadron code H6

Combat Aircraft

  • B-24 Liberator Variants:
    • B-24H: from blocks 1-CF, 5-DT, 10-FO
    • B-24J
    • B-24L
    • B-24M

Station

  • Old Buckenham, England: 22/23 December 1943 – 9 May 1945

Group Commanding Officers (COs)

  • Col Joseph A. Miller: 29 June 1943 – 18 March 1944
  • Col Ramsey D. Potts Jr.: 19 March 1944 – 6 July 1944
  • Col Lawrence M. Thomas: 7 July 1944 – 25 January 1945
  • Lt Col Edward F. Hubbard: 25 January 1945 – May 1945

Mission Details

  • First Mission: 5 February 1944
  • Last Mission: 12 April 1945
  • Total Missions: 259
  • Total Credit Sorties: 6,655
  • Total Bomb Tonnage: 15,804 tons
  • Aircraft Missing in Action (MIA): 58
  • Other Operational Losses: Not specified
  • Enemy Aircraft Claims: 42 destroyed, 12 probably destroyed, 19 damaged

Major Awards

  • None

Claims to Fame

  • 733rd Bomb Squadron: Completed 82 consecutive missions without loss.
  • James Stewart: The famous Hollywood actor served as the Group Executive Officer from March 1944.

Early History

  • Activated: 1 June 1943 at Wendover Field, Utah.
  • Training Locations:
    • Established at Pocatello Army Air Field (AAFd), Idaho, on 29 July 1943 for two months of training.
    • Moved to March Field, California, on 30 September 1943 to complete training.
    • Ground echelon left March Field for port of embarkation on 2 December 1943.

Subsequent History

  • Removed from Operations: 12 April 1945 to prepare for return to the USA and possible deployment in the Pacific theatre.
  • Aircraft: Apparently remained in the UK.
  • Group Personnel: Left Old Buckenham on 9 May 1945 for port of embarkation.
  • Reestablished: At New Castle Army Air Field, Delaware, on 25 May 1945 as a prospective very heavy bomb group, but the project was dropped.
  • Final Stationing: Located at Fort Dix Army Air Base, New Jersey, from 18 June 1945 to 12 September 1945.
  • Inactivated: 12 September 1945.

Aircraft Markings and Color Schemes

B-24H/J/L/M Liberators (December 1943 – May 1945)

  • Original Paint Scheme: Dark Olive Drab and Neutral Gray factory finish.

    • Special Markings:
      • At least nine B-24s assigned to the 732nd Bomb Squadron had ‘shark mouths’ in red and white below the nose turret and encompassing the bombardier’s window.
      • Group Tail Marking (Circle J): Applied in early January 1944, it consisted of a 36-inch high Insignia Blue “J” on a 69-inch diameter white disc.
        • On the upper surface of the right wing, the disc was 78 inches in diameter with a 48-inch “J,” in the same colors as on the tail.
        • The Circle J on the tail often covered the tail number, which was then repainted below the group marking.
        • Call-Letters: Painted in yellow, 24 inches high, below the tail number.
        • The 732nd and 734th Bomb Squadrons used letters from A to M (excluding “I”), while the 733rd and 735th Bomb Squadrons used letters from Z to O in reverse alphabetical order.
        • Some aircraft carried duplicate letters, and bars were used to distinguish them.
  • Additional Markings (March 1944):

    • The 734th and 735th Bomb Squadrons distinguished their aircraft by adding a yellow plus sign after the call-letter.
    • Squadron codes were painted in 48-inch high bluish-grey letters on the rear fuselage:
      • 732nd Bomb Squadron: E3
      • 733rd Bomb Squadron: F8
      • 734th Bomb Squadron: E8
      • 735th Bomb Squadron: H6
  • Natural Metal-Finished B-24s (April 1944):

    • The Circle J was then applied as a white letter on a black disc, with the code and call-letters also in black.
  • High-Visibility Markings (May 1944):

    • The new marking was an all-black fin and rudder on the outward-facing sides, with a 36-inch wide white diagonal stripe.
    • The forward end of the stripe ran from the top corner of the fin to the bottom trailing edge of the rudder.
    • The call-letter, 24 inches high, was painted in white on the black band.
    • Squadron colors for propeller bosses:
      • 732nd: White
      • 733rd: Blue
      • 734th: Red
      • 735th: Yellow
  • Final Markings (July 1944):

    • The system of distinguishing call-letters was rationalized according to Divisional instructions:
      • 732nd Bomb Squadron: No symbols with the letter
      • 733rd Bomb Squadron: A plus sign following the letter
      • 734th Bomb Squadron: A bar following the letter
      • 735th Bomb Squadron: A bar below the letter
  • Unofficial Unit Insignia (Late War):

    • Several aircraft of the 735th Bomb Squadron carried a red-winged, mailed fist clutching a bomb, set on a yellow background, on the co-pilot’s armor plate panel.

Published at 1100 × 707 px.
Link to full-size photo:
B-24H 42-52154 MALE CALL 453rd Bomb Group

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