B-17F 41-24352 Holey Joe of the 352nd Bomb Squadron, 301st BG
The 301st Bomb Group (H) during its service in the 8th Air Force.
Overview:
- Assigned to Eighth Air Force: 9 August 1942.
- Combat Aircraft: B-17F
Wing & Command Assignments:
- 9 August 1942: VIII Bomber Command (BC).
- August 1942: VIII BC, 1st Bomb Wing (BW).
Component Squadrons:
- 32nd Bombardment Squadron (H)
- 352nd Bombardment Squadron (H)
- 353rd Bombardment Squadron (H)
- 419th Bombardment Squadron (H)
Stations:
- Chelveston: 9 August 1942 – 8 December 1942 (Air echelon in from 9-26 August; out 23 August 1942). Ground echelon arrived on 18 August 1942.
- Podington: 18 August 1942 – 2 September 1942 (352nd BS Ground echelon at a satellite field).
Group Commanding Officer:
- Col. Ronald R. Walker: 3 February 1942 – 29 March 1943.
Combat Record:
- First Mission: 5 September 1942.
- Last Mission: 8 November 1942.
- Total Missions: 8.
- Total Credit Sorties: 104.
- Total Bomb Tonnage: 185.8 tons.
- Aircraft MIA: 1.
- Enemy Aircraft Claims: 3 destroyed, 5 probable, 1 damaged.
Major Awards:
- None.
Early History:
- Activated: 3 February 1942 at Geiger Field, Washington. Equipped with B-17s.
- Training and Mobilization:
- Moved to Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico, on 27 May 1942. The air echelon went to Muroc and did not reach Alamogordo until mid-June 1942.
- The ground echelon moved to Richmond, Virginia, around this time and departed for Fort Dix, New Jersey, on 19 July 1942 to start overseas movement.
- The air echelon was at Brainard Field, Connecticut, from 23-30 June 1942, and then moved to Westover Field, Massachusetts. The first aircraft departed for the UK on 23 July 1942, flying via the northern ferry route, with the last aircraft leaving Westover on 3 August 1942.
Subsequent History:
- 14 September 1942: The group was assigned to the 12th Air Force (12AF), XII Bomber Command, but continued to operate under VIII BC.
- 20-23 November 1942: Aircraft left for southwest coast bases and flew directly to North Africa.
- 8 December 1942: The ground echelon departed Chelveston and sailed in a convoy from Liverpool.
- Mediterranean Theater: The group operated with the 12AF in the Mediterranean theater and later with the 15AF from Italy, conducting strategic bombing missions over southern Germany and the Balkans.
- Post-War: The group was later re-established as a B-29 unit in the United States in 1946.
Aircraft Markings:
- B-17F Fortresses (August 1942 – October 1942):
- Factory Finish: Dark Olive Drab and Neutral Gray.
- Radio Call-Letters: Assigned to individual aircraft but not displayed in painted form while in the UK.
- Unit Markings: None used during its time in the UK.
- Additional Markings: Most aircraft received a 4-6 inch wide yellow surround to the fuselage cocarde before transfer to North Africa.
- Nose Art: Many aircraft had individual names and motifs painted on their noses.