World War Photos

B-24 GO-O of the 328th BS, 93rd Bomb Group

93rd Bomb Group (H) – “The Travelling Circus”

Assigned Eighth AF: September 6, 1942

Wing & Command Assignments:

• VIII BC, 1 BW: September 6, 1942
• VIII BC, 2 BW: December 6, 1942
• VIII BC, 2 BW, 201 PCBW: March 25, 1943
• VIII BC, 2 BD, 20 CBW: September 13, 1943
• 2 BD, 20 CBW: January 8, 1944
• 2 AD, 20 CBW: January 1, 1945

Component Squadrons:

• 328th Bombardment Squadron (H)
• 329th Bombardment Squadron (H)
• 330th Bombardment Squadron (H)
• 409th Bombardment Squadron (H)

Stations:

• ALCONBURY: September 6, 1942 – December 6, 1942 (Ground echelon arrived the same day as the first aircraft)
• HARDWICK: December 6, 1942 – June 12, 1945

Temporary Bases for Air Echelon in North Africa:

• Tarfaroui, Algeria: December 7, 1942 – December 15, 1942
• Gambut Main (LG 139), Libya: December 16, 1942 – February 23-25, 1942
• Benghazi, No. 7 Libya: June 27, 1943 – August 24, 1943
• Oudna No. 2 Tunis: September 17, 1943 – October 2, 1943

Other Temporary Bases:

• 329BS at Hardwick: November 27, 1942 – December 3/10, 1942; Bungay December 3, 1942 – March 12, 1943
• 330BS at Holmsley South: October 25, 1942 – November 28, 1942
• 409BS at St. Eval: October 25, 1942 – November 26, 1942

Group Commanding Officers:

• Col Edward J. Timberlake Jr: March 26, 1942 – May 17, 1943
• Lt Col Addison E. Baker: May 17, 1942 – August 1, 1943 (KIA)
• Col Leland G. Fiegel: August 9, 1943 – September 27, 1944
• Lt Col Harvey P. Barnard Jr: September 27, 1944 – November 27, 1944
• Col William R Robertson Jr: December 5, 1944 – April 6, 1945
• Lt Col Therman D. Brown: April 6, 1945 – June 1945

(Acting COs: Lt Col George S. Brown, August 2-9, 1943; Lt Col Gibson Sisco, November 27 – December 5, 1944)

Mission Statistics:

• First Mission: October 9, 1942
• Last Mission: April 25, 1945
• Total Missions: 396 (49 from North Africa)
• Total Credit Sorties: 8,169
• Total Bomb Tonnage: 19,004 tons
• Aircraft MIA: 100
• Other Operational Losses: 40
• Enemy Aircraft Claims: 93-41-44

Major Awards:

• Distinguished Unit Citations:
  • December 17, 1942 – February 20, 1943: Operations, North Africa
  • August 1, 1943: Ploesti Raid
• Medal of Honor:
  • Lt Col Addison E. Baker: August 1, 1943
  • Maj John L. Jerstad: August 1, 1943

Claims to Fame:

• Oldest B-24 group in 8AF.
• Flew more missions than any other 8AF bomb group.
• Most travelled group assigned to 8AF.
• “Bomerang” was first 8AF B-24 to fly 50 missions.

Early History:

• Activated March 1, 1942, at Barksdale AAB, LA.
• First phase training at this base, then moved to Ft. Myers, FL on May 15, 1942.
• Conducted training and anti-sub patrols over the Gulf of Mexico, claiming the destruction of three U-boats.
• Left Ft. Myers on August 2, 1942, for Ft. Dix, NJ, arriving on August 10, 1942.
• Ground echelon embarked on the Queen Elizabeth on August 31, 1942, and disembarked at Greenock, Scotland on September 5, 1942.
• Air echelon moved from Grenier Field, NH, and received new B-24D aircraft.
• Made the first formation crossings of the Atlantic in early September 1942.

Subsequent History:

• Redeployed to the USA in May/June 1945.
• First aircraft left the UK on May 24, 1945.
• Ground echelon sailed on the Queen Mary on June 15, 1945, arriving in New York on June 20, 1945.
• Personnel moved to Camp Shanks, NY, on June 20, 1945, then received 30 days of R&R.
• The group was re-established as a B-29 unit in July 1945

Aircraft Markings and Decorations:

B-24D/H/J/L/M Liberators (September 1942 – June 1945):

• Original combat B-24Ds were finished in Dark Olive Drab and Neutral Gray, with Medium Green blotching along the edges of the flying surfaces.
• Radio call-letters were assigned but not painted on aircraft detached to North Africa until their return in late February 1943.
• North Africa Theater Marking: A 24x18in RAF-type red, white, and blue flash was painted on the outer side of fins under the tail number and close to the rudder. These markings were retained throughout the summer of 1943.

Squadron Markings:

• 328th and 329th Bomb Squadrons used call-letters from A in alphabetical order, with the 329th having a bar below the letter.
• 330th and 409th Bomb Squadrons used letters starting at Z in reverse alphabetical order, with the 409th having a bar below the letter.
• Bars were used above and below letters when aircraft complements increased in 1943, but were discontinued when the Circle B Group insignia was applied.
• June 1943: Circle B insignia, a white disc with an Insignia Blue B 36 inches high, was applied on both the tail and wing. The fin number was repositioned under the Circle B with a 28-inch call-letter painted in yellow.
• March 1944: Squadron identification letters were painted on the rear fuselage.

Bare Metal-finish B-24Js (April 1944):

• Squadron and call-letters were painted in black with the Circle B in black and white.
• Early May 1944: All-yellow outer faces of fins and rudders with a black stripe centered on the fins were introduced.
• Autumn 1944: The 330th Bomb Squadron began painting a black and white ‘whale face’ on the noses of the squadron’s aircraft. The 329th Bomb Squadron distinguished its G-H pathfinders with a red nose from the rear of the nose turret to the rear of the bombardier’s position.
• Lead 328th aircraft had a red and black checkerboard nose.
• Yellow engine cowling bands were introduced by the 409th Bomb Squadron in the winter of 1944/45.