97th Bombardment Group

The 97th Bombardment Group was part of the 8th Air Force in England from June until November of 1942. They transferred to the newly created 12th AF in North Africa in November of 1942. They then became the 15th AF based in Italy in 1943.

Constituted as 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 3 Feb 1942. Trained with B-17s; also flew some antisubmarine patrols. Moved to England, May-Jul 1942, for duty with Eighth AF. Entered combat on 17 Aug 1942 by bombing a marshalling yard at Rouen, the first mission flown by AAFs heavy bombers based in England. After that, attacked airfields, marshalling yards, industries, naval installations, and other targets in France and the Low Countries.

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The 97th BG struck shipping in the Mediterranean and airfields, clocks, harbors, and marshalling yards in North Africa, southern France, Sardinia, Sicily, and southern Italy, Nov 1942-May 1943, in the campaign to cut supply lines to German forces in North Africa. Helped to force the capitulation of Pantelleria in Jun 1943. Bombed in preparation for and in support of the invasions of Sicily and southern Italy in the summer and fall of 1943. From Nov 1943 to Apr 1945, engaged chiefly in long-range missions to targets in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Greece, attacking oil refineries, aircraft factories, marshalling yards, and other strategic objectives.

Assigned to the Fifteenth AF, the 97th rteceived a DUC for leading a strike against an aircraft factory at Steyr on 24 Feb 1944 during Big Week, the intensive air campaign against the German aircraft industry. 2nd Lt David R Kingsley, bombardier, was awarded the Medal of Honor for saving the life of a wounded gunner on 23 Jun 1944: during a mission to Ploesti, Kingsleys B-17 was seriously crippled and the tail gunner was injured; when the crew was ordered to bail out, Kingsley gave his parachute to the gunner, whose own had been damaged, and assisted him in bailing out; Kingsley died a few moments later when his bomber crashed and burned. The group received its second DUC for a devastating raid against one of the Ploesti refineries on 18 Aug 1944. Other operations of the 97th included pounding enemy communications, transportation, and airfields in support of Allied forces at Anzio and Cassino; bombing coastal defenses in preparation for the invasion of Southern France; and assisting US Fifth and British Eighth Army in their advance through the Po Valley. Inactivated in Italy on 29 Oct 1945.

Squadrons

340th: 1942-1945
341st: 1942-1945
342d: 1942-1945
414th: 1942-1945

Stations

MacDill Field, Fla, 3 Feb 1942
Sarasota, Fla, 29 Mar-c. 16 May 1942
Polebrook, England, c. 13 June-9 Nov 1942
Maison Blanche, Algeria, c. 13 Nov 1942
Tafaraoui, Algeria, c. 22 Nov 1942
Biskra, Algeria, c. 25 Dec 1942
Chateaudun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, c. 8 Feb 1943
Pont-du-Fahs, Tunisia, c. 1 Aug 1943
Depienne, Tunisia, c. 15 Aug 1943
Cerignola, Italy, c. 20 Dec 1943
Amendola, Italy, 16 Jan 1944
Marcianise, Italy, c. 1-29 Oct 1945

Commanders

Col Cornelius W Cousland, Feb 1942
Col James H Walsh, c. Jul 1942
Col Frank A Armstrong Jr, c. 2 Aug 1942
Brig Gen Joseph H Atkinson, c. 27 Sep 1942
Col Stanley Donovan, 5 Jan 1943
Col Leroy A Rainey, 29 Jun 1943
Col Frank Allen, Nov 1943
Col Jacob E Smart, 7 Apr 1944
Col Frank Allen, 11 May 1944
Col Elmer Rogers Jr, Jun 1944
Col Nils O Ohman, 22 Aug 1944
Col William K Kincaid, May 1945-unkn

Campaigns

Antisubmarine, American Theater
Air Combat, EAME Theater
Air Offensive, Europe
Tunisia; Sicily
Naples-Foggia
Anzio
Rome-Arno
Normandy
Northern France
Southern France
North Apennines
Rhineland
Central Europe
Po Valley

Decorations

Distinguished Unit Citations:
Steyr, Austria, 24 Feb 1944
Ploesti, Rumania, 18 Aug 1944

Insigne. Shield: Azure, a spear in pale or, point to base flammant and embrued proper. Motto: Venit Hora - The Hour Has Come. (Approved 5 Mar 1943.)

Missing Air Crew Reports

Missing Air Crew Reports also known as MACRs are reports of US aircraft that went down, via enemy action or mechanical issues, behind enemy lines. These reports detailed the aircraft and crew along with their disposition; there were statements and eyewitness reports if available describing what they saw. The majority of these reports were completed in the years following the conclusion of World War II. This was so that the survivors who had become prisoners of war could provide statements of the events of that day. These reports differ from accident reports in that those documented aircraft that crashed on take off or landing; these events happened on allied lines.

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