396th Bombardment Group
| 396th Bombardment Group | |
|---|---|
 B-17 as used by the 396th Group for training | |
| Active | 1943–1944 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | heavy bomber training |
The 396th Bombardment Group is a former
Army Air Forces
training units..
History
The 396th Bombardment Group was activated at
Moses Lake Army Air Base, Washington. There the 396th acted as an Operational Training Unit (OTU) for B-17 units. The OTU program was patterned after the unit training system of the Royal Air Force. The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to provide cadres to "satellite groups". It assumed responsibility for their training and oversaw their expansion with graduates of Army Air Forces Training Command schools to become effective combat units.[5][6][7] Phase I training concentrated on individual training in crewmember specialties. Phase II training emphasized the coordination for the crew to act as a team. The final phase concentrated on operation as a unit.[8]
In August 1943, the unit's mission changed to being a
pilots or aircrews.[5]
In November 1943, the 396th moved to
tables of organization were not well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, it adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[10] The 592d was inactivated on 1 May 1944 at Drew Field, Florida.[1] Its personnel and equipment became part of the 326th AAF Base Unit.[11]
Lineage
- Constituted as the 396th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 29 January 1943
- Activated on 16 February 1943.
- Inactivated on 1 May 1944[1]
Assignments
- II Bomber Command, 16 February 1943
- Second Air Force, 6 October 1943
- III Bomber Command, 5 November 1943 – 1 May 1944
Components
- 592d Bombardment Squadron: 19 January 1943 – 1 May 1944[2]
- 593d Bombardment Squadron: 19 January 1943 – 1 May 1944[3]
- 594th Bombardment Squadron: 19 January 1943 – 1 May 1944[4]
- 595th Bombardment Squadron: 19 January 1943 – 1 May 1944[4]
Stations
- Mountain Home Army Air Field, Idaho, 16 February 1943
- Moses Lake Army Air Base, Washington, 10 April 1943
- Drew Field, Florida, 5 November 1943 – 1 May 1944[1]
Aircraft
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1943-1944[1]
Campaign
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
.png){kind=small} |
American Theater without inscription | 19 January 1943 – 1 May 1944 | [1] |
See also
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h Maurer, Combat Units, p. 283
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 676
- ^ a b Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 676-677
- ^ a b c Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 677
- ^ a b Craven & Cate, Introduction, p. xxxvi
- ^ Goss, p. 74
- ^ Greer, p. 601
- ^ Greer, p. 606
- ^ Goss, pp. 74-75
- ^ Goss, p. 75
- ^ See Mueller, p. 351 (simultaneous inactivation of 396th Bombardment Group units and organization of 326th Base Unit).
Bibliography
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L, eds. (1955). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Greer, Thomas H. (1955). "Recruitment and Training, Chapter 18 Combat Crew and Unit Training". In Craven, Wesley F; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. OCLC 704158. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Goss, William A. (1955). "The Organization and its Responsibilities, Chapter 2 The AAF". In Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (eds.). The Army Air Forces in World War II (PDF). Vol. VI, Men & Planes. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. LCCN 61060979. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. OCLC 72556. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Air Force Bases (PDF). Vol. I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
External links
| Units |
| .svg) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|