398th Bomber Group
Squadrons of the 398th BG
600th Bombardment Squadron - Heavy601th Bombardment Squadron - Heavy
602th Bombardment Squadron -Heavy
603th Bombardment Squadron - Heavy
Assigned 8th AAF: April 44.
Wing/Command Assignment
VIII BC, 1 BD, 1 CBW: 22 Apr 1944
VIII BC, 1 BD, 1 CBW: 1 Jan 1945
VIII BC, 1 BD, 1 CBW: 1 Jan 1945
Combat Aircraft:
B-17G
Stations
NUTHAMPSTEAD 22 Apr. 44-22 Jun. 45.
Group COs
Col Frank P. Hunter: 1 Mar. 43-23 Jan. 45, MIA.
Lt Col Lewis P. Ensign: 29 Jan. 45-18 Apr. 45.
Lt Col Arthur F. Briggs: 18 Apr. 45-Jun. 45.
First Mission: 6 Nov 1944
Last Mission: 25 Apr 1945
Missions: 195
Total Sorties: 6,419
Total Bomb Tonnage: 15,781 Tons
Aircraft MIA: 58
Lt Col Lewis P. Ensign: 29 Jan. 45-18 Apr. 45.
Lt Col Arthur F. Briggs: 18 Apr. 45-Jun. 45.
First Mission: 6 Nov 1944
Last Mission: 25 Apr 1945
Missions: 195
Total Sorties: 6,419
Total Bomb Tonnage: 15,781 Tons
Aircraft MIA: 58
Major Awards:
None
Early History:
Activated 1 March 1943 at Ephrata AAB, Wash. Group assembled at Blyth AAFD,
Cal. and then moved to Geiger Fd, Wash. on 20 Apr. 1943 to complete training.
On 20 June 1943 moved to Rapid City AAB, SD. to take up Replacement Training
Unit duties. Trained 326 B-17 crews from Aug. to Dec. 1943 but at the beginning
of the New Year reverted to training for combat. Ground echelon began movement
overseas on 4 Apr. 1943. The unit moved to Camp Myles Standish, Mass. on 7-12
Apr. 1943. Personnel embarked on USS Wakefield. Sailed to Boston on the 13th
of April, and arrived in Liverpool on the 21 April 1944.
Subsequent History:
Redeployed USA in May/Jun. 1945. The aircraft left on the 21-27 May 1945. The
Ground unit went to Greenock on the 22 June 1945 and sailed on Queen Elizabeth
arriving in New York on the 29th of June 1945. After 30 days R & R some personnel
assembled at Drew Fd, Fla, where Group was inactivated on the 1 Sep. 45