12th Bombardment Group

SHORT HISTORY of the 12TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (M)

LIFE IN THE U.S.A.

The 12th Bombardment Group was born on January 15th, 1941 at McChord Field, Washington. It's parent was the 17th Bomb­ardment Group who looked after it until May 6th when the Group was placed under command of Major Charles G. Goodrich.

A year was spent in acquiring personnel and equipment and in training. Then in February 1942 the Group moved to Esler Field, Louisiana. There was a Jap scare on the West Coast in May and a force of forty Mitchells was sent to Stockton Field, California. While on this field word was received that over­seas orders were imminent and the detachment returned to Esler Field. Every one began to pack and crate equipment while new Mitchells were arriving and personnel was being added to bring the Group to full strength.

The military situation in the Middle East was critical. Tobruk had fallen in June while Churchill was visiting the President at the White House. The Eighth Army was in full re­treat. Quickly the 12th Group was dispatched overseas. Fifty seven planes were flown to Egypt with the Ground Echelon being shipped over in July on the H.M.T. "Pasteur".

Since the beginning of the year the British had been experimenting with light bombers in supporting the Army in

the Western Desert. The R.A.F. discovered that Rommel's troop, gun and transport concentrations could be dispersed by bombing. It was the 3 Wing South African Air Force that had been doing the work with Bostons and Baltimores, so the Group was placed under them for training. It was fortunate that we had such a teacher, who had been self taught in the heat of battle and reverses.

"LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT ALAMEIN"

We flew our first mission on August 16th and bombed a tank repair shed at Mersa Matruh.

Until the battle of Alamein took place in October we did a lot of training and flew a few missions but during the battle we went to work in earnest.

The missions were short as we were not far from the front and five to six missions a day were carried out. The men on the ground worked like beavers bombing up the planes, patching flak holes with beer tins and gassing up. We had no Service Group to worry about in those days. Our men learned fast, they had to on those desert landing grounds. There wasn't a hard stand in miles. They learned how to improvise and to get the work done by night or day and quickly too.

At last the Germans and Italians were beaten and their retreat set in. A flight echelon was moved to Magrun in early December and two missions were carried out when Montgomery was apprehensive that Rommel might make a stand at El Ageila. Later we moved to el Chel and bombed the airdrome at Castel Benito outside Tripoli. Seven night missions were flown. It was here that Colonel Williams, the O.C. of 3 SAAP came to dine with our C.O. Col. Edward N. Backus. It was a cheery evening that was spent in the desert. Late in the night Col. Williams departed only to reappear after losing himself for some time on the empty sands. He set out again and again reappeared.

This time he telephoned his Operations Officer, "I say old boy, I’m trying to get back. Just put up red flares at three minute intervals until you see me."

A few nights later Colonel Backus, after dining with Col. Williams had to call our Operations and give the same instruct­ions after losing himself several times in the desert.

From Gambut, in Cyrenaica, during one of the worst sand storms of the winter, we bombed Crete from 22,000 feet and later carried out two more missions from medium altitude.

In February 1943, while we were still at Gambut our 81st and 82nd squadrons were sent to Algeria to support the 1st Army troops pushing eastward. That left the 83rd and 434th squadrons together with 232 Wing R.A.F. and 3 SAAF to make up the bomber support that the 8th Army got from the Desert Air Force.

These two squadrons were moved to Castel Benito just out­side Tripoli. It was nice there with green grass and trees that we hadn't seen since leaving home.

THE BATTLE OF TUNISIA

When the Nazi» were pushing up into Kasserine Pass - General Montgomery was asked to do something. He wasn't ready to attack the Mareth Line but he pretended he was and we were layed on at night to bomb it and make the Jerries think he was going to attack in the morning. The idea was to keep the enemy tied down there. The Group moved on to El Assa on the Tunisian border. We bombed the Mareth Line again and again Just as the Army attacked it. It was during this time that Captain Raymond G.I. Fernstrom nick named the Group "The Earthquakers". He flew twelve missions taking moving pictures of our combat work.

Ack Ack gunners were sharp in those days. Captain Ingram, C.O. of the 83rd squadron, and his crew were shot down and fifteen planes holed - one in one hundred sixty places. Montgomery decided to make a run around left end when he saw how costly his line plunges had become. The Gurkas, from the 4th Indian Div., moved south to work at night ridding the enemy patrol posts. The New Zealand Div. worked stealthily around the enemy’s right flank and at last were ready for the break through to El Hamma and the sea.

We went out with our eighteen plane formation along with the Bostons and Baltimores and smashed up enemy opposition

lying ahead. We were the interference.

The attack was a success and Rommel retreated through Gabes, Sfax and Sousse, finally settling down at Enfidaville.

He moved fast. The bomb line changed thirty six times in seventy two hours.

The 81st and 82nd squadrons in Algeria had flown their first mission from Berteau. A short time later they attacked enemy airfields and installations from Canrobert. By this time our formation flying was first class. General Spaatz who was on the field when our formation was returning from a mission said, "That's the finest display of air discipline I’ve ever seen."

As the Nazis retreated we established a forward base at Souk el Khemis in Tunisia, twenty six miles behind the front.

At first the aircraft were only there during the day time. The ground personnel felt on intimate terms with the Luftwaffe who dally operated their FW 190s and ME 109's in the neighborhood.

These squadrons were now under the new formed Tactical Bomber Force and bombed enemy airfields and furnished close support to the Allies advancing from MedJez-el-Bab to Tunis.

The 83rd and 434th squadrons pounded the enemy hard from the Sfax airdrome. Troops, airdromes and roads were bombed.

On May 12th we bombed the remnants of the enemy at Enfidaville and as our planes left the target area the enemy surrendered in Africa.

The next night we had wine and celebrations. The A.L.O. had written in red crayon on his map board, "Alamein to Enfidaville 1960 miles 196 days." A few days later we put up thirty aircraft in the "Victory Parade", flying with Bostons, Baltimores and fighters, down the main street over Tunis.

In the period before Pantelleria we could look back with satisfaction, realizing we had been the best trained medium outfit for shipment overseas, the first to fly east from the United States and fight in Africa. During this desert campaign, our radio gunners were from the RCAF and many of our communications people - officers and men were British, as well as much equipment. Our transportation was a hodge podge of British, American, German and Italian vehicles. We had operated often without the bother of a Service Group and had hauled our own bombs. We had lived for weeks on British rations, V's and evil tasting water. We had learned how to scrounge and be self de­pendent. We had flown by night and by day and the enemy had acquired a profound respect for our eighteen plane formations, as meticulous in air discipline as a Prussian regiment on parade.

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General Brereton, Commanding General of the Ninth Air Force, was pleased and later General Order No. 23 was published by the War Department.

WAR DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON 25, D.C., 24 March 1944.

GENERAL ORDERS )

NO. 23

The 12th Bombardment Group (M). For outstanding performance of duty In action against the enemy In direct support of the British Eighth Army In the Middle East campaign, from the battle of El Alamein to the capitulation of the enemy forces In Tunisia and In Sicily. This group, operating from advanced landing fields directly behind the front lines under the most difficult of weather and terrain conditions, carried out continuous and devastating bombing raids against the enemy airdromes, ground installations, troops, and supply lines, as well as repeated aerial engagements with enemy aircraft. The airplane crews of this organization exhibited the greatest bravery and resourcefulness, while its ground personnel, In the face of repeated enemy attacks, per­formed all duties with utter disregard for their personal safety.

By the superior courage, initiative, untiring efforts and devotion to duty of all personnel of this organization, despite personal hardships and the most difficult and hazardous of conditions, the 12th Bombardment Group (M) contributed greatly to the defeat of the enemy in the Middle East in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army.

*****

By order of the SECRETARY OP WAR î

G.C. MARSHALL, CHIEF OF STAFF.

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By June 2nd, 1943 the Group was assembled at Hergla, Tunisia and for the first time In Its history all four squadrons flew together In combat and continued to bomb Pantellerla until the Italian Commander sent word that the Island had "had It".

General Montgomery never left anything to chance If It could be helped. He personally briefed our Commandlng Officer, Colonel Backus, and sent Air Marshall Cunningham to speak to the combat crews on the coming Invasion of Europe. For those of the Group that sweat on the ground, Monty personally briefed the A.L.O's and we received the apostolic word from Captains Oaxley and Thorpe that the Invasion of Sicily would start on July 8th, the British taking the East side by Syracuse and the Americans the South near Gela.

THE INVASION OF SICILY

In the twilight we saw the great formations of troop carriers going over our camp. It was a thrilling sight. Later In the night our planes took off to bomb the Island and every night thereafter until, on the 2nd of August, we flew to Ponte Olivo - a few miles from Gela. We were the first’ medium Group to be based In Italy.

General Patton, with his two Ivory handled Colts and his 7th Army dressed In wool, seemed to take as little notice of enemy opposition as the 95 degree heat at noon time, although his men noticed both. Advances were rapid.

The British Army, of desert rats, in cotton shorts and shirts were face to face with their old adversaries - the Germans and a good part of the 12th's effort was against Nazis.

Adrano and Randazzo were favorite targets, being important communication centers dominating the road around Mt Etna and also the roads leading in from the East, North and South. The enemy was entrenched in the foothills of the mountain itself and in all cases held higher ground than the British. The opposition from anti-aircraft fire at Randazzo was the most intense we had experienced so far.

No Army could stand the pounding that the Americans and British gave the enemy and among the shambles of Messina, the end came on August 17, 1943.

THE INVASION OP ITALY

The 12th moved to Gerbini, a splendid all weatherdrome, and prepared for the 2nd invasion - this time the mainland of Europe at Reggio Calabria. It was from Gerbini that we support­ed the 8th Army's landing and later the arduous assaults on Salerno by American and British troops under General Clark.

The late October rains made our camp areas into a morass.

By November 1st, our forward party was established at Foggia, Italy and soon 48 plane missions were the order of the day.

Since May the entire Group had come under the Tactical Bomber Force for operations. By November we had perfected a technique of operations that was looked upon with great favor by those higher up.

On November 22nd, Air Marshall Cunningham relayed to the Group a message he had received from General Spaatz.

"TO 12th Bombardment Group (M)

PROM : Headquarters, Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force 'I wish to commend the Tactical Air Force for its oper­ations during the past few weeks. In spite of the handicap» imposed by bad weather, improvised airdromes, and changing of bases from North Africa and Sicily to Italy, your operations have been most effective. The many sorties against enemy gun positions, enemy M/T and troop movements, enemy rail lines and enemy airdromes, and shipping, both in Italy and in the Balkans, are most impressive. The recent raids on Sofia, Civitavecchia, and airdromes in Greece were particularly noteworthy.

Please allow me to add my thanks and warmest commendation to you and to your formations and especially the ground personnel, I was particularly impressed by the great work of the medium groups and their escort during the recent Aegean interlude. I hope you will tell the units of my admiration for their fine spirit and work well done. Present day circumstances are not easy and the bombers success has been due to their efficiency, well done."

On the same day the Air Liaison Officer, Major Newton at TBP Headquarters sent us the following: "Forward troops report own bombing concentrated, good pattern and apparently good re­suits. Many thanks."

Again Major Newton wired on November 26, 1943: "Bombing accurate and very effective. Many thanks for your assistance. Forward troops cheered every bomb burst."

One mission against shipping on the Dalmatian Coast was noteworthy. We could find no ships but sighting some "U" shaped buildings, we let them have It. Tito, from his mountain fastness, heard about this and on December 8th we received the following message:

1.  Croat Hq. states Allied aircraft made effective raid on Zara on November 28th. Direct hit reported on barracks and 600 Germans killed.

2.  This attack was carried out by aircraft of the 12th Bomb. Group, and the results are most encouraging.

3.  Source states, "Moral effect on Partisans of such raids is past belief and warms slightly cold air of this Hq."

It was at Foggia that we spent New Years. On that day the record showed as follows:

BATTING AVERAGE FOR MISSIONS FLOWN TO DATE

GROUP HEADQUARTERS

Lt. Col. WILLIAM W. WILCOX
Major JAMES F. WILLIAMS
HOWARD D. HENRY

81st SQUADRON

Major WARREN W. SUTTON
Capt. BAYARD M. HACKEDORN

82nd SQUADRON

Major LATTIE A. RITTER, Jr.

83rd  SQUADRON

Major RALPH 0. PATTERSON
Capt. JEFFERSON DAVIS

434th SQUADRON

Major LORRAINE F. ARMSTRONG
1st Lt. JOHN W. HEARD

Eighty (80) members of our combat crews hare completed fifty (50) missions at the closing of the year 1943.

From its first day, the Group's policy had been to pay the price for leadership. Dividends came in the high esteem we were held by such men as General Cannon, commanding the Tactical Air Force and Air Commodore Sinclair, commanding the T.B.F.

In January a painter arrived, sent out by General Arnold to do portraits for the permanent Air Force Gallery. Major Baskerville painted one of Master Sergeant Parker and another of Major W.W. Sutton, commanding officer of the 81st squadron who seven months later was shot down in Burma, leading a low level straffing nission.

The opposition from ack ack was tough over the front at such places as Cassino, Ponte Corvo and the Ouidonia airdrome.

At Cheitl the Jerries had crowded seventy heavy and seventy light guns Into about thirty square miles. Here our old friends, 3 SAAF and 232 Wing, lost six planes each in one day. Casualties of 321st and 340th Groups, flying Mitchells, were tough too. Our losses were two aircraft for October, one for November, none In December and three in January 1944.

This magnificent record is attributable to fine airman­ship, strict air discipline and flak free routes into the targets whenever possible. Certainly the finest of work was done at Foggia.

Late January was to have many changes in store. We moved to Guado near the Salerno beaches to make room at Foggia for other organizations and to give us a field where we could support the Anzio landings to better advantage. Our target on January 22nd, for both morning and afternoon missions, was the , jad Junction at Velletrl. No opposition was encountered but five days later our Journal reads - Jan. 27th "Two missions today In indirect support to the 6 Corps landing. The first mission was to Velletri R/J, southeast of Rome. Twice before, at this target, our formations had met with no opposition - today the story was quite different. Number 48 was last seen losing altitude, smoking but under control, headed toward Anzio.

Number 72 crash landed at Pompei with an injured man aboard, while two more of our aircraft mixed It on the runway with the result that one of them lost a rudder. Lt. O.D. Mabrey was badly injured by flak and 17 out of 22 of our aircraft were holed. The afternoon’s mission was in direct contrast with no opposition at the Orte RK/J.“ The German Army was still on the ball.

On January 30th we dropped our last bombs In Europe at Valmontone. 15 aircraft were holed out of 24, one with 50, another with 32 holes.

DEPARTURE FOR INDIA

On February 1st, we were told to prepare to move, leaving aircraft, tents and motor transport. Rumors were thick. In one squadron a pool was run. Betting on England stood at 60#, for U.S. 25#, for India and China 5% each. Cne hardy soul even wagered a few lire on Gambut, where we had spent the cold, wet months of December '42 and January '43 between the battles of Alamein and the Mareth Line.

Captain Powell, the A.L.O., and Major Thompson, the Intelligence Officer, motored up to TBF Headquarters outside Naples on the slopes of Vesuvius. Major Tex Roberts soon gave the show away. Tex had been an old Squadron Commander and later Engineering Officer of the 12th and then of T.B.F.

He said, "Tommy, 1 hear you're going to India. Well if the 12th can stand it, I guess it'll be fit for humans."

An overseas shipment from home, with factory packed equip­ment is a trying thing but to crate equipment with "Iti" nails that bend in two at the first blow of the hammer, and wood that splits on the least provocation is a test of one's sense of humor. By hook or crook we managed somehow to get ready and on the morning of the 6th the convoy of 82 trucks started at dawn to climb up the cornlch roads over the beautiful snow covered Appenines.

We ran into a snow storm at 5000 feet and a convoy of trucks belonging to an Indian Division that had debarked at Taranto. Some of us wistfully wished that they were going where we were and that we could remain with the 8th Army.

At Taranto we froze at night in drafty tents or trucks, fortifying ourselves three times a day on cold "C" rations.

Valentine's Day saw the Group debark at Port Said from the HMT Dilwara and go to the camp outside Cairo where we stayed until the end of the month.

It was rumored that forty extra M.P.'s were put on the city in our honor and removed after the first day. The men secured a much needed rest and a hundred enlisted men were flown to Palestine and visited Jerusalem for a day.

FIGHTING JAPS AND THE MONSOON

Our first stations in India were Tezgaon and Kurmltola, where we arrived In various parties between the 20th March and Easter Sunday.

Due to the forethought of Lt. Colonel Wilcox, crew chiefs In addition to their regular baggage had brought their tool kits with them - not a light piece of baggage either.

In consequence by April 16th, the 81st Squadron was ready and carried out its first mission over Burma bombing Mogaung.

Many of us are curious as to why we were sent to India.

We know Mountbatten had been promised three divisions which went to Anzio instead of India. We wonder whether we were a token payment but we do know that when we arrived the situation was critical. Japanese forces had taken Kohima and cut off the British forces in Imphal. A Jap patrol had reached a point seven miles from Dimapur, the great supply base of the 14th Army, on the Burma and Assam railway, over which supplies from Calcutta must pass to Ledo and China. Had the Japs succeeded in cutting the B and A railroad, not only would the British have suffered a bad defeat but General Stillwell's road from Ledo to Myitkyina and the Burma Road would have been valueless.

Our timely arrival in India increased the strength of the Strategic Air Force by more than 100# and gave confidence and courage to the ground forces. We set out to destroy enemy stores at Mogaung, Kalewa and Kalemyo. We disrupted traffic on the railroad from Mandalay to Myitkyina. We bombed the Tiddlm road and many railway bridges. The monsoon did not stop us from our appointed rounds.

After several bloody assaults by the ground forces, we were ordered "to take Myitkyina". We did a thorough job of bombing it in JUly and at last the Chinese marched In victorious. They found only two hundred live Japs and twenty comfort girl». The

Commanding General of the Tenth Air Force sent us a message on July twenty third, "Stillwell delighted on your work today."

In addition to our other duties we flew over six hundred thousand pounds of ammunition to Imphal and Palel for British troops, consuming over twelve hundred hours of flying tine.

We also dispatched a number of our pilots to help the air trans­port units. Our pilots would fly as co-pilots and one of our pilots with only one hundred and fifteen missions put in fifty hours the first week, having persuaded the operation's officer that he needed the extra time.

The tide was turning rapidly now. Mogaung and Myitkyina were ours - Kohima had been recovered and Imphal was relieved with the enemy retreating and British, Chinese and American forces slowly pushing South through the sodden country.

It is not every Group that fights in the desert one year and over tropical jungles the next; that can carry out one hundred day missions and forty four night missions in sixty days as we did from the Sicilian airfields. It requires versatility to bomb Crete from twenty two thousand feet and drop bombs be­tween thirty nine inch railway tracks from three hundred feet; to compete with the severest kind of front line ack ack and a few months later to battle with the Burma monsoon.

In two years of combat the Group has carried out over five hundred and fifty missions, more than seven thousand sorties and dropped more than ten thousand tons of bombs. About eight and a half million gallons of gasoline had been consigned.

Before coming to India we flew over forty thousand hours in North Africa and Europe.

When we moved by L.S.T. from Tunis to Ponte Olivo a Colonel from General Patton's Army passed by our convoy of three hundred and eleven vehicles just as we had debarked in Sicily. He was heard to exclaim, "My God Its the Oakies".

We must have looked a bit odd with our four volkswagons, our Lancia Diesel ten ton trucks, our seventy British vehicles, a fine collection of German and British motorcycles and a half dozen crew chiefs driving their baby Flats, not to mention our own GI trucks, Jeeps etc. But as long as we hit the targets as hard and as often as we could we never worried about what any­one thought of us. In twenty four months we carried out bombing missions against Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, the Balkans and Burma using twenty four airfields. During this time the spirit of team work between air crews and ground crews, between officers and men has been splendid. We know the Italians and Germans had great respect for the 12th Bombardment Group. It Is rumored the Japs are catching on and catching HELL.

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

August 1942 to August 1944

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS

Capt. Harold B. Laraon
Capt. Leonard L. Billingsley
1st Lt. Roger W. Jamison
1st Lt. John A. Gilpin
T/Sgt. John R. Carrington

 

LEGION OF MERIT

Colonel Edward N. Backus
Lt. Col. Wilbur H. Wood
Major Mark J. Maidel
Major Robert M. Barron
M/Sgt. John R. Dawdy
S/Sgt. Elmer J. Mobroten

SILVER STAR

Lt. Col. Gordon E. Hall
Lt. Col. William W. Wilcox
Captain E.C. Blythe
Captain Edward P. Flaspoehler
Captain Lloyd G. Lunger
Captain Carl W. Sprague
Captain Paul J. Kreulkamp
Captain Frederick E. Whitaker
Captain Samuel B. Bass
Captain Jean J. Scafir
1st Lt. Keith S. Callahan
1st Lt. George A. Lovelace
1st Lt. Manuel E. Vlclente
1st Lt. John G. Mabry
1st Lt Jack C. Budkins
1st Lt. McDaniel B. Jackson
1st Lt. Charles R. Patton, Jr.
1st Lt. Charles A. North
1st Lt. Raymond G. Munson
1st Lt. Gabriel 0. Dumont
1st Lt. JUllan B. Massie, Jr.
1st Lt. Alden N. Wood
1st Lt. Calvin P. Pitus
2nd Lt. Gaylord T. Eklund
2nd Lt. George L. Hasik
2nd Lt. Forrest E. Mehlmen
P/0 Andrew L. Palmer
T/Sgt. Lonnie A. Stevens
T/Sgt. George A. Kielbasa
T/Sgt. Thomas H. Kelly
T/Sgt. Bloice M. Bess
T/Sgt. Paul H. Cinmans
S/Sgt. Allen S. Cook
S/Sgt. Glen P. Burna
Sgt. James A. Anderson

SOLDIERS MEDAL

Major James A. Sutton
Captain Alec A. Johnson
Captain Leo D. Roberson
1st Lt. Steven M. Bazow
1st Lt. Richard H. Pritchett
1st Lt. William A. Dowling
2nd Lt. Robert L. Hill
T/Sgt. Lowell A. Wochoski
T/Sgt. Eugene H. Menger
S/Sgt. Tom J. Harling, Jr.
S/Sgt. Clarence L. Singsank
Sgt. Raymond L. Routing
Sgt. Earl H. Childers
Sgt. Wayne C. Martin
Sgt. Constantine Andreadis
Sgt. Guy Wilson
Sgt. William R. Blickhan
Cpl. Lorenzo B. Kofoed
Cpl. Robert H. Martin Jr.

DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS 229 Awarded in the Group

AIR MEDAL 906 Awarded in the Group

The Earthquakers