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The 309th Bombardment Group was a training group that served in the United States from early in 1942 until it was disbanded in the spring of 1944.
The group was formed on 28 January 1942 and became part of the Third Air Force. It was equipped with the B-25 Mitchell, and at first served as an operational training group, preparing entire groups of aircrew for entry to combat.
Once the USAAF was engaged in heavy combat it began to need replacements for casualties in existing units more than entire new units, and so the 309th became a replacement training group. This time it was preparing individual crews to join existing units or individual airmen to join existing crews that had lost a member.
The group was active for just over two years, from its activation in March 1942 until it was disbanded on 1 May 1944.
To follow
1942-44: North American B-25 Mitchell
28 January 1942 | Constituted as 309th Bombardment Group (Medium) |
15 March 1942 | Activated and assigned to Third Air Force |
1 May 1944 | Disbanded |
Maj Henry G Silleck: 1942
Lt Col Flint Garrison Jr: 2 June 1942
Col William C Mills: 26 Jun 1942
Col
John L Nedwed: 3 Aug 1942
Lt Col Milton
E Lipps: 2 Feb-c. 1 May 1944
Davis-Monthan Field, Ariz: 15 Mar 1942
Jackson AAB, Miss: , 15 Mar
1942
Key Field, Miss: c. 26 Apr 1942
Columbia AAB, SC: 16 May 1942-1 May 1944
1944
376th Bombardment Squadron: 1942-44
377th Bombardment Squadron: 1942-44
378th Bombardment Squadron: 1942-44
426th Bombardment Squadron: 1942-44
1942-44: Third Air Force