|
The 45th Bombardment Group was a home based bomber unit that operated off the US Atlantic and Gulf coasts during the first year after the American entry in the Second World War.
The group was activated in January 1941 as a light bomber unit and trained with the Douglas B-18 Bolo and the Douglas A-20 Havoc.
In December 1941 the group became a Medium Bombardment group. After the American entry into the war it was used to fly patrols and search missions off the Atlantic coast, operating from New Hampshire and later Delaware. In August the group moved to Florida, and spent the rest of the year operating over the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. At the start of this period the group had to carry out operations at the same time as training for its new role.
During this period the group kept its B-18 Bolos, and gained aircraft taken from overseas orders. The Douglas DB-7 was the export version of the A-20 and was taken from orders originally destined for France. The Lockheed-Vega B-34 was the lend lease designation for the Lockheed Ventura, and the group's aircraft were taken from orders originally placed for Britain.
The group was inactivated on 8 December 1942 although its squadrons continued to operate as anti-submarine unites during 1943.
To Follow
1941: Douglas B-18 Bolo and Douglas A-20 Havoc (training)
1942: Douglas B-18 Bolo, Lockheed-Vega B-34 and Douglas DB-7 (operations)
20 November 1940 | Constituted as 45th Bombardment Group (Light) |
15 January 1941 | Activated |
December 1941 | Redesignated as 45th Bombardment Group (Medium) |
8 December 1942 | Inactivated |
Lt Col James E Duke
Jr: Jan 1941
Lt Col George A McHenry: 1 Apr 1941
Lt Col Charles W Haas: c.
Sep-Dec 1942.
Savannah, Ga: 15 Jan 1941
Manchester, NH: 18 Jun 1941
Dover, Del:
16 May 1942
Miami, Fla: 1 Aug-8 Dec
1942
7th Antisubmarine Squadron (formerly 78th Bombardment) 1941-42
8th Antisubmarine Squadron (formerly 79th Bombardment) 1941-42
9th Antisubmarine Squadron (formerly 80th Bombardment) 1941-42
10th Antisubmarine Squadron (formerly 81th Bombardment) 1941-42
1941: 16th Bombardment Wing
1942: I Bomber Command, First Air Force then AAF Antisubmarine Command