380th Bombardment Group

Constituted as 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Oct 1942. Activated on 3 Nov 1942. Used B-24's in preparing for overseas duty. Moved to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, Apr-May 1943. Assigned to Fifth AF but attached to Royal Australian Air Force until Jan 1945. Trained Australian crews to operate B-24's. Began combat operations in May 1943 by flying armed reconnaissance patrols. Operated from Australian bases for a year and a half, striking enemy airfields, ground installations, shipping, and industries in the Netherlands Indies and the Bismarck Archipelago. Received DUC for a series of long-range attacks on oil refineries, shipping, and dock facilities in Balikpapan, Borneo, in Aug 1943. Repeatedly bombed enemy airfields in western New Guinea during Apr and May 1944 in support of American landings in the Hollandia area, being awarded another DUC for this action. Moved in Feb 1945 to Mindoro where its missions included support for ground forces on Luzon and strikes on industries in Formosa, oil refineries in Borneo, railways and shipping in French Indochina, and ground installations on the China coast. Moved to Okinawa in Aug 1945, and after V-J Day flew reconnaissance missions over Japan and ferried liberated prisoners of war from Japan to Manila. Returned to the Philippines in Nov 1945. Inactivated on 20 Feb 1946.

Redesignated 380th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). Allotted to the reserve. Activated in the US on 16 Jun 1947. Redesignated 380th Bombardment Group (Medium) in Jun 1949. Ordered to active duty on 1 May 1951. Inactivated on 16 May 1951.

Squadrons. 328th: 1942-1946; 1947-1951. 329th: 1942-1946; 1947-1949. 330th: 1942-1946; 1947-1949. 331st: 1942-1946; 1947-1951.

Stations. Davis-Monthan Field, Ariz, 3 Nov 1942; Biggs Field, Tex, 2 Dec 1942; Lowry Field, Colo, 4 Mar-c. 17 Apr 1943; Fenton, Australia, May 1943; Darwin, Australia, 9 Aug 1944; San Jose, Mindoro, 20 Feb 1945; Okinawa, c. 9 Aug 1945; Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 28 Nov 1945-20 Feb 1946. MacDill Field, Fla, 16 Jun 1947-16 May 1951.

Commanders. Col William A Miller, 3 Nov 1942; Col Forrest L Brissey, 10 Feb 1944; Lt Col Gayle S Cox, 30 Aug 1945; Col David A Tate, 8 Sep 1945-unkn.

Campaigns. Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Borneo, 13, 15, and 17 Aug 1943; New Guinea, 20 Apr-17 May 1944. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Insigne. Shield: Azure, two cloud formations argent, fesswise, one issuing from dexter enhanced, one from sinister abased surmounted by a sword in pale, point to base, or, hilt, grip and pommel gules, entwined with an olive branch vert. Motto: Strength And Confidence. (Approved 26 Nov 1956.)

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986