41st Bombardment Group

Constituted as 41st Bombardment Group (Medium) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Trained with B-18's and A-29's; later equipped with B-25's. Patrolled the west coast during 1942 and 1943. Moved to Hawaii in Oct 1943 and assigned to Seventh AF. Completed final training and moved to Tarawa in the Central Pacific in Dec 1943. Attacked enemy installations, airfields, and shipping in the Marshalls in preparation for the invasion by US forces, and after Feb 1944 staged through captured fields on Eniwetok to attack shipping in the Caroline Islands. In Apr 1944 moved to Makin where its missions were directed primarily against shipping and bypassed islands in the Marshalls and Carolines. Returned to Hawaii in Oct 1944 for training with rockets and new B-25's. Moved to Okinawa, May-Jun 1945. Bombed airfields, railways, and harbor facilities on Kyushu until Aug 1945. Also flew some missions against airfields in China. Moved to Manila in Dec 1945. Inactivated in the Philippines on 27 Jan 1946.

Squadrons. 46th: 1941-1943. 47th: 1941-1946. 48th: 1941-1946. 76th: 1943. 396th: 1942-1946. 406th: 1943. 820th: 1943-1946.

Stations. March Field, Calif, 15 Jan 1941; Tucson, Ariz, May 1941; Muroc, Calif, c. 10 Dec 1941; Hammer Field, Calif, Feb 1942-29 Sep 1943; Hickam Field, TH, 16 Oct 1943; Tarawa, 17 Dec 1943; Makin, 24 Apr 1944; Wheeler Field, TH, 14 Oct 1944; Okinawa, 7 Jun 1945; Manila, Dec 1945-27 Jan 1946.

Commanders. Capt Lawrence H Douthit, 15 Jan 1941; Lt Col Archibald Y Smith, 2 Jun 1941; Lt Col Charles B Dougher, 1942; Col Murray A Bywater, 18 Aug 1943-c. Nov 1945.

Campaigns. Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western Pacific; Ryukyus; China Offensive.

Decorations. None.

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