Constituted as 43rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated
on 15 Jan 1941. Trained with B-17, B-18, A-29, and LB-30 aircraft. Flew
some antisubmarine patrols along the New England coast, Dec 1941-Feb
1942.
Moved to the Southwest Pacific, via Capetown, Feb-Mar 1942. Became part
of Fifth AF. Equipped first with B-17's, but converted to B-24's, May-Sep
1943. Operated from Australia, New Guinea, and Owi Island, Aug 1941-Nov
1944, making numerous attacks on Japanese shipping in the Netherlands East
Indies and the Bismarck Archipelago. Experimented with skip bombing and
used this method for some shipping strikes, including attacks on Japanese
vessels during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, 2-4 Mar 1943; received a
DUC for participation in this latter action in which repeated air attacks
destroyed a large enemy convoy carrying reinforcements to New Guinea.
Other operations during this period included support for ground forces on
New Guinea; attacks on airfields and installations in New Guinea, the
Bismarck Archipelago, Celebes, Halmahera, Yap, Palau, and the southern
Philippines; and long-range raids against oil refineries on Ceram and
Borneo. Capt Jay Zeamer Jr, pilot, and 2nd Lt Joseph R Sarnoski,
bombardier, each won the Medal of Honor for action during a photographic
mapping mission over the Solomon Islands on 16 Jun 1943: when the mission
was nearly completed, their aircraft was assaulted by about 20
interceptors; although painfully wounded, Lt Sarnoski remained at the nose
guns and fired at the enemy until he died at his post; sustaining severe
injuries, Capt Zeamer maneuvered the plane until the enemy had broken
combat, then directed the flight to a base more than 500 miles away. After
moving to the Philippines in Nov 1944, the group atttacked shipping along
the Asiatic coast; struck industries, airfields, and installations in
China and Formosa; and supported ground forces on Luzon. Moved to Ie Shima
in Jul 1945 and conducted missions against airfields and railways in Japan
and against shipping in the Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan. Returned to
the Philippines in in Dec 1945. Inactivated on 29 Apr 1946.
Redesignated 43rd Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). Activated in the US
on 1 Oct 1946. Assigned to Strategic Air Command. Redesignated 43rd
Bombardment Group (Medium) in Jul 1948. Equipped first with B-29's, then
with B-50's. Trained and conducted long-range test missions, including the
first nonstop flight around the world (26 Feb-2 Mar 1949), accomplished in
"Lucky Lady II," a B-50 commanded by Capt James G Gallagher. Inactivated
on 16 Jun 1952.
Squadrons. 63d: 1941-1946; 1946-1952. 64th: 1941-1946; 1946-1952. 65th:
1941-1946; 1946-1952. 403d: 1942-1946.
Stations. Langley Field, Va, 15 Jan 1941; Bangor, Maine, 28 Aug 1941-17
Feb 1942; Sydney, Australia, 28 Mar 1942; Torrens Creek, Australia, c. 1
Aug 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 14 Sep 1942; Dobodura, New Guinea, 10
Dec 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, 4 Mar 1944; Owi, Schouten Islands, 2 Jul
1944; Tacloban, Leyte, c. 15 Nov 1944; Clark Field, Luzon, 16 Mar 1945; Ie
Shima, 26 Jul 1945; Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 10 Dec 1945-29 Apr 1946.
Davis-Monthan Field, Ariz, 1 Oct 194616 Jun 1952.
Commanders. Lt Col Harold D Smith, 15 Jan 1941; Lt Col Francis B
Valentine, 1 Mar 1941; Maj Conrad H Diehl Jr, 18 Feb 1942; Col Roger M
Ramey, 21 Oct 1942; Lt Col John A Roberts, 30 Mar 1943; Col Harry
Hawthorne, 24 May 1943; Lt Col Edward W Scott Jr, 18 Nov 1943; Col Harry
Hawthorne, 8 Feb 1944; Col James T Pettus Jr, 18 Sep 1944; Maj Paul B
Hansen, 8 Sep 1945-unkn. Col James C Selser Jr, 5 Oct 1946; Col William E
Eubank Jr, Apr 1948; Col Dalene Bailey, Jul 1948; Col Alvan N Moore, 3 Jan
1949-16 Jun 1952.
Campaigns. Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Offensive, Japan; China
Defensive; Papua; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific;
Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; Ryukyus; China Offensive.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua, [Aug] 1942-23 Jan
1943; Bismarck Sea, 2-4 Mar 1943. Philippine Presidential Unit
Citation.
Insigne. Shield: Per fess nebuly or and azure, a drop bomb
counterchanged. Motto: Willing, Able, Ready. (Approved 31 Jan 1942.) Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986 |
