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Constituted as 90th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 15 Apr 1942. Prepared for combat with B-24's. Moved to Hawaii in Sep 1942 and assigned to Seventh AF. Completed training, moved to the Southwest Pacific in Nov 1942, and assigned to Fifth AF. Entered combat immediately, and from Nov 1942 to Jan 1945 operated from Australia, New Guinea, and Biak, attacking enemy airfields, troop concentrations, ground installations, and shipping in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, Palau, and the southern Philippines. Received a DUC for strikes, conducted through heavy flak and fighter opposition, on Japanese airfields at Wewak, New Guinea, in Sep 1943. Other operations included participation in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea in Mar 1943 and long-range raids on oil refineries at Balikpapan, Borneo, in Sep and Oct 1943. Moved to the Philippines in Jan 1945. Supported ground forces on Luzon, attacked industries on Formosa, and bombed railways, airfields, and harbor facilities on the Asiatic mainland. Moved to Ie Shima in Aug 1945, and after the war flew reconnaissance missions over Japan and ferried Allied prisoners from Okinawa to Manila. Returned to the Philippines in Dec 1945. Inactivated on 27 Jan 1946.
Redesignated 90th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). Activated in the US on 1 Jul 1947. Assigned to Strategic Air Command. Probably not manned during 1947 and 1948. Inactivated on 6 Sep 1948.
Redesignated 90th Bombardment Group (Medium). Activated on 2 Jan 1951. Assigned to Strategic Air Command and equipped with B-29's. Inactivated on 16 Jun 1952.
Squadrons. 319th: 1942-1946; 1947-1948; 1951-1952. 320th: 1942-1946; 1947-1948; 1951-1952. 321st: 1942-1946; 1947-1948; 1951-1952. 400th: 1942-1946.
Stations. Key Field, Miss, 15 Apr 1942; Barksdale Field, La, 17 May 1942; Greenville AAB, SC, 21 Jun 1942; Ypsilante, Mich, 18 Aug 1942; Hickam Field, TH, 12 Sep 1942; Iron Range, Australia, Nov 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 10 Feb 1943; Dobodura, New Guinea, Dec 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, 23 Feb 1944; Biak, 10 Aug 1944; San Jose, Mindoro, 26 Jan 1945; Ie Shima, c. 10 Aug 1945; Ft William McKinley, Luzon, Dec 1945-27 Jan 1946. Andrews Field, Md, 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948. Fairchild AFB, Wash, 2 Jan 1951; Forbes AFB, Kan, 14 Mar 1951-16 Jun 1952.
Commanders. 1st Lt Newman W Enloe, 17 Apr 1942; Lt Col Eugene P Mussett, 17 May 1942; Col Roger M Ramey, 14 Sep 1942; Lt Col Eugene P Mussett, 16 Oct 1942; Col Arthur Meehan, 21 Oct 1942; Lt Col Arthur H Rogers, 16 Nov 1942; Col Ralph E Koon, 18 Nov 1942; Col Arthur H Rogers, 11 Jul 1943; Lt Col Harry Bullis, c. 20 Dec 1943; Col Carl A Brandt, 16 Mar 1944; Col Edward W Scott Jr, 10 Jun 1944; Lt Col Wilson H Banks, 8 Dec 1944; Col Ellis L Brown, 24 Feb 1945-unkn. Unkn, 1947-1948. Lt Col William L Gray, Jan 1951; Col Conrad F Necrason, Feb 1951-16 Jun 1952.
Campaigns. Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; Papua; New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; China Offensive.
Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua, [Nov] 1942-23 Jan 1943; New Guinea, 13 and 15 Sep 1943. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
Insigne. Shield: Azure, a pterodactyl (Dimorphodon Macronyx) volant or langued gules, eyed vert. Motto: Impavide - Undauntedly. (Approved 22 Sep 1942.)
Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986
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