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446th
| The Scrapbook Archives - Bungay, Suffolk
446th Bomb Group
The focus of this scrapbook is the 446th Bombardment Group, stationed at Bungay, Suffolk.
The 446th (known as the "Bungay Buckaroos") was organized as part of the 2nd Air Division, to fly B24 Liberators from eastern England against occupied France, the Lowlands, and Germany. The 446th was activated on April 1, 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona. The group was moved to Almagordo, New Mexico briefly, then to Lowry AAB in Colorado to complete their training.
In October, 1943 both the air and ground crews left Colorado for England. The air crews took the southern route to England, flying from Florida to Puerto Rico, then on to Brazil before crossing to the African continent and flying north to Marrakesh. The 446th was located at Bungay, in Suffolk. A museum in nearby Flixton documents their activities.
On December 16, 1943, the group flew its first mission to Bremen, Germany. From that day, through the spring of 1945, the 446th Bomb Group flew 273 total missions. The 446th led the 2nd Air Division on the first heavy bomber missions on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Two of the bombardment squadrons, the 706BS and the 708BS, flew over 60 consecutive missions without loss.
In June and July of 1945, the 446th Bomb Group was redeployed to the United States in preparation for a move to the Pacific Theatre. The surrender of Japan made this unnecessary, and the 446th was inactivated on the 28th of August, 1945.
Crew photo, including Dick Powell, Karl Gjehlahg, Arthur Evans, Adam Manuel, Wayne Metsker, Walter Makowski, and Arthur Hill. From the collection of Wayne Metsker (MC 376/113 792x3), Norfolk Record Office.
Arthur Hill, Dick Fiscus, Dick Powell, Adam Manuel, Wayne Metsker, and Walter Makowski. From the collection of Wayne Metsker (MC 376/113 792x3), Norfolk Record Office.
There are several good histories of the 446th Bomb Group available for use in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library, in addition to the standard histories of the 2nd Air Division and the 8th Air Force. Among those histories are:
Castens, Ed. The 446th Revisited.
Jansen, Harold E., comp. The History of the 446th Bomb Group (H), 1943-1945.
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Created 13 July 2007
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