44th
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The Scrapbook Archives - Shipdham, Norfolk
44th Bomb Group
The focus of this scrapbbook is the 44th Bombardment Group, stationed at Shipdham, Norfolk
The 44th was the first USAAF group equipped with the B-24 and in the USA it acted as a training unit for others scheduled to fly the Liberator.
Until March 1943 the group was under strength as
one of its squadrons was detached in the United States. It had the highest Missing in Action loss(153 aircraft) of the 8th AF B-24 groups. It claimed more enemy fighters(330) than any other 8th AF B-24 group and operated from England longer than any other B-24 group. Its first Distinguished Unit Citation was for Kiel, 14 May 1943.
In summer 1943 the 44th moved temporarily to North Africa and among its missions was the epic low-level attack at Ploesti on 1st August when the group commander, Colonel Leon W Johnson won the Medal of Honor and the unit was awarded its second Distinguished Unit Citation.
After nearly four weeks back at Shipdham the 44th went to North Africa again--for 15 days. But this was the last detachment and the group then rejoined the growing bomber offensive from England. Its total of 343 missions included 18 from North Africa.
All photographs supplied by the Second Air Division Memorial Library and private collectors.
There are several good histories of the 44th 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:
Turner Publishing: 44th Bomb Group: The Flying Eightballs
Mackay, Ron: The 44th Bomb Group in World War II: The 'Flying Eightballs' over Europe
Lundy, Will: 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties
Bodle, Peter and Adams, Steve: The 44th Bomb Group in Norfolk
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Created 10 August 2007
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