| 305th was activated Salt Lake City, Utah, 1 March 1942. Training took place there, Geiger Field, Washington & Muroc Lake, California. Ground echelon sailed Queen Mary 5 September. Air echelon flew in new B17Fs after 6 weeks intensive training Syracuse, New York to Prestwick via Gander. First base Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire 12 September – 11 December 1942. Base for rest of war Chelveston, Bedfordshire [!! Chelveston is in Northamptonshire] |
Component Squadrons:- 364 code WF; 365 code XK; 366 code KY; & 422 code JJ.
Aircraft: Boeing B17F & B17G. Group code G in triangle, placed in green band August 1944. Given Group nickname ‘Can Do’.
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B17F ‘Flying Fortress’
Assigned 8AF September 1942
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V111 BC 1BW 1
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V111 BC 1BW 102 PCW
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V111 BC 1BD 40 CBW
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1BD 40 CBW
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1AD 40 CBW
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Carter’s Little Liver Pills
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Col Curtis E LeMay First Group CO - 4 June 1942-15 May 1943
Known as ‘Iron Ass’. Developed with 305 the staggered formation & lead bombardier techniques adopted by 8AF. Followed by Lt Col Fargo, Cols. Lawson, Mustoe & MacDonald. The 305 continued experimenting, particularly automatic control of the aircraft by the bombardier on run-in.
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William R Lawley Jr. 1st/Lt Pilot of 364th Bomb Sqadron.
Medal of Honour awarded for action 23 February 1944 in B17G, WF-P 42-38109 during attack on Brunswick/Leipzig area for air battles known as ‘Big Week’. Severely wounded, 7 crew wounded & loss of 2 engines – he brought all home safely.
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Ole Miss Destry - with her 4-leaf clover completed 138 missions. King George VI & Queen Elizabeth inspected her at Chelveston. |
Old Bill - 365s B17F 42-29673
9 of 11 crew wounded 15 May 1942 – record 17 awards to 1/Lt Whiston & crew.
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| Medal of Honour – Edward S Michael, 1st/Lt 364 Bomb Squadron. 1st pilot B17G: 42-38131 ‘Bertie Lee’ 11 April 1944 attack on Stettin. Badly wounded & with damaged aircraft he flew home for safety when bombardier found his parachute too damaged for use when 7 had jumped. |
No 422 Bomb Squadron experimented with night missions – 8 in all
During September/October 1943 & until June 1944 was engaged on leaflet work over occupied & enemy territories. |
No 305 made its first mission on 17 November 1942 to St Nazaire. By 3 January 1943 was lead Group to conduct formation experiment against ‘Flak City’ – St Nazaire – with good results. On 18 March at Vegasek 76% of bombs were within 1000ft of MPI.
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On ‘Black Thursday’ 14 October 1943, second Schweinfurt raid, 305 lost 13 of 15 – the heaviest loss of raid. Given Nazi flag found by US troops when city captured. Another Unit Citation awarded with 1BD Groups 11 January 1944. Total missions 337; sorties 9231; bombs dropped 22362.5 tons; 73 tons leaflets. Last mission 25 April 1945. Enemy aircraft claimed 332: 97: 185. The price paid 154 aircraft MTA. |
No 305 was awarded a Unit Citation on 4 April 1943 for an attack on Paris Renault Works. Most of the bombs on target were 305’s led by Major McGhee. Three of their 18 FTR Cap. Allen Martini’s gunners in Dry Martini 4th claimed 10 of 305’s score of 20 – a record claim.
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| No 305 performed Project ‘Casey Jones’ photo-mapping Europe from 20 July 1945. Inactivated 25 December 1946. |
‘Towering Titan’ last to fall to enemy fighters 17 April. ‘Leading Lady’ of Lt Murray first to complete 100 missions. |
