Warbird Information Exchange

During World War II, the 416th Bombardment Group (L) was composed of 416th Headquarters and four Bombardment Squadrons (L), the 668th (5H), 669th (2A), 670th (F6) and 671st (5C); and was under the operational control of the IX Bomber Command, 97th Combat Bombardment Wing of the 9th Air Force.

The 416th Bombardment Group (L) and its Squadrons were Activated February 5, 1943, without personnel, at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma by authority of General Orders #3, dated 4 February 1943, Headquarters Army Air base, Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma. These orders identified the source of the cadre as the 46th Bombardment Group.

The members of the "Famous 416th" greatly distinguished themselves in their 14 months of combat operations in the European Theatre of Operations (ETO).

The Group had many "Firsts". They were the First A-20 Havoc Group in the ETO, flew the First A-20 mission ever to bomb Germany, the First Group in the world to completely convert to the new A-26 Invader and the First 9th Air Force Bomb Group to fly missions in Czechoslovakia as well as Austria.

They fought in seven Campaigns: Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe; and Air Combat European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Theater, and received many Letters of Commendation. On July 25, 1945, they were awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for their critical part in trapping German forces in the Falaise Gap between August 6-9, 1944.

Along with these Group honors, many 416th Officers and Enlisted Men received individual awards and medals, including the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldiers' Medal, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Motor Vehicle Driver's Badge, Motor Vehicle Mechanic's Badge, many Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Croix de guerre.

Prior to D-Day, the 416th was instrumental in the preparation for the invasion of Europe and mostly targeted German Coastal Defenses, NOBALL V-1 Launch Sites, Airfields and Marshalling Yards. The 416th flew two missions on D-Day, June 6th, 1944. After the Allied Expeditionary Forces secured their beachhead and began the drive to Germany, the Group's primary role became one of tactical support for the advancing ground troops, destroying enemy Transportation Infrastructure (Railroad/Highway Bridges and Junctions, Marshalling Yards), Communication Centers, Ordnance and Fuel Storage Depots, Strong Points, among other important targets.

The 416th BG flew a total of 285 Combat Missions during their Operational Period of March 3, 1944 through May 3, 1945.













Below are three photos showing damaged 416th BG A-20's in trouble.

The last photo is quite interesting and I have attached a great link to a researcher who put in quite a bit of time and effort to make sure there is a story and facts that are important to the photo. A very well done summary IMHO. Well worth the time to read.
Link here: http://thepastpresented.com/index.php/t ... omb-group/


May 12, 1944
A-20J-10-DO, 43-10129, 5C-I
1st Lt. Robert E. Stockwell and crew - A/C received direct hit from flak under bomb bay. "(416th BG) lost after being hit by flak over Germany."

_________________
[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

All the photos posted are hosted on the 416th BG site below. It's one of the finer sites dedicated to any bomb group on the internet. Very well done.
Many additional photos and plenty of explanation for each photo.

http://www.416th.com/contents.html

_________________
[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

That's a pretty tight formation in the second picture.

Might have been a bad day for the group in the last photo: two trailing smoke. (And if I had read the post instead of looking just at the photos I would have noticed that. )

Such a badass aircraft.

As a young lieutenant, my first assignment was the 416th.
Of course by then, they has swapped the A-20 for B-52Gs and were at Griffiiis AFB, NY.

Their final claim to fame was being the first unit with the AGM-86A ALCM...which is why I was diverted there at the last minute from tech school.

As I recall, there were photos similar to these at the wing headquarters.
I was surprised that with all the well known heavy bomb groups of WWII, the Air Force would perpetuate a light bomb group in the days of SAC.
I think it says something of their combat record.

If B-24 vets and fans feel neglected by history and fame, Imagine how ETO light bomber unit people feel. In comparison, Liberator operations are famous.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.