304th Bombardment Group

The 304th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Army Air Forces (AAF) unit. Its last assignment was with the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, based at Langley Field, Virginia. It was inactivated on 30 December 1942

304th Bombardment Group
Emblem of the 304th Bombardment Group
Active	1942
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army Air Forces
Type	Bombardment
Role	Antisubmarine warfare

History

The group was activated in July 1942 but did not receive personnel until September 1942 when it began training on the west coast.^[1] Its original assigned squadrons were the 361st,^[2] 362d,^[3] 363d,^[4] and 421st Bombardment Squadrons^[5]

In October 1942, the group moved to Langley Field and operated with AAF Antisubmarine Command, using such planes as B-17 Flying Fortress, B-18 Bolo, B-24 Liberator and A-20 Havoc to fly Anti-submarine warfare patrols along the east coast.^[1] The 304th also trained crews for antisubmarine patrol duty overseas.^[1] In early November, the 361st squadron moved to St Eval, England and began antisubmarine operations for Eighth Air Force. In late November, three of the group's squadrons were redesignated as Antisubmarine Squadrons. In December the group was inactivated and its squadrons transferred to the 25th Antisubmarine Wing.^[2][3][4]

Lineage

• Constituted as 304th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 July 1942

Inactivated on 30 December 1942

Assignments

• II Bomber Command, 28 January 1942
• Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, 29 October 1942 - 30 December 1942

Squadrons

• 361st Bombardment Squadron (later 1st Antisubmarine Squadron): 15 July 1942 - 30 December 1942

Air echelon attached to VIII Bomber Command, after c. 10 November 1942^[2]

• 362d Bombardment Squadron (later 18th Antisubmarine Squadron): 15 July 1942 - 30 December 1942
• 363d Bombardment Squadron (later 19th Antisubmarine Squadron): 15 July 1942 - 30 December 1942
• 421st Bombardment Squadron: 15 July-6 November 1942

Stations

• Salt Lake City AAB, Utah, 15 July 1942
• Geiger Field, Washington, 15 September 1942
• Ephrata, Washington, 1 October 1942
• Langley Field, Virginia, 29 October-30 December 1942.

Notes and references

1. Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-912799-02-5.
2. Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
3. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 30
4. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 101
5. Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 779-780. The 421st was originally the 32d Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), but was redesignated before activating in July

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency