34th Bombardment Group
34th Bomb Group B-24 over England – July 1944
El 34º Grupo de bombardeo pesado (34º BG) fue constituido como
unidad de bombardeo el 20 de noviembre de 1940 siendo activada el 15 de enero
del año siguiente. Hasta diciembre de 1941 recibieron entrenamiento a bordo de
bombarderos B-17 con los que también realizaron maniobras de combate. La unidad
realizó vuelos de patrulla a lo largo de la costa tras el ataque japonés a
Pearl Harbor. Más tarde se convirtió en parte de la fuerza de defensa de la
costa oeste. Sirvió como una unidad de formación de reemplazo desde mediados de
1942 hasta finales de 1943 tras lo cual comenzaron la preparación para el
servicio en el extranjero utilizando bombarderos B-24 Liberator. En abril de
1944 se trasladó a Inglaterra para operar como parte de la 8º Air Force. La
unidad la componían el 4º, 7º y 18º Squadron desde 1941 a 1945 mientras que el
391º Sq se unió a la unidad desde 1942 hasta 1945.
Entró en combate en mayo de 1944
ayudando en la preparación de la invasión de Normandía. Durante estas misiones
se bombardeó aeródromos franceses y alemanes mientras que en junio atacó las
defensas costeras y las comunicaciones alemanas. Una vez realizada la invasión
sus aparatos apoyaron el avance aliado por Francia bombardeando St.Lo entre el
24 y el 25 de julio. También atacaron las bases de lanzamiento de las bombas V,
comunicaciones y líneas de suministros durante todo el verano de 1944. Tras ser
reequipados con bombarderos B-17 se dedicaron principalmente al bombardeo de
objetivos estratégicos desde octubre de 1944 hasta febrero del año siguiente. Algunos
de sus objetivos fueron las estaciones de clasificación en Ludwigshafen, Hamm,
Osnabrück, y Darmstadt; centros petroleros en Bielefeld, Merseburg, Hamburgo y
Misburg; fábricas en Berlín, Dalteln y Hannover; y campos de aviación en Munster,
Neumünster, y Frankfurt. Durante este período, el grupo también apoyó las
fuerzas de tierra durante la Batalla de las Ardenas, de diciembre de 1944 a
enero de 1945. En marzo de 1945 con casi todos los objetivos industriales
destruidos y con los ejércitos aliados avanzando a través de Alemania el 34º BG
volvió casi exclusivamente a la interdicción de las comunicaciones enemigas y
apoyo las fuerzas terrestres aliadas. Después de la rendición alemana sirvió de
transporte llevando alimentos a las zonas inundadas de Holanda y al transporte
de prisioneros alemanas a los centros de detención. En el verano de 1945 el 34º
BG regresó a Estados Unidos siendo desactivada el 28 de agosto de 1945.
Comandantes:
Maj John W
Monahan, 15 Jan 1941
Lt Col Harold D Smith, c. 1 Mar 1941
Maj Ford Lauer, 9 Jan 1942
Col Ralph E Koon, 12 Feb 1942
Maj Irvine A Rendel, 21 Jul 1942
Maj John A Rouse, 24 Feb 1943
Lt Col John E Carmack, 15 Sep 1943
Col Ernest F Wackwitz Jr, c. 5 Jan 1944
Col William E Creer, Sep 1944
Lt Col Eugene B Lebailly, 29 May-c. Aug 1945.
Lt Col Harold D Smith, c. 1 Mar 1941
Maj Ford Lauer, 9 Jan 1942
Col Ralph E Koon, 12 Feb 1942
Maj Irvine A Rendel, 21 Jul 1942
Maj John A Rouse, 24 Feb 1943
Lt Col John E Carmack, 15 Sep 1943
Col Ernest F Wackwitz Jr, c. 5 Jan 1944
Col William E Creer, Sep 1944
Lt Col Eugene B Lebailly, 29 May-c. Aug 1945.
Fuentes:
BROWMAN, M. “B-17 Flying Fortress Units of the Eighth Air Force” Osprey, 2002
MAURER, M. “Air Force Combat Units Of World
War II.” Maxwell, 1983
PONS, G. “8th
Air Force: American Heavy Bomber Groups in England 1942-1945” Histoire & Collections, 2006
English
version
The 34th Heavy Bombardment Group (34th BG) was established as a unit of
bombing the November 20, 1940 being activated on 15 January of the following
year. Until December 1941 received training aboard B-17 bombers which also
conducted combat maneuvers. The unit carried out patrol flights along the coast
following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Later it became part of the
defense force of the west coast. It served as a training unit replacement from
mid-1942 until the end of 1943 after which began the preparation for service
abroad using B-24 Liberator bombers. In April 1944 he moved to England to work
as part of the 8th Air Force. The unit was composed of the 4th, 7th and 18th
Squadron from 1941-1945 while the 391º Sq joined the unit from 1942-1945.
He saw combat in May 1944 assisting in the preparation of the invasion of Normandy. During these missions French and German airfields were bombed while in June attacked the German coastal defenses and communications. After the invasion their devices supported the Allied advance through France bombing St.Lo between 24 and 25 July. They also attacked the bases of launching bombs V, communications and supply lines throughout the summer of 1944. After being re-equipped with B-17 bombers were mainly devoted to the bombing of strategic targets from October 1944 until February of the following year. Some of their goals were the marshalling yards in Ludwigshafen, Hamm, Osnabruck, and Darmstadt; oil centers in Bielefeld, Merseburg, Misburg Hamburg; factories in Berlin and Hannover Dalteln; and airfields in Munster, Neumünster, and Frankfurt. During this period, the group also supported ground forces during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 to January 1945. In March 1945 almost all industrial targets destroyed and the Allied armies advancing through Germany 34th BG turned almost exclusively to the interdiction of enemy communications and support the allied ground forces. After the German surrender served transport carrying food to the flooded areas of the Netherlands and German transport to detention prisoners. In the summer of 1945 the 34th BG returned to the United States being off the August 28, 1945.
He saw combat in May 1944 assisting in the preparation of the invasion of Normandy. During these missions French and German airfields were bombed while in June attacked the German coastal defenses and communications. After the invasion their devices supported the Allied advance through France bombing St.Lo between 24 and 25 July. They also attacked the bases of launching bombs V, communications and supply lines throughout the summer of 1944. After being re-equipped with B-17 bombers were mainly devoted to the bombing of strategic targets from October 1944 until February of the following year. Some of their goals were the marshalling yards in Ludwigshafen, Hamm, Osnabruck, and Darmstadt; oil centers in Bielefeld, Merseburg, Misburg Hamburg; factories in Berlin and Hannover Dalteln; and airfields in Munster, Neumünster, and Frankfurt. During this period, the group also supported ground forces during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 to January 1945. In March 1945 almost all industrial targets destroyed and the Allied armies advancing through Germany 34th BG turned almost exclusively to the interdiction of enemy communications and support the allied ground forces. After the German surrender served transport carrying food to the flooded areas of the Netherlands and German transport to detention prisoners. In the summer of 1945 the 34th BG returned to the United States being off the August 28, 1945.
Commanders:
Maj John W
Monahan, 15 Jan 1941
Lt Col Harold D Smith, c. 1 Mar 1941
Maj Ford Lauer, 9 Jan 1942
Col Ralph E Koon, 12 Feb 1942
Maj Irvine A Rendel, 21 Jul 1942
Maj John A Rouse, 24 Feb 1943
Lt Col John E Carmack, 15 Sep 1943
Col Ernest F Wackwitz Jr, c. 5 Jan 1944
Col William E Creer, Sep 1944
Lt Col Eugene B Lebailly, 29 May-c. Aug 1945.
Lt Col Harold D Smith, c. 1 Mar 1941
Maj Ford Lauer, 9 Jan 1942
Col Ralph E Koon, 12 Feb 1942
Maj Irvine A Rendel, 21 Jul 1942
Maj John A Rouse, 24 Feb 1943
Lt Col John E Carmack, 15 Sep 1943
Col Ernest F Wackwitz Jr, c. 5 Jan 1944
Col William E Creer, Sep 1944
Lt Col Eugene B Lebailly, 29 May-c. Aug 1945.
Sources:
BROWMAN, M. “B-17 Flying Fortress Units of the Eighth Air Force” Osprey, 2002
MAURER, M. “Air Force Combat Units Of World
War II.” Maxwell, 1983
PONS, G. “8th
Air Force: American Heavy Bomber Groups in England 1942-1945” Histoire & Collections, 2006
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