445bg.com is a project of the Army Air Corps Library and Museum. Volunteers are transcribing servicemen names and their awards from General Orders that we are publishing on this website for enthusiasts, families and researchers of genealogy and World War II history. The names on this honor roll of men assigned to the 445th Bombardment Group is not a complete list of all who served with the 445th, however, we are attempting to locate as many documents that have survived as possible. Sources of material include the US National Archives, Air Force Historical Research Agency and the records donated by individual servicemen and their families. We hope you will find this information useful and enjoyable. We are accepting volunteers help in this very large World War II project as we preserve this history and honor service.
Constituted as 445th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 March 1943 and activated on 1 Apr 1943. Prepared for combat with B-24's. Moved to England, Oct-Dec 1943, for service with Eighth AF. Entered combat on 13 Dec 1943 by attacking U-boat installations at Kiel. Operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization until the war ended, striking such targets as industries in Osnabruck, synthetic oil plants in lutzendorf, chemical works in Ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Hamm, an airfield at Munich, an ammunition plant at Duneberg, underground oil storage facilities at Ehmen, and factories at Munster. Participated in the Allied campaign against the German aircraft industry during Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944, being awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation ("DUC") for attacking an aircraft assembly plant at Gotha on 24 Feb. Occasionally flew interdictory and support missions.
The 445th helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by bombing airfields, V-weapon sites, and other targets; attacked shore installations on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944. Supported ground forces at St Lo by striking enemy defenses in Jul 1944. Bombed German communications during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945. Early on 24 Mar 1945 dropped food, medical supplies, and ammunition to troops that landed near Wesel during the airborne assault across the Rhine; that afternoon flew a bombing mission to the same area, hitting a landing ground at Stormede. On occasion dropped propaganda leaflets and hauled gasoline to France. Awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm by the French government for operations in the theater from Dec 1943 to Feb 1945. Flew their last combat mission on 25 Apr 1945.
Col Robert H Terrill, 1 Apr 1943
Col William W Jones, 25 Jul 1944-12 Sep 1945
700th: 1943-1945. 701st: 1943-1945. 702nd: 1943-1945. 703rd: 1943-1945.
Gowen Field, Idaho, 1 Apr 1943
Wendover Field, Utah, 8 Jun 1943
Sioux City AAB, Iowa, 8 Jul-20 Oct 1943
Tibenham, England, 4 Nov 1943-28 May 1945
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(1) Typing and Transcriptionists: One of our big projects is extracting data from the thousands of documents we have and putting this data into a database where we can display the information on a website such as this one. (2) Photography and Document Scanning.
