400th Bombardment Squadron (H) | 90th Bombardment Group (H) | 5th AAF CBI | theater-made patches

[walika]

400th Bombardment Squadron (H) | 90th Bombardment Group (H) | 5th AAF CBI

 

 

LINEAGE. Constituted 10th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 15 Apr 1942. Redesignated 400th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 22 Apr 1942. Inactivated on 27 Jan 1946.

 

ASSIGNMENTS. 90th Bombardment Group, 15 Apr 1942-27 Jan 1946.

STATIONS. ey Field, Miss, 15 Apr 1942; Barksdale Field, La, 17 May 1942; Greenville AAB, SC, 21 Jun 1942; Ypsilanti, Mich, 9-23 Aug 1942; Wheeler Field TH, 12 Sep 1942; Iron Range, Australia, c. 4 Nov 1942; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 10 Feb 1943; Dobodura, New Guinea, Dec 1943; Nadzab, New Guinea, 23 Feb 194.4; Biak, 12 Aug 1944; San Jose, Mindoro, 26 Jan 1945; Ie Shima, 15 Aug 1945; Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 23 Nov 1945-27 Jan 1946.

AIRCRAFT. B-24, 1942-1945.

OPERATIONS. Combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 13 Nov 1942-24 Jul 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; Papua; Guadalcanal; New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific; Leyte; Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive.

DECORATIONS. Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua, [13 Nov] 1942-23 Jan 194.3; New Guinea, 13 and 15 Sep 1943. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

 

 

Embroidered on wool. This patch is the only example of this design, published in National Geographic Magazine, I have ever seen.

 

 

 

 

 

The Bomb Group's Jolly Roger skull and crossed bombs logo, used for each squadron distinguished by its assigned squadron color, reportedly was designed by the 90th Bomb Group's commander, Col. Arthur Rogers. The Group was known as the Jolly Rogers. The color black designated the 400th.

 

 

Theater-made. Australian embroidery on wool.

 

 

 

Theater-made. Silkscreened on leather.

 

 

 

 

Theater-made. Silkscreened on wool.

 

 

 

The squadron adopted the nickname "the Black Pirates" and a patch followed.

 

 

Theater-made. Australian embroidery on wool.

 

 

Accompanying this post are related posts for:

 

V Bomber Command and 90th Bombardment Squadron

 

319th Bombardment Squadron

 

320th Bombardment Squadron

 

321st Bombardment Squadron

 

 

400th BS 90th BG 5th AAF

400bs90bg5aaf

[m1ashooter]

Thank you for the post. I'm proud to say that I'm a Black Pirate of the 400th SMS. The members of the 90th SMW are proud to have traced our lineage to the Jolly Rogers.

[Cherie Hoffman Clark]

My father Arthur D Hoffman served with the 400th Bomb Squadron 1944-1945. He also did a fair amount of nose art while there.