2nd Bombardment Group | 20th, 49th, 96th & 429th Bombardment Squadrons | 12th & 15th Air Force

[walika]

2nd Bombardment Group | 20th, 49th, 96th & 429th Bombardment Squadrons | 12th & 15th Air Force

Served on antisubmarine duty for several months after the US entered World War II. Moved to North Africa, Mar-May 1943, and remained in the theater until after V-E Day, being assigned first to Twelfth and later (Dec 1943) to Fifteenth AF. Flew many support and interdictory missions, bombing such targets as marshalling yards, airdromes, troop concentrations, bridges, docks, and shipping.

Participated in the defeat of Axis forces in Tunisia, Apr-May 1943; the reduction of Pantelleria and the preparations for the invasion of Sicily, May-Jul 1943; the invasion of Italy, Sep 1943; the drive toward Rome, Jan-Jun 194; the invasion of Southern France, Aug 1944; and the campaigns against German forces in northern Italy, Jun 1944-May 1945. Engaged primarily in long-range bombardment of strategic targets after Oct 1943, attacking oil refineries, aircraft factories, steel plants, and other objectives in Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Rumania, and Greece. En route to bomb a vital aircraft factory at Steyr on 9 Feb 1944, the group was greatly outnumbered by enemy interceptors, but it maintained its formation and bombed the target, receiving a DUC for the performance. On the following day, while on a mission to attack aircraft factories at Regensburg, it met similar opposition equally well and was awarded a second DUC. Served as part of the occupation force in Italy after V-E Day.

SQUADRONS. 20th: 1918; 1919-1946; 49th: 1919-1946; 96th: 1919-1946; 429th: 1942-1946.

 

AIRCRAFT. B-17.

STATIONS. Ephrata, Wash, 29 Oct 1942; Great Falls AAB, Mont, 27 Nov 1942-13 Mar 1943; Navarin, Algeria, Apr 1943; Chateaudun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, 27 Apr 1943; Ain M’lila, Algeria, 17 Jun 1943; Massicault, Tunisia, 31 Jul 1943; Bizerte, Tunisia, 2 Dec 1943; Amendola, Italy, c. 9 Dec 1943; Foggia, Italy, 19 Nov 1945-28 Feb 1946.

CAMPAIGNS. Antisubmarine, American Theater; Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia;
Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland ; Central Europe; Po Valley.

INSIGNE. Shield: Or, in fess four aerial bombs dropping bend sinisterwise azure, on a chief engrailed paly of five vert and
sable a fleur-de-lis argent. Crest: A cloud (gray) rifted disclosing the firmament (blue) crossed by a bolt of lightning (yellow) striking bend sinisterwise all proper.

MOTTO: LIBERTATEM DEFENDIMUS -- Liberty We Defend.

 

Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II.

 

 

2nd Bombardment Group

 

Theater made. North Africa. Embossed lamb skin; hand-painted. Early war 12th AAF.

 

 

 

 

 

Theater made. Incised leather. Hand-painted.

 

 

Theater made. Incised leather. Hand-painted.

 

 

 

20th Bombardment Squadron | EMBLEM. A pirate standing on an aerial bomb and hurling a hand grenade. (Approved 12 Jun 1924.)

 

American embroidery on wool.

 

 

 

Theater made. Incised leather, hand-painted.

 

 

 

 

Theater made. Incised leather, hand-painted.

 

 

 

Theater made. Incised leather, hand-painted.

 

 

 

With access to talented artisans, there are examples of custom, non-insignia patches being made. The 20th Bomb Squadron produced a "position patch", this one for aerial gunner, showing a rabbit waiving from a waist gunner position with a 50-caliber machine gun.

 

 

Theater made. Incised leather, hand-painted.

 

 

49th Bombardment Squadron | EMBLEM. A wolf's head, against an orange disc edged with gray. (Approved 3 Mar 1924 from World War I emblem.)

 

 

Embroidered on twill.

 

Decal on leather.

 

 

Images for the 96th and 429th bombardment squadrons are shown below. (Forum restricts the number of images to a single post.)

[walika]

2nd Bombardment Group | continued . . .

 

 

96th Bombardment Squadron | EMBLEM. A red devil with a white aerial bomb against a black triangle with white edges. (Approved 4 Mar 1924 from World War I emblem.)

 

Chenille.

 

 

 

429th Bombardment Squadron | EMBLEM. On a yellow quatrefoil bordered with red an Indian head in black war paint with three red feathers attached to scalp lock, with arms holding a drawn bow and arrow in black. (Approved 12 May 1930.)

 

Fully embroidered.

 

 

 

Embroidered on wool.

[The Iron Brigade]

[walika]

96th Bombardment Squadron

A lot attributed to a 96th Bomb Squadron gunner I acquired includes these two patches.

 

96th Bomb Squadron 2nd Bomb Group combination patch | Theater-made. Incised leather, hand-painted.

 

 

Gunnery School patch | B-17

 

96bs 2bg 12-15aaf

[Mtz1598]

My grandfather was with the 429th as a bombardier/Togglier here are his two patches. Can anyone tell me what the 7 1/8 means?

[decwriter]

On 3/22/2020 at 5:21 PM, walika said:

96th Bombardment Squadron

A lot attributed to a 96th Bomb Squadron gunner I acquired includes these two patches.

 

96th Bomb Squadron 2nd Bomb Group combination patch | Theater-made. Incised leather, hand-painted.

 

 

Gunnery School patch | B-17

 

96bs 2bg 12-15aaf

I thought you might appreciate this pic. It came with a group from a gunner. Oddly enough, he listed commercial artists as his civilian occupation. IMO it’s a cool 35 mission patch. The crescent moon near the top portion may be the artists “trademark or signature.”