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584th, 585th and 587th Bombardment Squadrons | 394th Bombardment Group | Ninth Air Force


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584th, 585th and 587th Bombardment Squadrons | 394th Bombardment Group | Ninth Air Force


Constituted as 394th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 15 Feb 1943. Activated on 5 Mar 1943. Trained with B-26‘s.

 

Moved to England, Feb-Mar 1944, and assigned to Ninth AF. Entered combat in Mar 1944 and helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by hitting V-weapon sites, marshalling yards, bridges, airdromes, and gun emplacements. On D-Day, 6 Jun, bombed gun positions at Cherbourg; afterward, struck communications, fuel supplies, and strong points in support of the Normandy campaign. Aided the breakthrough at St Lo by bombing targets in the area on 25 Jul 1944.

 

Received a DUC for operations from 7 to 9 Aug 1944 when the group made five attacks against strongly fortified targets in northern France, knocking out an ammunition dump and four railroad bridges. Capt Darrell R Lindsey was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading a formation of B--26s over one of these bridges on g Aug. During the flight, Lindsey’s plane was hit and the right engine burst into flames. Knowing that the gasoline tanks could explode at any moment, he continued to lead the formation until the bomb run had been made, then ordered his crew to bail out. The bombardier, the last man to leave the plane, offered to lower the wheels so that Lindsey might escape through the nose of the aircraft, but realizing that this could throw the plane into a spin and hinder the bombardier’s chances to escape, Lindsey refused the offer and remained with his B-26 until it crashed. After moving to the Continent late in Aug 1944, the group hit strong points at Brest and then began to operate against targets in Germany.

 

Took part in the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1g44-Jan 1945, by hitting communications to deprive the enemy of supplies and reinforcements. Bombed transportation, storage facilities, and other objectives until the war ended; also dropped propaganda leaflets. Remained in the theater to serve with United States Air Forces in Europe as part of the army of occupation. Redesignated 394th Bombardment Group (Light) in Dec 1945.

 

SQUADRONS. 584th: 1943-1946. 585th: 1943-1946. 586th: 1943-1946. 587th: 1943-1946.

 

STATIONS. MacDill Field, Fla, 5 Mar 1943; Ardmore AAFld, Okla, 12 Jul 1943; Kellogg Field, Mich, 19 Aug 1943-15 Feb 1944; Boreham, England, c. 11 Mar 1944; Holmsley, England, 24 Jul 1944; Tour-en-Bassin, France, 25 Aug 1944; Bricy, France, 18 Sep 1944; Cambrai/Niergnies, France, 8 Oct 1944; Venlo, Holland, 2 May 1945.

 

CAMPAIGNS. American Theater; Air .Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France ; khineland ; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

 

 

584th Bombardment Squadron

 

EMBLEM. Over and through a golden orange disc, a stylized falcon white, outlined black, with wing outspread fanwise red, tan, and brown, perched on a light turquoise blue aerial bomb falling to base; in sinister chief three red stars arranged circumferentially. (Approved 31 Dec 1943.)

 

Silkscreened on canvas.

 

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585th Bombardment Squadron

 

EMBLEM. Over and through a light yellow orange disc, a caricatured wolf with ruddy pink complexion and white wings, wearing a brown work suit, black flight boots, blue peaked cap, and white gloves, carrying a large red, white, and blue aerial bomb, while running across a large white cloud formation, edged blue, in base. (Approved 9 Dec 1943.)

 

Painted on leather.

 

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587th Bombardment Squadron

 

EMBLEM. Over and through a medium blue disc, a white winged death's head proper, wearing a red fatigue cap, smoking a cigar fired proper, and blowing white smoke rings, all above two light tan aerial bombs in saltire in base. (Approved 26 Oct 1943.)

 

Silkscreened on aircraft fabric.

 

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Sources

Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983) [1961]. Air Force Combat Units of World War II.

Maurer, Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force WWII.

 

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