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88th Bombardment Group

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Active
  
1942–1944

Country
  
United States

Branch
  
United States Army Air Forces

The 88th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the III Bomber Command, being stationed at Avon Park Army Airfield, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 May 1944.

Contents

History

Established in early 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment group. Was assigned to II Bomber Command as a heavy bomber Operational Training Unit (OTU). The group was assigned primarily to airfields in the Pacific Northwest under II BC; performing training of new units, then becoming a Replacement Training Unit (RTU). Reassigned to III Bomber Command in November 1943 when Second Air Force began to exclusively train B-29 Superfortress aircrews. Continued as a B-17 RTU until the end of heavy bomber training of replacement aircrews in May 1944; was inactivated.

Lineage

  • Constituted as 88th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942
    • Activated on 15 July 1942 Disbanded on 1 May 1944

    Assignments

  • II Bomber Command, 15 July 1942
  • Second Air Force, 6 October 1943
  • III Bomber Command, November 1943-1 May 1944

    • Components

  • 316th Bombardment Squadron: 1942–1944
  • 317th Bombardment Squadron: 1942–1944
  • 318th Bombardment Squadron: 1942–1944
  • 399th Bombardment Squadron: 1942–1944

    • Stations

  • Salt Lake City Army Airbase, Utah, 15 July 1942
  • Geiger Field, Washington, 1 September 1942
  • Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington, 21 September 1942
  • Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, c. 28 October 1942
  • Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington, c. 28 November 1942
  • Avon Park Army Airfield, Florida, November 1943-1 May 1944.

    • Wartime Cartoons

    88th Bomb Group Headquarters S-2 Office (specifically 399th Squadron on at least one) produced war cartoons / propaganda reminding US Soldiers on topics such as:

  • watching for female spies,
  • loose talk that could give up military information,
  • drinking too much,
  • writing home to loved ones,
  • etc.

    • The wording/verses were done by LT. DAVID MINDLIN and Cartoons by both PFC. JOHN P. KLEIN (J.P. KLEIN) and PFC. SKYLTZ (spelling on SKLYTZ may be incorrect?). There at least 9 different cartoons set on either wood panel backing or laminated type material. The laminated material versions were issued in two sizes, either 7x10 and 11x14 medium/small. Some of the larger cartoons are colored with colored pencil.

    Pictures / first seen listed: http://clarkeny.auctionflex.com/showlot.ap?co=6247&weid=17972&weiid=6623142&lso=lotnumasc&pagenum=8&lang=En

    References

    88th Bombardment Group Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA