Airfields of 2nd Air Division (USAAF): Liberator Squadrons in Norfolk and Suffolk

by Martin W Bowman

Overview

The Second Air Division's first bombing mission was flown on November 7, 1942; the last on April 25, 1945. A total of 95, 948 sorties were flown in 493 operational missions by the division's B-24s, dropping 199,883 tons of bombs.

Targets attacked ranged from Norway in the north, as far east as Poland and Romania, while several Mediterranean countries were reached from temporary bases in North Africa. Six 2nd Air Division groups received special presidential citations for outstanding actions and five airmen received the Medal of Honor (highest US award for bravery), four posthumously. In combat the 2nd Air Division gunners claimed 1,079 enemy fighters destroyed against losses of 1,458 B-24s missing in action and many others lost in accidents.

This book looks at the history and personalities associated with each base, what remains today and explores the favorite local wartime haunts where aircrew and ground crew would go.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781844155477
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	06/29/2008
Series:	Aviation Heritage Trail
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Martin Bowman is one of Britain's leading aviation authors and has written a great deal of books focussing on aspects of Second World War aviation history. He lives in Norwich in Norfolk. He is the author of many Pen and Sword Aviation titles, including all releases in the exhaustive Air War D-Day and Air War Market Garden series.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements     vii
Introduction     1
The Eighth Air Force Bombing Offensive 1942-5     6
The Airfields     13
Attlebridge (Station 320)     13
Bungay (Flixton) (Station 125)     18
Halesworth (Station 365)     24
Hardwick (Station 104)     31
Hethel (Station 114)     39
Horsham St. Faith (Station 123)     47
Metfield (Station 366)     58
North Pickenham (Station 143)     64
Old Buckenham (Station 144)     69
Rackheath (Station 145)     80
Seething (Station 146)     91
Shipdham (Station 115)     98
Tibenham (Station 124)     109
Wendling (Station 118)     116
Summary of airfields and other locations     124
2nd Bombardment/Air Division Order of Battle     193
Bibliography     195