41st Bombardment Wing


The 41st Combat Bombardment Wing is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. It was organized in February 1943 as the 41st Bombardment Wing. After organizing and training in the United States, it moved to England as an element of VIII Bomber Command. It took over the resources of a provisional wing in September 1943 and engaged in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany until V-E Day, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation. In June 1945, its component groups were reassigned and it was disbanded.

History

the wing was activated at Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah in February 1943 as the 41st Bombardment Wing. The following month it moved to Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota, where it organized and trained until July, when it moved to the European Theater of Operations.
Shortly after its arrival at Brampton Grange, in August 1943 it was redesignated the 41st Combat Bombardment Wing. In September, it moved to RAF Molesworth and received its combat components and began operations. In addition to the 303rd Bombardment Group at Molesworth, this included the 379th Bombardment Group at RAF Kimbolton and the 384th Bombardment Group at RAF Grafton Underwood. These groups had been previously attached to the 103rd Combat Bombardment Wing. The 103rd had been organized in May 1943 to provide tactical control over the number of groups that made up the "wing" combat formations.
On 11 January 1944, the wing conducted a raid on aircraft factories in central Germany, including an aircraft assembly plant at Oschersleben for which it was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation. Adverse weather prevented American fighter escorts from protecting the wing's groups, exposing them to continuous attack by enemy interceptors.
To attack targets from outside the range of flak defenses, the Army Air Forces had experimented with glide bombs, including a high explosive bomb with wooden wings and empennage. The wing's groups were given the task of using the weapon in a trial 0n 28 May 1944, with the glide bombs mounted on racks beneath the wings of their B-17s. They attacked a marshalling yard at Eifeltor, near Köln, which was selected as a large target. The wing released 109 bombs, but only a few glided into the intended target, while others exploded miles away. As a result of this failure, VIII Bomber Command recommended that no more of the bombs be procured.
The wing continued combat operations until shortly before V-E Day. In June 1945, its components were reassigned, with the 303rd and 379th Bombardment Groups moving to Cazes Field, Morocco, where they were assigned to the North African Division, Air Transport Command for participation in the Green Project. The 384th Bombardment Group moved to Istres Airfield, France, where it also participated in the Green Project, but was programmed to become part of the occupation forces. The wing was then disbanded on 18 June 1945.

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 41st Bombardment Wing on 29 January 1943

Assignments

Components

  • 303d Bombardment Group: 13 September 1943 – 15 June 1945
  • 379th Bombardment Group: 16 September 1943 – 16 June 1945
  • 384th Bombardment Group: 13 September 1943 – 16 June 1945

Stations

Awards and Campaigns

Campaign StreamerCampaignDatesNotes
Air Offensive, Europec. 26 July 1943–5 June 194441st Combat Bombardment Wing
Normandy6 June 1944–24 July 194441st Combat Bombardment Wing
Northern France25 July 1944–14 September 194441st Combat Bombardment Wing
Rhineland15 September 1944–21 March 194541st Combat Bombardment Wing
Ardennes-Alsace16 December 1944–25 January 194541st Combat Bombardment Wing
Central Europe22 March 1944–21 May 194541st Combat Bombardment Wing