The 381st

381^st Bomb Group (Heavy) Ridgewell, UK

The 381st Bomb Group of the 8th AF, stationed in Ridgewell UK during WWII, flew 297 missions into the heart of the Axis war territory. Thirteen of these missions were to Berlin, the heart of the Reich, and six to the ball bearing plant in Schweinfurt, including the initial one on 17 August 1943 and the Black Thursday follow up mission on 14 October 1943. The 381^st lost more B-17 Flying Fortresses in the initial Schweinfurt raid but only one on the October mission.

Under the leadership of Colonel Joe Nazzaro, the first mission was flown on 22 June 1943. Colonel Frank Leber and Colonel Conway Hall followed as 381^st leaders. The final mission to Pilsen, Czechoslovakia was flown on 25 April 1945.

381st Bomb Group Casualties 1943-45 (34 months and 297 missions)

619 Killed In Action/Killed In Service
686 Prisoners of War
61 Evadees
41 Interred in Neutral Countries
1407 Total Casualties

Visit the 381st Bombardment Group Memorial Association website here

This section of the WORLD WAR 2 COLLECTION site is a tribute to this group of brave man who served admirably along with thousands of other men in WW2. A number of the photo albums contained in the site chronicle the lives of 381^st men.

(Click to enlarge the photos)

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