This distinguished and colorful history of the 380th Group dates back to 1942 when the unit was constituted. The Group was activated at Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona, on November 3, 1942. Men from the 39th Bombardment Group formed the nucleus of this new organization. Comprising the 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy) were the 528th, 529th, 530th and 531st Squadrons. Shortly after its activation, the group moved to Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas, where it underwent extensive combat training. After completing its training at Biggs Field, the 380th proceeded to Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado, where it went through final combat training.. On April 6, 1943, the ground and air echelons of the 380th were separated and not reunited until they reached Australia. The ground echelon sailed for Australia aboard the USS Mount Vernon. On the 24th of that same month, the air echelon departed Topeka, Kansas, for Australia, arriving at Fenton Field, Northern Territory, in early May 1943. A month later, the ground echelon arrived at Camp Warwick, Sydney, Australia. Headquarters, 380th Bombardment Group and the 528th and 530th Squadrons were based at Fenton, while the 529th and 531st Squadrons were located approximately 100 miles away at Long Strip. On June 24, after two weeks at Camp Warwick, the ground echelon joined the air echelon at Fenton and Long Strip. The 380th Group, the only B-24 unit to be attached to the Royal Australian Air Force, was assigned to the Darwin area in the Northern Territory to secure Australia's safety against threatened Japanese invasion. During June, most of the missions were armed reconnaissance flights flown in conjunction with the 90th Bombardment Group to familiarize the 380th's crews with the enemy targets in the area. In this same period, the 380th also participated in the first major air raids against docks and shipping at Makassar, a vital harbor in the Celebes Islands. In July, the 380th Group began operations on its own. On August 13, the most sensational of the early raids was carried out by the 380th Group against Balikpapan, Borneo, the "Ploesti of the Far East", where oil refining installations supplied advance enemy bases with sorely needed aircraft fuel. The Group flew successive missions covering 1,300 miles to the Balikpapan target area. On two missions, 40,000 tons of enemy shipping was sunk. For this outstanding action in Borneo on the 13th, 15th and the 17th of August, the 380th Bombardment Group was awarded its first Presidential Unit Citation.In August 1943, the 380th Group participated in the initial attacks against the vital nickel refinery and concentrating plant at Pomelaa, Celebes. This was an important target because it supplied over 80 percent of Japan's nickel. Due to highly effective repetitive attacks, the refinery and plant were kept completely out of commission until American forces recaptured these areas. In the fall of 1943, the 380th concentrated on the supply points far behind the Japanese forward bases. Among these were such vital targets at the oil refineries and dock areas at Soerabaja, Java, shipping and harbor installations at Makassar, Celebes, and shipping in the Halmahera Island area. On reconnaissance missions to the Netherlands Territory of New Guinea around Manokwari, Sorong, and Jefman, the B-24 "Liberator" of the 380th encountered enemy twin-engine fighters for the first time. From December 13 to January 4, 1944, two squadrons, the 529th and 530th, were staged at Dobodura, in Eastern New Guinea, to furnish direct support for the landings at Cape Gloucester and Arawe on New Britain Island, and Saidor, New Guinea. The Group helped soften the invasion beaches and thereby reduce enemy resistance in this area as combat forces moved through New Guinea. From February 28 to March 8 1944, the Group was called upon to support ground offensive operations. Personnel and aircraft were staged at Nadzab, New Guinea just behind Allied forward positions. Laboring under crude conditions and inadequate supply and maintenance, the Group participated in neutralization attacks on the northeastern coast of New Guinea in direct support of Allied operations against the Admiralty Islands preparatory to the invasions of Hollandia, Biak and Wakde. During April and May, the 380th engaged in the most intensive and sustained operations since its arrival in the Southwest Pacific, neutralizing the area bases through which the Japanese could reinforce their air forces in the Wadke-Hollandia area. The Group participated in almost continual daily raids against the network of airdromes which the Japanese built up to halt the Allied advance toward the Philippines.
As a result of these raids, the enemy's striking power was so weak that he was virtually forced to abandon Hollandia when it was invaded on April 22. Due to this outstanding operational record, the 380th Bombardment Group was awarded its second Presidential Unit Citation. Following these decisive activities the 380th turned again to the neutralization of enemy bases, installations and industries in the southern and central East Indies until the end of 1944. By February 1945, when the heavy bombardment unit was no longer needed in Australia, the entire 380th Bombardment Group started moving to Mindoro island, Republic of the Philippines. This transfer was designed to give Allied forces bomber support as they attempted to liberate the northern portions of the Philippine Islands near Legaspi and Luzon. Here for the first time, the group carried out its missions under the direct operational control of the V Bomber Command. On February 21, only one squadron, the 528th, was operational in the Philippines. A month later, the three remaining squadrons arrived and the Group began striking Formosan targets. Fragmentation bombs were dropped on airdromes at Okayama and Tainan, demolition bombs were hurled against the important enemy naval base, Mako, in the Pescadores Islands, and devastating aerial blows were dealt the industrial area of Taichu. In April, the 380th Group was relieved of its tedious ground support commitments in the Philippines and its full operational weight was focused on the continued neutralization of Formosa and the first heavy bomber strikes against targets in China and French Indo-China. With the coming of June, the 380th Group was placed under the operational control of the Thirteenth Air Force for pre-invasion attacks against Labuan and Balikpapan, Borneo. After the Borneo raids, the 380th flew its last missions to Formosa. The Group also participated in its last combat mission at that time. Staging at Kadena, Okinawa, the unit was scheduled to bomb Kure Naval base, Japan. However, because of bad weather, the missions was canceled and Kiang-Wan airdrome in Shangai was bombed instead.During October 1945, the 380th Group was transferred to the Seventh Air Force, under which it participated in the Sunset Project, the return of B-24 aircraft and their crews to the United States. In November, the 380th Group was moved to Manila and in December, the personnel of the Group were drastically reduced. At the same time, the organization was placed under the control of Headquarters, Far East Air Forces. One month later, the 380th Bombardment Group was inactivated.Then, during May 1947, it was redesignated Headquarters, 380th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, and activated at MacDill Field, Tampa, Florida as a reserve unit. The Group remained in a reserve status as a corollary unit of the 307th Bombardment Group at MacDill until May 1, 1951. At this time, it was ordered to active duty to support the Korean conflict. Fifteen days later, after all airmen were returned to active duty, the unit itself was inactivated with personnel being assigned to various Air Forces organizations.Four years later, the 380th Bombardment Group was again activated on July 11, 1955. At this time, the World War II unit was redesignated the 380th Bombardment Wing (Medium) and was assigned to Plattsburgh Air Force Base, N.Y., along with three of its original four squadrons, the 528th, the 529th and the 530th. On January 31, 1984, by order of the Secretary of the Air Force, the 380th Bombardment Group was inactivated and consolidated with the 380th Bombardment Wing.
The 380th Bomb Wing stepped back in time and learned about its roots when it participated in the reunion of the 380th Bomb Group Association in Dayton, Ohio, the first weekend of October 1982. This reunion was the result of more than two years of work for the 380th Bomb Group Association and its president, LTC (Ret.) Forrest E."Tommy" Thompson. More than 600 people attended the first reunion. The 380th Bomb Group Association was formed after interest was raised when an article appeared in the December 3, 1979, Air Force Times, requesting information on the group and 528th Bomb squadron. The article was submitted by 528th BS's historian Captain Bill Craig. Through the bomb squadron's quest for knowledge came an avalanche of letters and photographs to the squadron historian. The cross-feed presented through those letters is credited with the organization of the association and the interest in it, and the reunion 40 years after the 380th Bomb Group was formed.
It's first commander, Colonel William A.Miller, and its second commander, Colonel Forrest L.Brissey, attended the reunion. The 380th Bomb Wing is the offspring of the 380th Bomb Group. Two of the bomb squadrons flying the FB-111A, the 528th and 529th, were part of the original four squadrons. The other two were the 530th and 531st. Known as "The Flying Circus", the 380th Bomb group had generated enough interest that one of the bomb group member's son was writing a book about it.
As the members of the old and new 380th discussed war and the mission of the present day Air Force, Colonel Iversen said he noted that some things never changed. "Flying discipline and the need for flying discipline," was one thing that they had been concerned about. Colonel Miller, the first 380th BG commander told him that it was so important to select the best people for key positions such as squadron commander, operations officer, flight commander, and that those jobs were so important that if the person couldn't hack the job, he would have to replace them quickly. Captain Moran said that he came away from the reunion with "great deal of satisfaction." Capt. Moran added that the people there treated him as though family and that he hated to say goodbye. Captain Moran had corresponded with many of the members present and had an opportunity to meet them for the first time. He said that when they arrived at the hotel in their flight suit that they were practically mobbed by the enthusiastic World War II veterans. The 380th Bomb Group was based in the Northern Territory of Australia during much of World War II. The 380th Bomb Wing hoped to incorporate what they would learn from former members to improve readiness through history and meet Project Warrior goals.
"I've never seen so many people enthusiastic about defense in one room in my life," is how LTC Richard D.Iversen, 528th Bomb Squadron commander, described the scene in the hospitality room at the Daytonian Hotel in Dayton, Ohio. Iversen was one of five 380th Bomb Wing members to participate in this first 380th Bomb Group Association reunion. The 380th BW participated in the event with a presentation of the "Plattsburgh Story", a display of and FB-111A at nearby Wright-Patterson AFB and the introduction of the current "380th" commander at the time, Colonel Charles J.Searock Jr. The "Plattsburgh Story", an audio-visual show depicting the history of the region and Plattsburgh Air Force Base, was modified to include the 380th Bomb Group history during World War II. Colonel Iversen recounted the history of the group to the reunion members who were based in northern Australia, New Guinea and the Phillipines during most of the war. The FB-111A was displayed with a reproduction of the nose art once present on a B-24 "Liberator" bomber. The nose art was painted by A1C Yolanda Piekarczyk, a jet engine mechanic assigned to the 380th Field Maintenance Squadron. According to Col. Iversen, its authenticity surprised the reunion members. Captain Bill Moran, 4007th CCTS and former 528th BS historian, and A1C Adacio Barrigas, 380th OMS crew chief, were there to tell the group about the aircraft."
"I was particularly impressed with their pride and sense of patriotism," said Colonel Searock. "They are a great group with a distinguished military history record. I am looking forward to their reunion in Plattsburgh next year." The 380th Bomb Group received two Presidential Unit Citations and one Phillipine Presidential Unit Citation plus eight battle streamers for their accomplishments during the war. They are credited with flying some of the longest and most hazardous missions in their theater of operation at the time. One such mission was the raid on the oil refineries at Balikopapan, Borneo. Colonel Searock and the others had an opportunity to swap stories about the 380th and to make preliminary plans for the next reunion to take place the last weekend of September 1983 in Plattsburgh, NY. Colonel Miller told the group that he might not have been the best bomb group commander but he had the best group. And Colonel Searock added that the 380th was still the "Best of the Best."
Plattsburgh Air Force Base's last bomber joined forces with its first, not in the sky, but gracing the entrance to the historic military installation. On Sunday, 17 November 1991, the last FB-111A assigned to the 380th BW was rolled down New York Road and through the main gate on its way to its permanent resting spot next to the familiar B-47 Stratojet. Base officials decided earlier in the year to commemorate the accomplishments of the now retired FB-111 mission by placing aircraft 68-0286 on permanent display. The community was welcomed to come out to the area adjacent to the base hospital and watch the procession. The aircraft was lifted off and set on its pedestal on 18 November. A formal dedication ceremony of the FB-111 static display took place on Tuesday, 3 December 1991. Col. Larry Leturmy, 380th AREFW commander, adressed more than 75 military, community leaders and on-lookers.
