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AB Raymond Guinn
to remember
Anderson, James H., FltOff.
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The 446th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 1st April 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona.
Established as the 446th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 20 March 1943Activated on 1 April 1943
Redesignated 446th Bombardment Group, Heavy on 20 August 1943 - Inactivated on 28 August 1945
Redesignated 446th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy on 26 September 1947
Activated in the Reserve on 26 March 1948
Redesignated 446th Bombardment Group, Heavy on 27 June 1949
Ordered to Active Duty on 1 May 1951 - Inactivated on 25 June 1951
Redesignated 446th Troop Carrier Group, Medium on 11 April 1955
Activated in the Reserve on 25 May 1955 - Inactivated on 14 April 1959
Redesignated 446th Military Airlift Group on 31 July 1985 (Remained inactive)
Redesignated 446th Operations Group on 1 August 1992 Activated in the Reserve on 1 August 1992
Assignments
96th Combat Bombardment Wing, 1 June 1945
Second Air Force, 15 July 1945 – 28 August 1945
309th Bombardment Wing (later, 309th Air Division), 26 March 1948
Eighth Air Force, 27 June 1949 – 25 June 1951
446th Troop Carrier Wing, 25 May 1955 – 14 April 1959
446th Airlift Wing, 1 August 1992 – present
Assigned 8th AAF: November 1943
Fearless Freddie"
Unit: 446th BG, 8th AF, USAAF
707th BS, 446th BG, 8th AF, USAAF
Serial: JU/L (448355)
Early 1945. Overall natural metal finish with Insignia Blue cowl bands
Wing/Command Assignment
VIII BC, 2 BD, 20 CBW 4 Nov 1943
2 BD, 20 CBW 8 Jan 1944
2 AD, 20 CBW 1 Jan 1945
''RONNIE''
"War Goddess" was forced to land in Sweden, where it's crew was interned.
"Picadilly Commando" caught fire and burned during take-off. The crew escaped injury and the co-pilot, 2/Lt Andy Lipsky, was awarded a Soldier's Medal for his actions in assuring that all crewmen were safe.
The crew of "Ginger", shot down near Saarbrucken.
Standing, 1/Lt Ralph V. Shaffer (pilot) MIA, 2/Lt George Lesko (copilot) POW, F/O Norman Phillips (navigator) POW, Herbert Rubin (Bombardier), not on this mission, but was KIA in Holland on another. Kneeling, Sgt Charles Wyatt (engineer) KIA, Sgt Ted Zemonek (waist gunner) KIA, Sgt Frank Loichinger (radio operator) POW, Sgt Albert Lang (ball turret gunner) POW, Sgt Jack Staton (nose gunner) KIA, Sgt Willard Fetterhoff (tail gunner) KIA. Not pictured but on board Ginger: Pvt Jack Maxwell (waist
gunner) KIA. There is a story about this crew: The pilot was never found, Wyatt's chute apparently didn't open, he was KIA, Zemonek, Staton, Fetterhoff, and Maxwell (a ground crewman on his first flight who was filling in for Rubin) were shot by SS police auxiliary the day after bailing out. Loichinger, Lesko, Lang, and Phillips survived the war as POWs. The latter three reunited at the crash site in France, 26 August 1998, for a dedication of a memorial to Ginger, her crew, and the allied war effort.
1944 December 19: Kyllburg
The crew of "Bangin' Lulu" flew another plane this day and lost it over Belgium. All returned safely to base
Standing: James Bayus, Robert Brady, Neil Oatney, James Ingersoll, James Cummings, Joe Bombara
Kneeling: Bill Lester, Warren Stickle, George Alter (Pilot), William LeGrow
combat Aircraft:
B-24H
B-24J
B-24L
B-24M
Stations
BUNGAY 4 November 1943 to July 1945
Group COs
Col. Jacob J. Brogger 27 Sep 1943 to 22 Sep 1944 (WIA)
Col. Troy W. Crawford 23 Sep 1944 to 4 Apr 1945, (POW)
Lt. Col. William A. Schmidt 4 Apr 1945 to Unk
First Mission: 16 Dec 1943
Last Mission: 25 Apr 1945
Missions: 273
Total Sorties: 7,259
Total Bomb Tonnage: 16,819 Tons
Aircraft MIA: 58
Claims to Fame
Lead the 8th AF and the 2 BD on the first heavy bomber mission of D-Day.
"Ronnie" believed to be the first 8th AF B-24 to fly 100 missions.
706 Bomb Squadron flew 62 consecutive missions and 707 Bomb Squadron had 68 missions without loss.
Early History:
Activated 1 April 1943 at Davis-Monthan AAB, Arizona were Initial assembly began. The unit moved to Alamagordo, NM on the 6th June 1943, but immediately moved again to Lowry AAB, Colorado, where the training was completed. The ground unit left on the 18th of October 1943 for Camp Shanks, NY and embarked on the Queen Mary on the 25th of October 1943. They sailed on the 27 October 1943 and arrived in Clyde on the 2nd of November 1943. The aircraft left Lowry AAB on the 20th of October 1943 for Lincoln AAB, Neb. The aircraft flew via the southern route from Florida, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Dakar, and Marrakash to England. One aircraft was lost on the Puerto Rico leg, and one aircraft was shot down when it strayed off course into France.
Subsequent History:
Redeployed to the US June/July 1945. First of the aircraft departed the United Kingdom on mid-June 1945. One aircraft was lost over the Azores on the return flight to the US. The ground echelon sailed from Greenock on the Queen Mary on the sixth of July 1945, arriving in New York on the 11th of July 1945. Personnel to Camp Kilmer and had 30 days R and R. Some assembled at Sioux Falls AAFd, SD where the Group was inactivated on the 28th of August 1945.
