22nd Bomb Group (Red Raiders) 5th Army Air Force

The United States 22nd Bomb Group was established on 1 February 1940 under the command of the First Air Force in response to England's declaration of war against Germany.

1940: Formation

The authorising document was a letter issued by the Adjutant-General's Office titled "The Constitution and Activation of Certain Air Corps Units". Lieutenant Colonel Ross F. Cole was the first Group Commander.

The first elements of the Group included:

• 2nd Bombardment Squadron, commanded by Captain Leslie P. Halcomb
• 19th Bombardment Squadron, commanded by 1st Lieutenant Herman E. Hurst
• 33rd Bombardment Squadron, commanded by 1st Lieutenant Theodore E. Graff
• 18th Reconnaissance Squadron (later became 408th Bombardment Squadron), commanded by Captain John P. Doyle.

The Group was located at Langley Field, Virginia. Its first aircraft were a few B-18 Bolo bombers, with a few B-25 Mitchell bombers allocated to the 18th Bombardment Group.

Locations: 1940

• 14 November 1940: Langley Field, Virginia

1941: Preparation

In 1941 the Group transitioned to B-26 Marauder bombers, a fast bomber with very specialised aerodynamic capabilities. These capabilities included short, stubby wings, which led the plane to be known as "The Flying Prostitute" (no visible means of support). However its flying characteristics led to many crashes, which also led to the plane being known as "The Flying Coffin".

Throughout 1941 the 22nd BG trained extensively, increasing in intensity in November 1941. It was so combat ready that 16 hours after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the 44 planes of the 22nd BG headed for the West Coast and on to the South West Pacific.

Locations: 1941

• 9 December 1941: Muroc, California

1942: Deployment to the South West Pacific Area

The Group prepared itself at Muroc Army Air Field in the Mojave Desert in California from 15 December 1941 and began patrols of the west coast. A ground crew team left San Francisco on 31 January 1942 for Brisbane, Queensland in Australia.

On 6 February 1942 the Group's aircraft were shipped to Hickam Field (arriving about a week later). They immediately commenced patrol duties.

On 22 March 1942, the first flight of the 22nd air echelon arrived at Amberley Field. near Brisbane in Australia, and became the first fully armed Air Force Group to fly the Pacific en masse. They were warmly welcomed by the Australians who were concerned that, while the Japanese were threatening Australia, its troops were fighting the Germans in the Middle East.

Shortly after arriving in Australia, the Group (now under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Millard L. Haskin) moved further North to the Townsville area:

• 2nd Squadron (commanded by 1st Lt George R. Anderson) was based at Reid River, about 40 miles South of Townsville
• 408th Squadron (formerly 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, now commanded by Captain Brian O'Neill) was also based at Reid River
• 19th Squadron (commanded by 1st Lt Elliott H. Reed) was based at Garbutt field.
• 33rd Squadron (commanded by 1st Lt William A. Garnett) was based Antill Plains, 20 miles South of Townsville.

On 5 April 1942 the 22nd BG took off from Garbutt Field for its first combat action, an attack on Rabaul in New Britain (North of New Guinea). In this attack on the Japanese Naval Base, the Group sunk a transport ship but lost a plane and the life of S/Sgt Bourne.

Meanwhile, four B-26 Marauders, including two from the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, left behind at Hawaii, saw action on 4 June 1942 as part of the air attack in the Battle of Midway, and were the first Army planes to make a torpedo attack. These planes, piloted by 1st Lieutenant Herbert C. Mayes and 1st Lieutenant James P. Muri attacked the Japanese Naval Invasion Force, focusing torpedo and strafing action on its aircraft carrier. Lt Muri's plane, badly damaged with over 500 bullet and shrapnel holes, crash landed. [Lt Muri's account: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSm055a0394]

Activities

In support of the Allied offensive in South West Pacific, attacked enemy shipping, installations, troop concentrations, and airfields in New Guinea and New Britain. Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for air raids over enemy forces in Papua (Jul 1942-Jan 1943).

Locations

• 1 March 1942: Amberley Field, Queensland, Australia
• 5 April 1942: Garbutt Field, Reid River and Antill Plains, Queensland, Australia
• 5 July 1942: Woodstock, Queensland, Australia
• 2 October 1942: Iron Range, Queensland, Australia

1943: Moving forward

Activities

Earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for destroying enemy entrenchments that were preventing the advance of Australian ground forces in New Guinea (5 Nov 1943).

Locations

• 4 February 1943: Woodstock, Queensland, Australia
• 9 October 1943: Dobodura, New Guinea

1944: Re-equipping and working from front line island bases

Activities

Converted from medium, twin engined B-25 Mitchell and B-26 marauder bombers to heavy four engined B-24 Liberator bombers. Following its conversion to B-24 Liberators, on 11 Feb 1944 the 22nd Bomb Group was redesignated 22 Bomb Group, Heavy. Bombed Japanese airfields, shipping, and oil installations in Borneo, Ceram, and Halmahera. Began raiding the southern Philippines in Sep 1944 to neutralize Japanese bases in preparation for the invasion of Leyte.

Locations

• 13 January 1944: Nadzab, New Guinea
• 11 August 1944: Owi Island, New Guinea
• 15 November 1944: Leyte, Philippine Islands
• 26 November 1944: Angaur, Palau Islands

1945: A hard-won victory

Activities

From December 1944 to August 1945, struck airfields and installations on Luzon, supported Australian ground forces on Borneo, and bombed railways and industries in Formosa and China. Moved to Okinawa in Aug 1945 and flew some armed reconnaissance missions over southern Japan.

Locations

• 20 January 1945: Samar, Philippine Islands
• 12 March 1945: Clark Field, Luzon, Philippine Islands
• 15 August 1945: Motobu, Okinawa (Japanese surrender)

From 1945 to today

Reorganisation and Restructuring: USAF

As the War progressed, neared conclusion and ended, and the world faced new challenges, the organisational environment in which the 22nd Bomb Group also changed. On 3 August 1944 the Seventh Air Force and Thirteenth Air Force were combined with the Fifth Air Force to create the Far East Air Force under the Fifth's General George Kenney. On 6 December 1946 FEAF became the Pacific Air Command, U.S. Army, before it was changed changed back to FEAF on 1 January 1947. In September 1947 the United States Air Force (USAF) was formed. On July 1, 1957, FEAF was redesignated Pacific Air Forces and transferred its headquarters to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.

Post War: 22nd Bomb Group

The 22nd BG's staff and aircraft were released and the Group moved to Clark Air Base in the Philippines in November 1945.

In April 1946 the 22nd BG returned to Okinawa as the 22nd Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), and was remanned and assigned B-29 Superfortress bombers, operating from Kadena Air Base.

In 1948 the 22nd BG became part of the 22nd Bomb Wing which retained the "Ducemus" logo.

Another War: Korea

From 4 July 1950 to 31 October 1950 the 22nd Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), was deployed back to Okinawa where it operated B-29 Superfortress missions over North Korea. The 22nd BW was sent back to March AFB in October 1950.

Global Mission: Cold War Nuclear Deterrence

In 1952 the 22nd BW received KC-97 Stratotanker aircraft in preparation for its transition to B-47 Stratojet bombers in 1953.

The 22nd BW then upgraded its air to air refuelling capability to KC-135 Stratotanker Boeing 707-based tankers to support its conversion to B-52 Stratofortress bombers. The 22nd BW achieved nuclear deterrence strategic alert status in 1963.

Another War: Vietnam

The 22nd BW's KC-135 air to air refuelling capability supported Tactical Air Command and Strategic Air Command transfers and operations.

Global Mission: Operational Support

In August 1982 the 22nd Bomb Wing received KC-10A Extender refueling aircraft and shortly afterward lost its bombing mission, focusing on operational support in refueling and airlift. At this time, 1 October 1982, the 22nd Bomb Wing was redesignated as the 22d Air Refueling Wing. On 1 June 1992 the 22nd ARW and other transport Wings joined the Military Airlift Command and became the Air Mobility Command.

The 22d ARW is now based at McConnell AFB in Kansas, where it is the host unit.

References

• Capt J. W. Brosius Jr (editor), "The Marauder: a book of the 22nd Bomb Group", 1944
• Lawrence J Hickey (Warpath Across the Pacific), Walter Gaylor (WWII vet & 22nd BG historian) and Don Evans & Harry Nelson, (who served with the 22nd), "Revenge of the Red Raiders", 2006 [ISBN 0913511056]
• Michael John Claringbould, "The Forgotten Fifth"

External links

• OFFICIAL WEBSITE for 22nd Bomb Group: http://www.klimesh.com/redraiders
• USAF History and lineage: http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/rso/wings_groups_pages/0022og.asp
• 22nd Bomb Group in Australia during WW2: http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/22ndbomb.htm
• The International B-24 Museum: 22nd BG: http://www.pwam.org/virtual_museum/22bghst.htm
• Strategic Air Command: 22nd Bombardment Wing: http://www.strategic-air-command.com/wings/0022bw.htm
• McConnell AFB: http://public.mcconnell.amc.af.mil/

Books

• Walt Gaylor, Lawrence J Hickey "Revenge of the Red Raiders: The Illustrated History of the 22nd Bombardment Group in World War II", International Research and Publishing Corp, Boulder CO: 2007: http://www.irandpcorp.com/22BG.html

Galleries

• Warbirds on the Web: 22nd BG: http://www.web-birds.com/5th/22/22nd.htm
• Video of B-26 belly landing at Port Moresby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bOvSYfBNOU&feature=related (This is a survivor of the mission in which Lyndon Johnson was awarded his Silver Star).

Personal Accounts

2nd Squadron

• Jim Houston: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/veterans/houston.html

19th Squadron

• Merrill S. Matthews: http://www.b26.com/marauderman/merrill_matthews.htm

33rd Squadron

• Hugh Manson: http://www.b26.com/marauderman/hugh_manson.htm