307TH BG HISTORY

The 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated in 1942 by the Army Air Corps Combat Command after the attack on Pearl Harbor thrust the United States into war with Japan. In succeeding years, the 307th’s participation in World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam Conflict proved it to be one of the most renowned bombing units in military annals.

On April 15, 1942, the 307th began operations as a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber unit at Geiger Field, Washington. Its first mission to guard the northwestern U.S. and Alaskan coasts against armed invasion prepared the group for its later role in the Pacific Theater of World War II. After patrolling the coastline of America for five months, the 307th’s B-17s were replaced with longer range B-24 Liberator bombers.  Subsequently, the entire unit was transferred to Sioux City, Iowa, for a brief training period. After completing a three-week familiarization program, the 307th relocated its entire cadre and 35 bombers to Hamilton Field, California.

Three days later, the 307^th BG and their B-24’s were deployed to Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. Upon arrival at Oahu, each of the group’s four squadrons were assigned to different Hawaiian locations: the 370th to Kipapa, the 371st to Wheeler Field, the 372nd to Kabuka, and the 424th to Mokaleia with Headquarters for the 307th at Hickam Field. The 307th conducted search and patrol missions over the surrounding Pacific area. Maintaining a 24-hour vigil, the bombers were to avert any naval attack against the Hawaiian Islands.

Group bombers received their first taste of combat on December 24, 1942. Twenty-seven of the group’s B-24 bombers were deployed from Oahu to Midway Island from where, the 307^th BG staged their first combat mission flying 1,260 miles to bomb Japanese held Wake Island. All planes returned safely from the strike having flown 2,240 miles, the longest mass raid of WWII. The enemy was taken by surprise during the predawn raid. Before Japanese units responded with a barrage of anti-aircraft fire, 307^th BG bombers had blasted 90 percent of the Wake stronghold. It was from this and succeeding long-distance combat missions that the 307th Bombardment Group became known as the “Long Rangers.”  It was January 1943 when the unit was credited with its first Japanese Zero.

Within a few weeks, the 307^th BG moved to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands in Feb. 1943. Group bombers attacked fortified Japanese airfields, shipping, harbors, and other targets in the Southwest Pacific. At Guadalcanal, the 307th BG was subjected to massive air attacks by enemy bombers and fighter aircraft. In March 1943, three waves of Japanese planes blasted the airfield, causing the greatest number of 307th casualties during the war.

November 11, 1943, the 307th participated in the largest aerial strike of the South Pacific War. In conjunction with U.S. Navy elements, group bombers pounded enemy war and merchant ships at Rabaul, New Guinea. Amidst swarms of Japanese “Zeros” and heavy anti-aircraft fire, 307th aircraft released their bombs, leaving the port of Rabaul in complete ruin.

Throughout the remainder of the war, the 307th aircraft continued to cripple the debilitated enemy. Group elements neutralized Japanese forces at Yap, Truk, Palau, Balikpapan, and the Philippines. Bombing strikes against Japanese shipping centers in the Philippines inhibited the enemy from gaining a further stronghold in the area. Unescorted attacks by group aircraft against Japanese captured oil refineries at Balikpapan, Borneo on Sept. 30th and Oct. 3rd, ‘44, together with subsequent combat missions helped assure an allied victory in the South Pacific.

307^th BG B-24’s were the first over Tarawa, Nauru, Ocean Island, the Marshall Islands, and Corregidor, Philippines.  307th BG gunners shot down an average of 25 percent of their Japanese fighter interceptors. 307th BG Crews encountered coordinated and concentrated interception by Japanese airmen over many Japanese-held islands without their own fighter escorts, including Rabaul, Truk, Yap, Palau, Balikpapan, and the Philippines.  The 307^th BG hit the Japanese in the air. They shot down 355 planes and were credited with 68 probable’s and 51 damaged. On the ground, they destroyed 170 airplanes, scores of airfields and supply dumps, oil refineries, and harbor installations. On the sea, they sunk 21,000 tons of shipping and damaged another 112,000 tons.