VH1916-1942

History of 19th Bomb Group

Squadron Origins

Raoul Lufbery, 3rd ranking US ace is shown in his Nieuport, with it’s Indian emblem.

The Squadrons that would later become a part of the 19th BG had their beginning in WW I.   In 1916 American Volunteers began serving in the French Air Force. 130 American volunteers, in 93 French Sqds, formed into the Lafayette Esquadrille.  Within a month, May 20, 1916 K. Rockwell scored the first US victory.  Rockwell Field CA was named after him (now Naval Air Station N. Island San Diego)   Nearly 1/3 were killed, but downed 199 German planes.  When the US activated squadrons in 1917 they adapted Indian Logos, except for the 30th who had trained with the British

1917 Origin of Squadron Logos

28th Sqd  activated at Camp Kelly TX Jun 20 1917.  Trained with RAF at Toronto & Deseronton Ont. Returned to Garden City NY Jan 5 1918, arrived France Mar 20 1918 

93rd Sqd activated at Camp Kelly TX Aug 29, 1917. Trained at Beauulieu England, arrived Issoudun France July 7, 1918.

30th Sqd  activated at Camp Kelly TX Jun 13, 1917.  Trained in Britain, arrived in Etampes France Sept 19, 1918.

1918 Service in France

   

                    French Spad XIII                                 British Vickers guns on French Spad   Bomb Aimer - Dropper

28th  arrived France 03-20-18 attached to RAF supporting British 2nd & 5th Army.  March they flew from St. Marie-Chappel, Nord, Pascde-Calais and Somme.  April & May the flew from Boisdenhem and Alquines.  June the assembled at St Omer with Hdq A & B flights in Flanders and C flight in Picardy.  A flight joined C flight which moved to Rousscauville in Armiens sector with RAF 25th sqd flying Tactical flights at Villers-Vrettonneous, Beauvais & Rousseauville in support of the Somme offensive.  July and August the operated with the RAF out of Issoudun & Orly.

93rd arrived France 07-07-18 attached to the RAF at Issoudun & Vancouleurs.

28th 09-16-18 & 93rd  09-31-18 were placed in the 3rd pursuit attached to the US 1st Army operating out of Barrois and Foucaucacourt  until ended.

30th arrived France 09-18-18 at Etampes & Issoudun in support of the US 1st Army until ended.

1919  Return & Demobilize

 

The DH-4’s size was Length 29’ 11”, Wingspan 42’ 5”, height 9’ 8” – the Liberty 12A  engine had 416 hp.

The US brought 1000 DeHavoland DH-4 aircraft from the British in 1919.  The 28th, 30th & 93rd Sqds returned from France to Mitchell Field NY and flew the DH-4’s.  All three squadrons were demobilized  06-16-19:

1923-1941  28th Sqd activated and sent to Clark Field Philippines, flew B-3, B-18 & B-10 bombers

1932-1941 19th Bomb Group with 30th & 93rd Sqd activated at Rockwell Fld CA & 1932 moved to March Army Air Fld, CA, where they flew  B-10, B-18 and B-17 Bombers. Mar 19th BG with 30th & 93rd Sqd moved to Albuquerque NM.

March Field CA

 

 

 

 

 

Navigation School Miami FL   1940

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mid 1941 19th BG flew B-17D’s to 14th Sqd in Hawaii, who flew them to Clark Field PI.  Late 1941 19BG with 30th & 93rd Sqd flew B-17C & D’s to Clark Field PI -- First mass flight of bombers across Pacific.  Dec 6, 1941 18  B-17s of  28th & 30th Sqd at Clark Field Luzon & 17  B-17s of 14th & 93rd Sqd  at Del Monte Fld Mindanao.  Dec 6, 1941  38th & 88th Recon Sqds  depart Hamilton Fld, CA with B-17s destined for Clark Field, Philippines.   Dec 7  Recon Sqds arrive Hawaii during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Dec 8 (PI) 28th and 30th Sqd attacked by Japanese at Clark Field --all but two B-17s are destroyed. Dec 10  Colon Kelly killed after crew bails out, awarded DSC & becomes the first US WWII hero.  Dec 8-14 B-17s flew from Clark Fld -- all supplies were at Clark Field

Dec 15-22  B-17s flew from Del Monte Fld, Clark could not be protected.  Dec 24 Clark abandon, remaining 19th BG personnel became Infantry, half on Battan & half on Mindanao. Dec 24-30 B-17s flew from Bachelor Fld Darwin Australia

Dec 31-1941 surviving 10 B-17s fly to Dutch Field Malang Java

 

Jan Feb 1942

1942  Jan – Feb 19th flew from Malang Java -- all available B-17s & LB-30s flew Pacific & Atlantic route from US to Java.  Mar  Java falls, 19th BG reorganized in Australia  7th BG reorganized in India

14th & 88th into 435th at Townsville Aus   B-17E to Java & Aus   28th & 93rd at Longreach 30th at Cloncurry Aus.   Mar  Gen MacArthur evacuated from PI to Australia by 19th Bomb Group – Doolittle raid on Tokyo  April  Bataan falls, May Corregidor falls: hundreds of 19th BG personnel become POWs many become American Guerrillas of Mindanao.  May-July 19th in the Battles of the Coral Sea, Guadalcanal & New Guinea.  Aug  28th, 30th & 93rd  Sqds to new Mareeba Field, Queensland, Australia, 435th Sqd remains at Townsville.

93rd  Sqd Ground Crew

93rd Sqd 19th BG Australia 1942

 

Typical Filipino home        Moro girl

American Guerrillas Of Mindanao found there were good and bad Filipinos.  Non-Moros opened their homes to them as if they were family, AGOM praised them for always sharing their meager provisions, often saving their lives.  A Moro would kill to obtain guns, yet help fight their common enemy the Japanese.  POW’s learned there were good and bad Japanese, not all Japanese guards were brutal.  

Mindanao Philippines

AGOM American Guerillas Of Mindanao  RU 1994 San Diego

 

Nov 1942 19th BG personnel return to US to train and lead the new B-29 equipped 20th AF.  “Swoose” only one of original 30 B-17s to survive – is now at Smithsonian Museum