On the south corner of the entrance to Bicton Industrial Estate.

A black rectangular marble stone monument inscribed in English text and flanked by US and British flag on either side. On the top side of the monument, a printed illustration of an aircraft with “K” tail-mark surrounded by the insignias of the 8^th Air Force on the top left, an unknown insignia on the top-center, and the 379^th BG (Heavy) on the top-right. The monument is dedicated to the men and unit of 379^th Bomber Group who served at RAF Kimbolton in World War II.

The 379th Bombardment Group was established stateside on 28 October 1942 and moved to England in April 1943. The Air Echelon via the Northern Atlantic route and the ground echelon following by ship a month later.

From May 1943 to July 1944, the 379th was primarily engaged in the bombardment of strategic targets including oil refineries, submarine pens and communications centers throughout Europe. Specific targets included a chemical plant in Ludwigshafen, an aircraft assembly plant in Brunswick, the famous ball bearing plant mission to Schweinfurt and Leipzig, synthetic oil refineries at Merseburg and Gelsenkirchen, marshalling yards at Hamm and Reims, and airfields at Mesnil au Val and Berlin.  During this time, the 379th was awarded two Distinguished Unit Commendations, the first for sustained operations over Europe and the second, awarded 11 January 1944, for flying without fighter protection into central Germany to attack a vital aircraft factory.

In the lead up to the Normandy Invasion, the 379th was busy bombing V-weapon launch sites, airfields and radar stations. After the troops went ashore on 6 June, they were bombing defended positions just ahead of Allied troops. Later they bombed enemy positions in support of the 24-25 July   breakout from St. Lo. During the Christmas 1944 Battle of the Bulge, the 379th attacked German communications and fortifications. In the last stages of the war, they bombed bridges in France and Germany to aid in the assault across the Rhine they led to Germany’s capitulation.

After the war in Europe was over, the 379th was moved to Casablanca, Morocco in North Africa where it was deactivated on 25 July 1945.

Among its many distinctions, the 379th was awarded the unprecedented "8th Air Force Operational Grand Slam" for operations during May 1944 in recognition for being first in each of the three areas in which Bomb Groups were graded:

• Best Bombing Results (greatest percent of bombs on target)
• Greatest tonnage of bombs dropped on target
• Largest number of aircraft attacking.

They were the only unit ever recognized in this manner.

In addition, the 379th had other distinctions including being quickest Bomb Group to complete its first 300 missions (of a wartime total of 330 missions) and, for a time, holding both the highest sortie count and lowest loss/abort rate in the 8th AF.. They dropped more than 26,000 tons of bombs and claimed the destruction of 315 enemy aircraft. During its history, the 379th operated about 308 total Flying Fortresses losing 149 by the end of the war, a somewhat sombering 48% loss rate.

After the Americans left, the RAF used the station for basic training until it was closed in 1946. It was maintained in a standby status until the early 1960s.

Source of image: Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, https://www.fightercontrol.co.uk

Source of information: Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, http://freepages.rootsweb.com

SITE OF UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE STATION 117

KIMBOLTON AIRFIELD

20TH MAY 1943 TO 4TH JULY 1945

FROM THIS BASE THE 379TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY)

A UNIT OF THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE

FLEW 33O COMBAT MISSIONS IN THE B-17 "FLYING FORTRESS"

TO DESTROY TARGETS IN GERMANY AND OCCUPIED EUROPE

DURING WORLD WAR II

IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO SERVED

COMMANDERS

COLONEL MAURICE A. PRESTON, NOVEMBER 1942 TO OCTOBER 1944

COLONEL LEWIS E. LYLE, OCTOBER 1944 TO MAY 1945