25th Bomb Group (RCN. Sp.) Memorial
Details:
A polished, grey granite tablet, set on a stone base, inscribed in English in white lettering. On the top of the plaque are images of two bomber aircraft with the 8th Air Force insignia in between. The memorial commemorates the airmen of the 25th Bomb Group, 8th United States Army Air Force, listing the 15 different units which formed the group.
Opened in 1937, RAF Watton was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during the Second World War. During the war it was used primarily as a bomber airfield, being the home of RAF Bomber Command squadrons until being used by the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force as a major overhaul depot for Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers and as a weather reconnaissance base.
After the war, it was returned to RAF use until being turned over to the British Army in the early 1990s. It was closed then put up for sale.
In 1943 Watton was turned over to the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force for use as an air depot. The airfield was originally grass surfaced but, during the American tenure, the airfield had a 2,000 yd (1,829 m) long concrete runway constructed. A concrete perimeter track was built and a total of fifty-three hardstandings, of which forty-one were a spectacle and twelve of the frying-pan type.
The four original C-type hangars, arranged in the usual crescent on the northern side of the airfield, were backed by the permanent buildings of the pre-war RAF camp. Additional hangars were added and three blister hangars at dispersals. The construction of the airfield necessitated the closure of two public roads.
Watton was given USAAF designation Station 376.
The 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) was formed at Watton as the 802nd Reconnaissance Group in February 1944. The unit was renamed the 25th on 9 August 1944.
Its operational units were:
- 652d Bombardment Squadron[13] (Heavy) B-17F/G, B-24J.
- 653d Bombardment Squadron[13] (Light) de Havilland Mosquito Mk XVI. (WX)
- 654th Bombardment Squadron[13] (Special) de Havilland Mosquito Mk XVI (BA), North American B-25 Mitchell, Martin B-26G Marauder, Douglas A-26 Invader.
The 652d Bomb Squadron originated as a provisional weather reconnaissance unit that was formed at RAF St Eval in Cornwall with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses on 8 September 1943 for conducting meteorological fights over the Atlantic Ocean. In November 1943 the unit moved to RAF Bovingdon after flying 231 weather sorties. At Bovington, the squadron was reorganized as the 8th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron on 28 March 1944, then transferred to Watton on 12 April 1944.
The 653d and 654th Bomb Squadrons were established at Watton on 12 April for special weather reconnaissance missions over enemy-occupied territory in advance of bomber formations and visual coverage of target strikes. Pilots for the Mosquitos came from former Lockheed P-38 Lightning pilots of the 50th Fighter Squadron transferred from the 342d Composite Group based in Iceland.
From Watton, the 25th continued weather flights over the waters adjacent to the British Isles and occasionally to the Azores to obtain meteorological data along with night photographic missions to detect enemy activity, and daylight photographic and mapping missions over the Continent.
Also, the group occasionally engaged in electronic-countermeasure missions in which chaff was spread to confuse enemy defenses during Allied attacks.
The 25th Bomb Group moved to Drew AAF, Florida during July–August 1945 and was inactivated on 8 September 1945. The group flew a total of 3,370 sorties for the loss of 15 aircraft.
Source of information: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk, Imperial War Museum War Memorials Register, en.wikipedia.org
Source of images: www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk
Monument Text:
USAAF
SEASONED AIRMEN GATHERED HERE AMONG
ALLIES TO CONTINUE THE GREAT FIRST CAUSE
DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO SERVED
25th BOMB GROUP (RCN. SP.)
HQ & HDQS SQD | 653rd BOMD SQD (L-RCN.) |
652nd BOMB SQD (H-RCN) | 654th BOMB SQD (H-RCN. SP.) |
18th WEA SQD DET A | 8th COMBAT CAMERA UNIT |
1070th QMC GP (AVN) | 301st STA COMPLT SQD |
652nd AIR MATL SQD | 828th AIR ENGR SQD |
2135th ENGR F.F. PLAT | 564th ARMY POST UNIT |
375TH AIR SERV SQD | 452nd AIR SERV SQD |
1274th M.P. CO (AVN) DET |
On the base:
A
TIME TO REMEMBER
1944 1945
Commemorates:
Units:
1070th Quartermaster Corps Group (Aviation)
1274th Military Police Company (Aviation)
18th Weather Squadron
2135th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon
301st Station Complement Squadron
375th Air Service Squadron
452nd Air Service Squadron
564th Army Postal Unit
652nd Air Materiel Squadron
652nd Bomber Squadron, 25th Bomber Group, Heavy
653rd Bomber Squadron, 25th Bomb Group
654th Bomber Squadron, 25th Bomber Group, Heavy
828th Air Engineer Squadron
8th Air Force
8th Combat Camera Unit
US Army Air Corps
Wars:
WWII
Other images :