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25th Bomb Group (RCN. Sp.) Memorial

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Details:

On the west side of the junction. It is set in a small garden flanked by seating.

Marker

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 :