389th Bombardment Group
RAF Hethel

Formation of the 389th Bombardment Group

The 389th Bomb Group (Heavy) was one of the most distinguished B-24 Liberator bombardment groups of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Stationed at RAF Hethel in Norfolk, England, the group served with the Second Air Division of the Eighth Air Force, flying long-range strategic bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied Europe. From June 1943 until the end of the war in Europe, the 389th Bomb Group participated in hundreds of combat operations targeting aircraft factories, oil refineries, rail networks, submarine bases, bridges, military installations, ports, marshalling yards, and other vital enemy objectives. The group adopted the nickname "Sky Scorpions", inspired by its distinctive scorpion insignia, which became a symbol of the precision, determination, and striking power of the unit throughout the European air war.

The 389th Bombardment Group was activated on 19 December 1942 and organized at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. Equipped with Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, the group trained extensively throughout the southwestern United States before moving to several additional training bases to complete advanced combat preparation. Aircrews practiced long-range navigation, high-altitude formation flying, precision bombing, aerial gunnery, and emergency procedures while ground personnel became proficient in maintaining one of the Army Air Forces' most complex heavy bombers. By the spring of 1943 the group had achieved operational readiness and prepared for overseas movement.

In May 1943 the group received a visit from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who inspected personnel shortly before they departed for combat overseas. The presidential visit was a significant morale boost and reflected the importance placed upon the rapidly expanding strategic bombing offensive against Germany. Shortly afterward the group departed the United States and arrived in England during June and July 1943, establishing its permanent wartime home at RAF Hethel (USAAF Station 114), Norfolk, one of the principal B-24 Liberator bases of the Second Air Division.

Early Combat Operations

The group flew its first combat mission on 9 July 1943 against the heavily defended German submarine construction yards at Kiel, Germany. This attack marked the beginning of nearly two years of continuous combat operations against some of the most heavily protected industrial and military targets in occupied Europe. Almost immediately after becoming operational, part of the group was detached to North Africa to participate in the growing Allied air offensive against Axis targets in the Mediterranean Theater.

Operating from Libya, the detachment flew combat missions against strategic objectives in Crete, Sicily, Italy, Austria, and Romania. These operations demonstrated the remarkable long-range capabilities of the B-24 Liberator and highlighted the flexibility of American heavy bomber forces, which could rapidly shift between theaters to support major Allied operations.

Operation Tidal Wave - The Ploesti Raid

The most famous operation in the history of the 389th Bomb Group occurred on 1 August 1943 during Operation Tidal Wave, the daring low-level attack against the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. Ploesti supplied a substantial portion of Germany's petroleum requirements, making it one of the most strategically important industrial targets in Europe.

Flying at treetop level through intense anti-aircraft fire, smoke, and flames, the 389th Bomb Group attacked its assigned refinery with extraordinary courage and precision. For its exceptional performance during the mission, the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC). Although the raid inflicted significant damage upon the oil facilities, it also became one of the costliest operations ever undertaken by the United States Army Air Forces, with heavy losses among the attacking bomber formations.

One of the mission's greatest acts of heroism was performed by Second Lieutenant Lloyd H. Hughes of the 564th Bomb Squadron. Despite severe damage to his B-24 and gasoline pouring from punctured fuel tanks after intense anti-aircraft fire, Hughes refused to abandon the mission. Maintaining extremely low altitude, he continued through the burning refinery complex and accurately bombed the assigned target before attempting a forced landing. His aircraft crashed shortly afterward, killing Hughes and several members of his crew. For his extraordinary courage and complete devotion to duty, Lieutenant Hughes was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, becoming one of the most celebrated airmen of the European air war.

Following completion of the Ploesti campaign, the detachment returned to England in August 1943 and resumed strategic bombing operations with the remainder of the group. During the autumn of 1943 another detachment temporarily operated from Tunisia, supporting the Allied invasion of Italy by attacking targets in Corsica, Italy, Austria, and southern Europe while providing direct support for the Salerno landings.

The Strategic Bombing Campaign

After returning to England in October 1943, the 389th Bomb Group devoted its full strength to the Combined Bomber Offensive against Nazi Germany. Flying from RAF Hethel, the group attacked a wide variety of strategic objectives throughout France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Missions included attacks against shipbuilding yards at Vegesack, industrial districts of Berlin, synthetic oil facilities at Merseburg, factories at Münster, railroad marshalling yards at Sangerhausen, aircraft production plants, bridges, submarine installations, military depots, and V-weapon launch sites in the Pas de Calais region.

Like other Second Air Division bomb groups, the 389th frequently penetrated deep into Germany where bomber formations encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire and determined attacks from the Luftwaffe. Despite these dangers, the group developed an outstanding reputation for bombing accuracy, formation discipline, and determination in completing assigned missions under the most difficult combat conditions.

Big Week and the Air War Over Germany

The 389th Bomb Group participated in Big Week between 20 and 25 February 1944, the massive Allied air offensive directed against Germany's aircraft manufacturing industry. During these operations, heavy bombers attacked aircraft factories, assembly plants, aviation component manufacturers, and supporting industries while Allied fighter escorts engaged German interceptors in some of the largest aerial battles of the war.

The destruction inflicted during Big Week dealt a severe blow to the Luftwaffe's aircraft production capability and forced Germany to commit increasing numbers of fighters to homeland defense. The operations marked a major turning point in the strategic air campaign and contributed significantly to Allied air superiority before the invasion of Normandy.

Supporting the Liberation of Europe

Although strategic bombing remained its principal mission, the 389th Bomb Group also performed numerous tactical operations in direct support of Allied ground forces. During the weeks preceding D-Day, the group bombed German coastal defenses, airfields, bridges, rail centers, and gun batteries in preparation for the Allied invasion of Normandy.

Following the landings on 6 June 1944, the group attacked enemy positions supporting the Allied breakout from Saint-Lô in July 1944 by bombing transportation centers, supply depots, bridges, and troop concentrations. Throughout the liberation of France and Belgium, the group continued striking communications networks that hindered German reinforcement and resupply efforts.

During the Battle of the Bulge between December 1944 and January 1945, the 389th attacked storage depots, transportation facilities, railroad centers, bridges, communications systems, and supply lines supporting the German offensive in the Ardennes. These missions played an important role in restricting German logistical support during the final major offensive on the Western Front.

Final Operations and Humanitarian Missions

As Allied armies advanced into Germany during the spring of 1945, the 389th Bomb Group continued attacking transportation networks, oil facilities, military installations, and industrial centers that remained essential to Germany's shrinking war effort. Increasingly, the group also undertook supply and support missions as Allied forces crossed the Rhine River.

Among its final wartime operations were missions dropping food, ammunition, gasoline, medical supplies, and other essential equipment to airborne troops participating in the Rhine crossing during Operation Varsity in March 1945. These supply missions demonstrated the versatility of heavy bomber units during the closing stages of the European campaign, when strategic bombers increasingly supported fast-moving Allied ground operations.

The 389th Bomb Group continued combat operations from RAF Hethel until flying its final combat mission on 20 April 1945, only weeks before Germany's unconditional surrender brought the war in Europe to an end.

Combat Record and Legacy

By the end of World War II, the 389th Bomb Group had flown a total of 321 combat missions over occupied Europe and Germany. During these operations the group destroyed approximately 90 enemy aircraft in aerial combat while inflicting extensive damage upon Germany's aircraft industry, oil production, transportation network, military infrastructure, and industrial economy. In addition to its strategic bombing achievements, the group played a significant role in supporting the invasions of Sicily, Italy, and Normandy, the liberation of Western Europe, the Battle of the Bulge, and the final Allied advance into Germany.

The cost of these accomplishments was substantial. The 389th Bomb Group lost approximately 151 B-24 Liberators in combat and operational accidents, while hundreds of officers and enlisted men were killed, wounded, or captured as prisoners of war. Despite these sacrifices, the "Sky Scorpions" earned a lasting place among the most distinguished heavy bombardment groups of the Eighth Air Force. Their exceptional performance during Operation Tidal Wave, sustained excellence throughout the strategic bombing campaign, and unwavering dedication to duty established the 389th Bomb Group as one of the premier B-24 Liberator units of World War II.

Campaigns
The 389th Bombardment Group participated in the following campaigns: Air Combat - EAME Theater, Air Offensive - Europe, Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.

Decorations
Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC): Ploesti, Rumania, 1 Aug 1943.
Individual Awards: Medal of Honor was awarded to Lloyd H. Hughes for heroism during the Ploesti raid.

RAF Hethel Airfield:   RAF Hethel Airfield:

Oversea Burials   389th Bomb Group Oversea Burials

Group Web Site   https://389thbg.com