The 16th Bomb Group

    The 16th Bomb Group was activated at Dalhart Army Airfield, Dalhart, Texas on 1 April, 1944. In August 1944, they moved to Fairmont Army Airfield, Fairmont, Nebraska and were equipped with B-29Bs. Training began with crews that were at full strength. Each squadron had 15 combat crews when all positions were filled. During January, February, and March of 1945, training was moved to Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico, because of warmer weather conditions. This training consisted of long over-water missions with practice camera bombings of American cities. Gunnery missions included simulated enemy attacks from behind to test the radar controlled tail guns.

    The ground crews left California by ship and arrived at Northwest Field, Guam, on 14 April, 1945, and became a part of the 20th Air Force. The air crews flew their new B-29Bs from Fairmont to Northwest Field with stops at Sacramento California, Hawaii, Johnson and Kwajalein Islands. They arrived from 18 to 27 May.  Their B-29Bs were marked with a Diamond-D tail code.

    The group entered combat on 16 June 1945, with a bombing raid against an airfield on Moen. They flew their first mission against the Japanese home islands at Yokkaichi on 26 June, 1945. Some of the missions flown during July and August resulted in the destruction of important Japanese petroleum refineries. Flying unescorted in the face of severe enemy attack, the 16th Bomb Group bombed the Maruzen oil refinery at Shimotsu on the night of 2 July; the Mitsubishi refinery and Kawasaki oil installations at Kawasaki on the nights of 12 and 13 July; and the coal liquefaction plants at Ube on 22 and 23 July. The unit was awarded a distinguished unit citation for the missions. The final target of the was for the 16th bomb groups was the Nippon oil refinery at Tsuchizaki on 14 August.

    After the war, the group dropped food and supplies to allied prisoner of war camps in Japan, Manchuria, and Korea. It was a difficult task because war camps in Manchuria and Korea were long distance flights and difficult to find. Most of the supplies were dropped with the aid pf a parachute but certain types of packages were permitted to free fall.

    On 2 September, the 16th Bomb Group participated in a show of force mission over Tokyo that took place while the surrender terms were being signed on the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The B-29Bs flew at approximately 3,000 feet and could see clearly through a scattered undercast.

    The 16th Bomb Group was deactivated at Northwest Field, Guam, on 15 April, 1946.

Commanders: Col. Samuel C. Gerney - 11 July 1944; LtCol. Andre F. Castelloti - 11 July 1945