25th Bombardment (Reconnaissance) Group

History - Books - Aircraft - Time Line - Commanders - Main Bases - Component Units - Assigned To

History

The 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) was mainly used for meterological flights, but also carried out some more general reconnaissance duties.

The group was activated in England in August 1944 and formed part of the Eighth Air Force. All three of its squadrons were officially bombardment squadrons, but they spent most of their time on meterological flights, recording weather data in the oceans around Britain and out to the Azores. This data was essential for weather forecasting and thus for the operation of the wider bomber campaign.

The group also sometimes operated over German occupied territory, either on weather research, for night reconnaissance missions or in direct support of an ongoing bombing raid. The group also performed some countermeasures, in particular with chaff, and immediate photographic evaluation of bombing operations, using the same aircraft as the bomber formation.

The group returned to the US in July-August 1945 and was inactivated in September 1945.

Books

Pending

Aircraft

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Consolidated B-24 Liberator, North American B-25 Mitchell, Martin B-26 Marauder, Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Stinson L-5 Sentinel

Timeline

17 July 1944 Constituted as 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance)
9 August 1944 Activated in England
July-August 1945 To US
8 September 1945 Inactivated

Commanders (with date of appointment)

CLt. Col Joseph A Stenglein: 9 Aug 1944
Col Leon W Gray: 23 Sep 1944
Lt Col John R Hoover: 14 Apr 1945
Maj Ernest H Patterson: 19 Jun 1945-unknown.

Main Bases

Watton, England: 9 Aug 1944-23 Jul 1945
Drew Field, Fla: Aug-8 September 1945

Component Units

652nd: 1944-45
653rd: 1944-45
654th: 1944-45

Assigned To

1944-45: 325th Reconnaissance Wing; Eighth Air Force

How to cite this article: Rickard, J (15 December 2014), 25th Bombardment (Reconnaissance) Group , http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/USAAF/25th_Bombardment_Reconnaissance_Group.html

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