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The 418th Bombardment Group went through two incarnations during the Second World War, but neither one ever became fully operational.
The group was activated for the first time on 16 July 1943 as the 418th Bombardment Group (Light) in August 1943. It was allocated four squadrons (the 696th to 699th), but on 15 September the group was disbanded, as were all four squadrons.
The group was activated for a second time on 28 February 1944, this time as the 418th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). Officially this was a different unit to the first incarnation, but the two groups were officially consolidated in April 1958, long after both had been disbanded. The new 418th was allocated to the Second Air Force, where it was to have served as a replacement training unit. This time no squadrons were assigned to the group before it was disbanded on 1 April 1944.
To follow
Unknown (if any)
16 July 1943 | Constituted as 418th Bombardment Group (Light) |
1 August 1943 | Activated and assigned to Third Air Force |
15 September 1943 | Disbanded |
28 February 1943 | Constituted as 418th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) |
11 March 1944 | Activated and assigned to Fourth Air Force |
1 April 1944 | Disbanded |
Unknown
Lake Charles AAFld, La: 1
Aug-15 Sep 1943.
Alamogordo AAFld,
NM: 11 Mar-1 Apr 1944.
696th Bombardment Squadron: 1943
697th Bombardment Squadron: 1943
698th Bombardment Squadron: 1943
699th Bombardment Squadron: 1943
August-September 1943: Third Air Force
March-April 1944: Second Air Force