VI BOMBER COMMAND
IN DEFENSE OF THE PANAMA CANAL
1941- 45
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VI BOMBER COMMAND IN DEFENSE OF THE PANAMA CANAL 1941- 45 |
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25th Bombardment Group (Medium)
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October 1940
General Orders No. 1, which activated the Group, designated its permanent location as Puerto
Rico, and on October 26, 1940, the entire organization departed from Langley
Field for Fort Monroe. The following
day the units embarked aboard the U.S. Army Transport, Hunter Liggett, which,
after Stopping at Charleston, SC, to take on the 24th Air Base Personnel,
set course for San Juan.
The journey was without incident and the ship docked on October 31, 1940. On the following day, the men disembarked, boarded a train, and were transported to Borinquen Field, located on the northwestern corner of the island. The Air Echelon of the Group, consisting of 14 B-18A's and two A-17 airplanes, 32 officers, and 44 enlisted men, arrived at Borinquen Field.
Borinquen Field, which was
later to become a large permanent base with excellent facilities of all
kinds, was undergoing construction in 1940, so much time had to be spent
in improving living conditions in general, and in particular, in devising
means to combat mosquitoes and sandfleas.
While the administrative personnel
were busy re-establishing the offices, aircrews were winging their way over
the Caribbean waters on orientation, navigation, and cross-country flights. The weekly trip to Miami, Florida, was an especially
popular feature.
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February 1941
The 25th Group held an Organization
Day Party near the Borinquen Lighthouse on the occasion of its first. anniversary. The party, from all reports, was a memorable
event.
April 1941
More than one-half of the 25th
Bomb Group's personnel were transferred to the 40th Bombardment Group (Medium)
when that organization was activated on April 1, 1941.
Soldiers from the Air Corps unassigned and from Base personnel replaced
these men.
November 1941
The 25th Bombardment Group's
Squadrons were distributed throughout the area, and the Group never again
functioned as a unit on a single field.
The Squadrons, except for the 10th and 417th Bombardment Squadrons,
which remained at Borinquen Field, PR., began movement from Borinquen
Field to Benedict Field, St.. Croix, in the Virgin Islands, on November
6, 1941. The Group Headquarters and the 12th Bombardment
Squadron remained at Benedict Field, while the 35th Squadron. was sent to
Coolidge Field, Antigua, on November 11, 1941.
The 25th Bombardment Group,
until the outbreak of war, flew routine training flights from Coolidge Field,
Antigua, to various bases located throughout the Greater and Lesser Antilles,
using Douglas B-18 type aircraft. Upon
the beginning of hostilities, the Group immediately began flying missions
designated as patrols, sweeps, sub-hunts, and convoy coverage, usually of
six hours' duration, using B-18 type aircraft.
While engaged in anti-submarine warfare, crews of the various Squadrons
received credit for destroying two such craft, and many recorded as probably
having been destroyed. The Group's Squadrons also flew reconnaissance
of the Vichy French fleet at Martinique
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March 1942
The 417th Bombardment Squadron
(Heavy), formerly the 27th Reconnaissance Squadron, was assigned to the
25th Bombardment Group on March 3, 1942, with Station at Borinquen Field,
PR. The 417th had been in the area
since November 1939, and was a valuable addition to the Group because of
its trained personnel and their knowledge of the Caribbean.
The 25th Bombardment Group
was assigned B-17 type of aircraft, and designated "Heavy" bombardment
when it was activated. The designation
of the 25th Group was altered from "heavy" to "medium"
on May 7, 1942, after the original B-17's had been exchanged for B-18 aircraft.
Hq. & Hq. Squadron. 25th
Bombardment Group, and the Group's medical detachment were disbanded on
September 10, 1942.
The 417th Bombardment Squadron
was relocated from Borinquen Field, PR, to Vernam Field, Jamaica, September
24, 1942.
October 1942
The 9th Bombardment Group (Heavy),
stationed in the Trinidad Sector, was ordered back to the United States
in October 1942, and transferred its personnel and equipment to the 25th
Bombardment Group (Medium).
The 12th Bombardment Squadron
was moved to Dakota Field, Aruba, NWI, from Benedict Field, St.. Croix,
on October 10, 1942.
November 1942
The 25th Bombardment Group
(Medium) moved its headquarters from Benedict Field, St. Croix, to Edinburgh
Air Base, Trinidad, November 1, 1942.
The 10th Bombardment Squadron
was moved to Edinburgh Field, Trinidad, from Borinquen Field, PR, with only
a few of its original personnel, and its name bestowed upon the personnel
of the 1st.Bombardment Squadron of the 9th Bombardment Group (Heavy).
The 35th Bombardment Squadron
was relocated from Coolidge Field, Antigua, to Zandrey Field, Surinam, on
November 1, 1942, with a detachment located at Atkinson Field, British Guiana,
the personnel being obtained from the 99th and 430th Bomb. Squadrons of
the 9th Bombardment Group (Heavy).
The 10th and 35th Bombardment
Squadrons were under the operational control of the Trinidad Detachment
and VI Fighter Command, AATF & VI Fighter Command.
The 417th Bombardment Squadron was controlled directly by AATF &
VI Fighter Command (later redesignated Antilles Air Command), and the 12th
Bombardment Squadron was attached to the Curacao Detachment, AATF &
VI Fighter Command. The Headquarters 25th Bombardment Group concerned
itself with administrative matters, and operated several control rooms from
which flying activities were directed.
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May 1943
The 417th Bombardment Squadron
was relocated from Vernam Field, Jamaica, to Losey Field, PR, on May 29,
1943.
June 1943
Hq. 25th Bombardment Group
moved from the Naval Operating Base in Port of Spain, Trinidad, BWI, to
St.. Clair Cantonment, Port of Prince on June 6, 1943, and back to Edinburgh
on June 15, 1943.
August 1943
The 10th Bombardment Squadron
was relocated from Edinburgh Field, Trinidad, to Waller Field, Trinidad,
October 1, 1943; and the 35th Bombardment Squadron moved from Port of Spain,
Trinidad, to Vernam Field, Jamaica, on October 7, 1943
The 59th Bombardment Squadron
was assigned to the 25th Bomb. Group on October 11, 1943, and stationed
at Beane Field, St.. Lucia. The 59th was activated at Rio Hato, R. de P.,
on January 2, 1941. It was originally
a Light Bombardment Squadron and its crews had flown many hundred of hours
on anti-submarine patrols, principally in A-20 type aircraft.
Hq. 25th Bombardment Group
was given full operational and administrative control of its Squadrons on
October 11, 1943, and shortly thereafter began an intensive training program
with the B-25 series of planes. The
men worked assiduously to bring themselves to the point of efficiency that
would enable the organization to function perfectly if it were sent to a
combat theater.
November 1943
The 12th Bombardment Squadron
was relocated from Dakota Field, Aruba, NWI, to Coolidge Field, Antigua,
on November 23, 1943.
After nearly two years of patrol
and convoy duty, the 25th Bombardment Group was relieved of this type of
work, and its Squadrons redistributed. The 10th Bombardment Squadron, one
of the originally activated squadrons of the Group, having the most interesting
historical background, and often commended for its splendid record in the
Caribbean Area, was attached to the VI Bomber Command on December 13, 1943,
and assigned to the latter organization on December 17, 1943, with duty
station at France Field, CZ.
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January 1944
The 25th Bombardment Group
was alerted on January 24, 1944, of a pending unit movement, and placed
in a state of readiness.
February 1944
The 35th Bombardment Squadron
was relocated from Vernam Field, Jamaica, to Trinidad, on February 7, 1944.
The 25th Bombardment Group
(Medium) and its units- - the 12th, 35th, 59th, and 417 Bombardment Squadrons
(Medium) departed Trinidad on March 24, 1944
April 1944
The 25th Bombardment Group
(Heavy) arrived at Alamogordo Army Air Field, NM, in April 1944.
June 1944
The 25th Bombardment Group
(Heavy) was disbanded on June 20, 1944 while stationed at Alamogordo Army
Air Field, NM. Its personnel were
shipped to various assignments, many in support of the training of B-29
crews, which were being activated at that time.