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Men of the 386th Bomb Group Belgium 1946Mother’s Day Parade

A-92 Sint-Truiden (Saint Trond) Belgium – Later known as: Sint-Truiden Air Base - Brustem

– Captured 16 Sep 1944 – Opened: 18 Sep 1944 - Closed: Undetermined – Runway 1: 5250x165, CON (14/32) – Runway 2: 4740x165, CON (09/27) – Runway 3: 5070x165, CON (06/24) – Used by:

• 48th Fighter Group, 30 Sep 1944-26 Mar 1945 (A-20) • 404th Fighter Group, 4 Oct 1944-30 Mar 1945 (P-47) • 386th Bombardment Group, 9 Apr – 27 Jul 1945 (B-26)

A-20 Havoc / Boston

507th squadron P47s taxiing and having their guns loaded. The practice of the mechanics riding on the wings was introduced after one plane's propeller chewed up the tail of the plane ahead while lining up for takeoff. These photographs were taken at St Trond in Belgium. - "Hawkeye Gal" was Donald Dove's aircraft, whilst Y8*M was usually flown by Robert Reiff.

St Trond in Belgium – Dec.1944

Brustem – Dec.1944

Brustem – Dec.1944

Brustem – Dec.1944

365th Fighter Group Chievres Air Base Feb.1945

Brustem Nov. 22,1944

Left: Major General Hoyt S Vandenberg, US Ninth Air Force commander, centre: 2d Lt. John W. Wainwright, right: Colonel Carroll "Red" McColpin, 404th Fighter Group commander, a former RAF Eagle squadron commander and a fighter ace with eight confirmed victories. Colonel Carroll W McColpin was the base commander at Winkton, England in 1944. Wainwright was presented with the Air Medal. General Vandenberg had recommended him for the Distinguished Service Cross for his six victories on September 28, 1944 but the DSC was not awarded until January 8, 1945. - Sadly Wainwright was killed in an aircraft accident in Germany on July 7, 1945.

The four pilots in a line are 1st Lt Crocker, 2nd Lt Fisher,

1st Lt Int-Hout, Capt.Simpson.

Brustem Dec.19, 1944

The Hun Hunters – Brustem April 1945

Brustem 30 May,1945

Brustem 30 May,1945

P47s of the 506th Squadron, 404th FG return to Winkton after a mission, May or early June 1944

Ninth Air Force units were very mobile, first deploying to France on 16 June 1944, ten days after the Normandy invasion by moving P-47 Thunderbolts to a beach-head landing strip. Because of their short range, operational combat units would have to move to quickly-prepared bases close to the front as soon as the Allied ground forces advanced. The bases were called "Advanced Landing Grounds" or "ALGs". On the continent, many ALGs were built either from scratch or from captured enemy airfields throughout France, the Low Countries and Germany. Ninth Air Force units moved frequently from one ALG to another.

Lt Col Leo Moon was the commander of  the 508th squadron of the 404th Fighter Group throughout the time

the squadron was a Winkton, England.

Bombardment of Hasselt by A-26 Marauders on 11 May,1944

B-17 on a bombing run over Melsbroek on June 14th,1944

Melsbroek

Lockheed P-38 fighter-bombers, taxiing out for take-off on a dive-bombing mission. This specific mission was an armed reconnaissance on tank and motor transport of the Von Runstedt’s offensive, which at this time was within only 15 miles from this airfield. (Florennes-Air Base)

Bombs on Charleroi

Liege - May 25,1944

386th Bomb Group moved to St-Trond, Belgium – from 9 April-July 1945

Liege - May 25,1944

Chievres Air Base – Dec.1944 – Capt. George W. King taxies his P-47D of the 386th FS – 365th Fighter group, past an M45- four .50 caliber AA emplacement.

St.Trond - March 1945

June 12, 1945

This is Lt. Ralph Sallee’s P-47D, of the 379th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group. Lt. Sallee shot down 2 FW-190 over Bastogne on December 26th,1944 – Three pilots in his flight were lost.

Lt. Gene Martin, a pilot with the 379th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group during the last phases of World War II. - Gene served from the very end of the Battle of the Bulge “

Pilot Capt.Wilton Crutchfield’s “Kentucky Colonel” also went through an evolution of markings, acquiring a cartoon hillbilly character on the cowling sometime in early 1945.

Headcorn Airfield, England

On July 9, 1944, the 362nd Fighter group continued its rampage over central France while still flying from Headcorn field, England. The group would move across the Channel soon, but until then they had to fly across the channel, over the invasion beaches and attack its targets before returning the same way.

Prior to D-Day the 362nd's losses were a modest nine aircraft missing in action. but, in the weeks following, the attrition rate soared. In June alone, 24 P-47s failed to return. including four on the 14th and five on the 18th, highlighting the dangers of operations at low level.

Photo of a P-47D cockpit

48th Bombardment Group (Light) P-47 Thunderbolt

• Operations. It moved to England to serve with Ninth Air Force in Mar 1944. Employing P-47 aircraft, the group began fighter sweeps over the French Coast in Apr 1944. – Moved to St.Truiden Air Base on Sep.15th, 1944.

• It escorted bombers and conducted dive-bombing missions in northern France in preparation for the allied invasion of Normandy in Jun 1944. On D-Day (6 Jun), it bombed bridges and enemy artillery positions. Moving to new bases in France, the group supported Allied ground forces as they broke through German lines at St Lo and drove across Northern France toward the Rhine River during the summer of 1944.

• The 48th earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for close air support of Allied ground forces advancing against an enemy stronghold north of Julich, Germany on 6 Dec 1944. During the Battle of the Bulge (Dec 1944 - Jan 1945) it supported American counterattacks and from Jan-May 1944, provided close air support of advancing ground forces in northwestern Europe.

Bassingbourn, England,

“Memphis Belle” after her 25th operational missions

“Memphis Belle” return flight to the States after her 25 operational missions in the ETO .

Boeing B-17F-10-BO Flying Fortress Serial 41-24485,

Memphis Belle, 324th Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, June 9, 1943 – On it’s return flight to the USA.