The “Bloody Hundredth”

Activated on June 1, 1942, the 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) joined the III Bomber Command. After relocating from Gowan Field, Idaho, to Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington, in November 1942, the group underwent training at Wendover Field, Utah. In January 1943, operations shifted to Sioux City Army Airfield, Iowa, while the ground echelon trained at Kearney Army Airfield, Nebraska.

In mid-April, the group reunited at Kearney, received new B-17s, and prepared for overseas duty. The ground echelon departed for the East Coast on May 2, sailing aboard the RMS Queen Elizabeth to Podington, England, on May 27. Aircrews flew the North Atlantic route to England, and both groups reunited in Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk.

The 100th's first mission on June 25, 1943, targeted U-boat yards in Bremen, Germany. Subsequent missions focused on German airfields, industrial plants, and naval facilities across Europe. The group, known as the "Bloody Hundredth," faced significant losses.

Only four of the original thirty-eight co-pilots assigned to the Group completed 25 missions and there were several instances when the Group lost up to one dozen aircraft on a single mission.  

Notable achievements include a Distinguished Unit Citation in August 1943 for disrupting German fighter plane production in Regensburg. However, a challenging mission to bomb Munster, Germany, in October 1943 resulted in significant losses.

Eighteen B-17s took off from Thorpe Abbots - five aborted before reaching the target and twelve of thirteen B-17s that reached the target were shot down; only the Royal Flush commanded by Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal returned to its base in England, severely damaged and with several wounded crew members.

From January to May 1944, the 100th conducted missions against airfields, industrial targets, and participated in Operation Argument. March 1944 saw attacks on Berlin, earning the group its second Distinguished Unit Citation. The Group also participated in the Oil Campaign in the spring of 1944 in which USAAF and RAF bombers targeted petroleum, oil, and lubrication manufacturers.

Beyond strategic bombing, the 100th engaged in interdiction missions, supporting D-Day invasions, battling at St. Lo and Brest, and contributing to the Battle of the Bulge. The group received the Croix de Guerre with Palm from France for its efforts.

The last combat mission occurred on April 20, 1945, followed by humanitarian missions in the Netherlands and transporting prisoners from Austria to France. The "Bloody Hundredth" returned to the U.S. in December 1945, inactivating at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on December 21, 1945.