380TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)
"THE FLYING CIRCUS"
"THE KING OF THE HEAVIES"
5TH AIR FORCE, USAAC
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WWII

The 380th Bombardment Group of the 2nd Air Force, United States Army Air Corps (USAAF) was established on 21 November 1942. Initial personnel were drawn from the 39th Bomb Group stationed at Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona. 

Major William A. Miller was the first Commanding Officer of the 380th Bomb Group who arrived at their new base at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas on 1 December 1942. His Headquarters staff comprised:-

Squadron commanders were as follows:-

They started 5 months of extensive training prior to moving to the Southwest Pacific area. They started to acquire B-24 Liberators and personnel to form the Bomb Group. During this time they had two fatal crashes. A B-24 flown by Lt. Willeg of the 528th Squadron crashed with only one person surviving. On 19 February 1943 the aircraft flown by Lt. Oscar Cantrell of the 530th Squadron had a cockpit fire. Eight of his crew were able to bail out. Unfortunately Cantrell and his navigator Lt. John N. Gessenger were both killed when the B-24 crashed about 20 miles north of Biggs Field.

On 1 March 1943, the air echelon of the 380th Bomb Group relocated to Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado. Here they engaged in long cross country flights. While at Lowry Field Capt. Zed S. Smith took over as CO of 528th Bomb Squadron and Capt. Fred Miller became CO of the 530th Bomb Squadron.

The air echelon of the 380th Bomb Group relocated to Topeka, Kansas on 4th and 5th April 1943 where they picked up their aircraft to take to Australia. The ground echelon moved to Camp Stoneman, California.

On 14 April 1943, Operations Order #273 issued through the 11th Ferrying Group, ATC, at Hamilton Field, California approved the immediate deployment of the 380th Bombardment Group to V Bomber Command in the 5th Air Force. The first of thirty eight B-24 Liberators left for Australia the following day. They arrived at Amberley airfield west of Brisbane between 22 and 30 April 1943.

B-24 Liberator #519 flown by Lt. Clarence Corpening was lost somewhere between Hawaii and Christmas Island. The B-24 had been plagued with fuel leak problems and was originally repaired at Hamilton field.

Lt. Col. Miller reported to General George C. Kenney at the Fifth Air Force's Headquarters in Brisbane to receive his orders. The 380th Bomb Group was placed under Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) command and assigned  to Fenton airfield in the Northern Territory in the RAAF's North West Area of operation. They were temporarily diverted to Charters Towers airfield in north Queensland where they received in-theater modifications. The 528th Squadron were the first to leave Amberley airfield on 28 April 1943.

While at Fenton airfield the 380th made some of the longest bombing missions of World War 2 such as their raids on the oil refineries at Balikapapan in Java. They bombed airfields in the East Indies and Japanese shipping. The 86th Station Hospital was established about 8 miles NNE of Fenton Airfield to provide medical support to the 380th Bomb Grpup.

Crash of a Liberator "Shady Lady"
near Drysdale Mission, WA  on 14 August 1943

Crash of a B-24 Liberator, #42-40504 "Gus's Bus"
at Fenton airfield on 25 October 1943

Crash of a B-24D Liberator
at Fenton airfield on 11 November 1943

Fifty two Australians crews  and ground personnel were trained by the 380th Bomb Group.

The following photographs were supplied by Jack McNally (RAAF) via his daughter Wendy Coultas.
Jack McNally was one of the 52 Australians trained by the 380th Bomb Group

	Flight Lieutenant Terry Duigan's crew of 530 Bomb Squadron, 380th Bomb Group, USAAF
	B-24 Liberator, "Northern Terror", Jack McNally during training on the Liberator while attached to the 380th Bomb Group.
	Training on the B-24 Liberator while attached to the 380th Bomb Group.
	B-24 Liberator Darwin 1943
	B-24 Liberator Darwin 1943
	"Bail-out Belle", B-24 Liberator, Darwin, 1943
	"Lucky Don", B-24 Liberator Darwin 1943
	B-24 Liberator Darwin 1943

Photo:- Nettie Wittman

Army issued bible belonging to Private John J. Mulhern
of the 529th Bomb Squadron, 380th Bomb Group

Photo:- Nettie Wittman

Inside front cover of Private John J. Mulhern's bible

Photo:- Nettie Wittman

Inside rear cover of the above bible

The 380th Bomb Group remained in the Northern Territory until February 1945. They then relocated to Murtha Field, San Jose on Midoro Island in the Philippines. They later moved to Yonton airfield, on Okinawa.

380th Bomb Group Crashes in Australia during WWII

Note:- The book "King of the Heavies" - 380th Bomb Group 1942-1945" has an incorrect entry at top right hand column of page 130 for the crash of B-24D Liberator #42-63683 of 528th BS at Fenton Airfield on 7 Nov 1943. Aircraft #42-63683 was not even a B-24 Liberator and was not in the 380th Bomb Group. It is most likely confused with the above entry for #42-40683 "The Colossal Fossil".

E-mails received about the 380th Bomb Group

Nose Art for 380th Bomb Group aircraft.
Photos taken by Alwyn Cyril Thiselton SX28152

REFERENCE BOOKS

"King of the Heavies - 380th Bomb Group 1942-1945"
by Glenn R. Horton, Jr. and Gary L. Horton

"The Flying Circus - 380th Bomb Group"
by James E. Fain, Jr., Howard L. Bergman, Grant C. Cannon and Julian A. Riser, Intelligence Officers of the 380th Bomb Group

"The Best In The Southwest - The 380th Bomb Group In World War II"
by Glenn R. Horton, Jr.

"The Flying Circus - 380th Bomb Group Association"

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Nettie Wittman (cousin of John J. Mulhern), Barbara Gotham and Bob Livingstone for their assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 28 December 1999

This page last updated 17 May 2024