22ND BOMB GROUP
THE RED RAIDERS
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2
| - HQ Squadron - 2nd Squadron (1940 -1952) - 18th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) - Redesignated 20 Nov 1940 - later 408th Bombardment Squadron - 19th Squadron (1940 -1952) - 33rd Squadron (1940 -1952) - 408th Squadron (22 Apr 42 -1946) - 46 Ordinance Co., 3 Platoon - 453 Ordinance Co., - 484 Ordinance Co. - 1 Chemical Co Detachment |
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A B-18 landing at Eagle
Farm airfield B-18 - Landing speed 90 mph |
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B-26 Marauder #40-1503. One
source indicated that this was the third
B-26 built. Tom Hall has advised that it was the 143rd one built and that #
40-1363 was the third Martin B-26 built. The 22nd Bomb Group had a number of the first production and
prototype B-26's. B-26 - Landing speed 140 mph |
The 22nd Bomb Group was constituted on 22 December 1939 and activated on 1 February 1940. They moved to Langley in the summer of 1941. The 22nd Bomb Group were given the first B-26 Marauders off the production line. But there were problems with a weight distribution issues and the B-26's were grounded. They were then temporarily re-equipped with B-25's in which they undertook Army Manoeuvres in Louisiana. They were based at Ellingtom Field in Houston, Texas.
In November 1941 they were ordered to Savanna, Georgia. They mobilised within 16 hours of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941and re-assembled at Muroc Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert where they were re-equipped with 44 brand new B-26 Marauders. The number was later increased to 51 Marauders. From Dec 1941 through January 1942 they trained in B-18's and B-26's and patrolled the southern coast of California and Mexico. The aircraft were transported, partly dismantled, from San Francisco to Hawaii by ship as they were unable to fly the distance of 2,000 miles under their own power.
18th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) was redesignated the 408th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) 22 April 1942. They arrived in Brisbane on 25 February 1942. They moved to Townsville on 7 April 1942 and then to nearby Reid River on 12 April 1942. They then moved to Dobodura, New Guinea on 15 Oct 1943.
The 18th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) was attached to the 22nd Bombardment Group about September 1940 and assigned to the 22nd Bombardment Group on the 25 Feb 1942. After redesignation to the 408th Bomb Squadron on 22 April 1942 they stayed with the 22nd Bombardment Group until 29 April 1946.
The 22nd Bomb Group was the first complete Air Group of men and aircraft to reach Australia. It was also the only Group totally equipped with B-26 Martin Marauders. Fifty one USAAF B-26 Marauder aircraft from 22nd Light Bombardment group started to arrive in Brisbane on 22 March 1942 on their way to Townsville. They had flown via Palmyra, Canton Island, Nadi (Fiji), and Noumea (New Caledonia). Two crashed into the sea near Palmyra and another one was lost somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. One of the arrivals landed at Archerfield airfield on 25 March 1942 and after skidding on wet grass ran into a house next to the airfield.
The ground echelon had arrived in Brisbane with the Phoenix convoy in USS Grant and were camped at Camp Ascot in Brisbane, while they assembled P-40's until their own aircraft arrived.
Bases for the 2nd Bomb Squadron
Bolling Field, DC, 1 Feb 1940
Langley Field, Va, 14 Nov 1940
Muroc, Calif, c. 9 Dec 1941-29 Jan 1942
Brisbane, Australia, 25 Feb 1942
Ipswich, Australia, 2 Mar 1942
Townsville, Australia, 7 Apr 1942
Reid River, Australia, 9 Apr 1942
Dobodura, New Guinea, 9 Oct 1943
Nadzab, New Guinea, 19 Dec 1943
Owi, Schouten Islands,11 Aug 1944
Leyte, c. 19 Nov I.944
Angaur, c. 28 Nov 1944
Samar, 26 Jan 1945
Clark Field, Luzon, Mar 1945
Okinawa, 18 Aug 1945
Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 23 Nov 1945
Bases for the 19th Bomb Squadron
Patterson Field, Ohio, 1 Feb 1940
Langley Field, Va, 16 Nov 1940
Muroc, Calif, 9 Dec 1941-28 Jan 1942
Brisbane, Australia, 25 Feb 1942
Ipswich, Australia, 2 Mar 1942
Townsville, Australia, 29 Mar 1942
Woodstock, Australia, 4 Jul 1942
Iron Range, Australia, 15 Sep 1942
Woodstock, Australia, 4 Feb 1943
Dobodura, New Guinea, 11 Jul 1943
Nadzab, New Guinea, c. 24 Jan 1944
Owi, Schouten Islands, 22 Jul 1944
Leyte, c. 10 Nov 1944
Anguar, 2 Dec 1944
Samar, 27 Jan 1945
Clark Field, Luzon, c. 15 Mar 1945
Okinawa, 14 Aug 1945
Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 23 Nov 1945
Bases for the 33rd Bomb Squadron
Patterson Field, Ohio, 1 Feb 1940
Langley Field, Va, 16 Nov I940
Muroc, Calif, 9 Dec 1941-28 Jan 1942
Brisbane, Australia, 25 Feb I.942
Ipswich, Australia, 1 Mar 1942
Antil Plains, Australia, 7 Apr 1942
Woodstock, Australia, 20 Jul 1942
Iron Range, Australia, 29 Sep 1942
Woodstock, Australia, 4 Feb 1943
Dobodura, New Guinea, 15 Oct 1943
Nadzab, New Guinea, c. l0 Jan 1944
Owi, Schouten Islands, 14 Aug 1944
Leyte, c. l0 Nov 1944
Angaur, 26 Nov 1944
Samar, 21 Jan 1945
Clark Field, Luzon,12 Mar 1945
Okinawa, 15 Aug 1945
Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 23 Nov 1945
Bases for 408th Bomb Squadron
Langley Field, Va, 15 Nov 1940
Muroc, Calif, 9 Dec 1941-29 Jan 1942
Brisbane, Australia, 25 Feb 1942
Townsville, Australia, 7 Apr 1942
Reid River, Australia, 12 Apr 1942
Dobodura, New Guinea, 15 Oct 1943
Nadzab, New Guinea, 22 Dec 1943
Owi, Schouten Islands, 26 Jul 1944
Leyte, c. 9 Nov 1944
Angaur, c. I Dec 1944
Samar, 14 Jan 1945
Clark Field, Luzon, 13 Mar 1945
Okinawa, c. 21 Aug 1945
Ft William McKinley, Luzon, 23 Nov 1945-29 Apr 1946
The 22nd Bomb Group headed north from Amberley and were dispersed as follows:-
| Headquarters Squadron | Garbutt, Townsville |
| 2nd Squadron | Reid River |
| 18th Reconnaissance Squadron | Reid River |
| 19th Squadron | Stock Route |
| 33rd Squadron | Woodstock & Antill Plains |
The 19th Squadron B-26 Martin Marauders taxied down Duckworth Street from Garbutt airfield to their new home at the northern side of the Stock Route Airfield on 28 March 1942.
On 5 April 1942 the 22nd Bomb Group successfully bombed Rabaul. This was the first B-26 Marauder combat mission during World War 2.
Until 24 May 1942, the 22nd Bomb Group, still based in Townsville, staged through Jackson's Strip, 7 miles from Port Moresby, concentrating their attacks on Rabaul. The last combat mission against Rabaul for the 22nd Bomb Group was on 27 May 1942. After that Mitchell bombers were used by the USAAF to attach Rabaul. During these raids on Rabaul they lost seven B-26 Marauders. They then continued their bombing missions from Townsville against Lae.
The 40th Squadron of the 35th Fighter Group moved in with the 36th Squadron of the 8th Fighter Group at Antil Plains on 17 April 1942. Within a very few days, the 36th Squadron packed up and departed for Port Moresby. Within walking distance of the 40th Squadron's camp was an airfield (pasture?) being used by the 33rd Bomb Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group. Teddy W. Hanks of the 40th Squadron knew one of the gunners in the 33rd, Bomb Squadron and soon located him. Teddy's friend explained that it took three days for them to make a strike against the enemy:-
Day One: Fly to Seven Mile (now Jackson International Airport) at Moresby and refuel the aircraft by hand pumping fuel out of 55 gallon barrels.
Day Two: Fly to Rabaul, make attack and return to Moresby where the aircraft was refuelled.
Day Three: Return to Antil Plains. A strike consisted of six B-26s -- no fighter escorts because none were capable of flying the distance. My friend said they were losing an average of one plane per strike. The day Teddy visited him he had just returned from a mission on which the squadron commanding officer was lost. A few days later the 33rd moved to another location believed to be Woodstock.
Crash of a B-26 Marauder of 2nd Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group at Reid River in March 1942 |
Crash landing of two B-26 Marauders of 22nd Bomb Group at Archerfield Airfield on 25 March 1942 |
After this, they lost another seven aircraft in Australia during training flights. This included a ditching near Palm Island on 21 April 1942.
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On 9 June 1942, B-26 Marauder, #40-1363, (Flying Cross" or "Rum Runner") of the 33rd Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group based at Woodstock, experienced undercarriage problems, and belly landed at Jacksons field, in New Guinea. They had just raided Japanese positions at Lae. Group C.O. Lt. Dwight Divine is standing on the aircraft on the left and pilot Pierre Powell is on the right. Divine took over the controls and made a perfect wheels up landing with both engines dead and props feathered. They were able to fly the B-26 back to their home base at Woodstock the next day with the engine bay tied up with wire. It was then flown to Tocumwal RAAF Air Depot for proper repairs, after which it was flown to Essendon, Melbourne where it is believed to have been used for administrative flights by (Col.?) Haskin. It is at this point it would have been named the "Rum Runner". |
Future American President, Lyndon B. Johnson went on the above same raid. He travelled from Townsville to Port Moresby by B-17. The raid was delayed by an hour waiting for the VIP's that were to accompany them on the raid. The VIP's were Congressman Com. Lyndon Baynes Johnson (USN), General Marquat, Col. G. Anderson (Gen Staff), Lt. Col. Dwight Divine II and Lt. Col. Francis R. Stevens
Lyndon Johnson was initially assigned to Lt. Bench's aircraft, "The Virginian" #40-1508. But he apparently left the aircraft to retrieve his camera and on return he found that Lt. Col. Francis R. Stevens had taken his place on "The Virginian". Lyndon Johnson then changed aircraft from "The Virginian" to Arkie Greer's "Heckling Hare", #40-1488 just before he took off on the mission from 7 Mile airfield in Port Moresby. The crew of "Heckling Hare" apparently also knew their aircraft as "Arkansas Traveller".
This was a fortunate change for Johnson, as "The Virginian" piloted by Lt. Bench crashed into the sea off Lae on this mission with the loss of all on board the aircraft.
Another aircraft on the above mission with Lyndon Johnson was "Dixie", which was flown by Robert Hatch.
After the mission, Lyndon Johnson returned to Australia in General Brett's B-17 Flying Fortress, #40-3097 "Swoose" flown by Captain Frank Kurtz. They almost ran out of fuel when they became lost heading for Cloncurry. They landed in the bush on Carisbrooke Station near Winton. This B-17, "Swoose", then flew back to USA with General Brett. The aircraft is on display at the National Air and Space Museum (N.A.S.M), in Washington.
The 22nd Bomb Group also operated in their B-26 Marauders from Iron Range near the top of Cape York Peninsula, 16 kms inland from the port of facility of Portland Roads. The 19th Squadron were at Iron Range from 15 September 1942 until 4 February 1943 and the 33rd Squadron were there from 29 September 1942 until 4 February 1943 .
The 22nd Bomb Group lost a B-26 Marauder when it crashed spectacularly a few miles from Woodstock on 9 March 1943.
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"Tabu", a B-24 Liberator with the 22nd Bomb Group |
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"Wolf Pack", a B-24 Liberator with the 22nd Bomb Group |
#40-1488, "Heckling Hare" of 19th Squadron and #40-1446, "Miss Mercury" were written off after bad combat damage.
OTHER AIRCRAFT LOSSES IN NEW GUINEA
During an attack on Lae, B-26 Marauder, #40-1468, of the 33rd Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group, collided out to sea off Lae, with an attacking Japanese A6M2 Zero, flown by Leading Airman Mitsuo Suitsu. Both aircraft disintegrated leaving no chance of survivors.
"Rum Runner", #40-1363, of the 19th Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group, was shot up so badly during a mission that she was retired to being used as a ferry aircraft or "Fatcat" as they were called. She often flew around the Bismarck Sea area.
On 6 January 1943, B-26 Marauder, #40-1404, "Shittenengitten", of the 33rd Squadron of the 22nd Bomb Group, made a force landing at 7 Mile airfield at Port Moresby with its hydraulics shot up. The nose art from this aircraft is now on display at the Australian War Memorial. It was recovered from Milne Bay after the war.
#40-1521, "Yankee Clipper" was abandoned by the crew in bad weather near Port Morseby.
#40-1399 "The Avenger", #40-1437 "Shamrock" and #40-1499 "Wabash Cannonball" were destroyed during Japanese air raids.
B-26 Marauder, #40-1422, "So Sorry" was forced to crash land near Buna after being badly shotup by the Tainan Kokutai.
B-26 Marauder, #40-1368, "L'il Rebel" crashed on take-off.
B-26 Marauder, #40-1406 ditched at Cape Killerton on 12 September 1942, when it was unable to climb over the mountains to return to Port Moresby, due to severe combat damage. This was the last casualty that the 22nd Bomb Group suffered during the war.
E-mails from Cyril Klimesh of the 22nd Bomb Group
E-mails from James C. Houston of 2 Squadron
E-mails from Robert Thompson of 22nd Bomb Group
E-Mails from Beverley
Shemberger Prine
Daughter of James F. Shemberger
E-Mails from Arthut J. Du Lac of 2nd Bomb Squadron
E-mail from Norman Culbertson of the 33rd Squadron
CORAL SEA LOG
22ND BOMBARDMENT GROUP
The rumour that Singapore had fallen but the Philippines were still holding were found to be true. A week quickly passed amid trams and prams and right hand drivers and left hand driving. The money change posed a slight problem buying a pint of beer but was soon accompanied by - "Its done this way mate!", from an eager Aussie at the bar, who then inquired eagerly after souvenirs. Finally the ground elements were stationed at Amberley Field outside Brisbane and Ipswich, there to await the arrival of the planes.
The air echelons tarried at March Field, California to see that their Marauders were crated and shipped aboard safely. On February 6th they left the States and arrived at Hickham Field, T.H. in mid February. Here the B-26s were re-assembled and patrolling began. Two ships of the 18th reconnaissance Squadron were detained at Hawaii and were fated to be the first Army planes to make a torpedo attack, on June 4th 1942 on an enemy Naval task force at Midway.
Meanwhile at Amberley Field and nearby Archerfield, the RAAF played host to the 22nd ground echelons, supplying them with blankets, mosquito bars, Aussie shorts, shirts and long woollen socks. Slit trenches were dug and anti-aircraft emplacements were built as Darwin was already being bombed and the invasion of the Australian mainland seemed very real and very close at hand. The Aussies, bitter that their own troops were fighting in the Middle East at a time when Australia itself was likely to be attacked any day showed their gratitude at work and in town. Civilians who had sons themselves far from home opened their homes to the Americans.
A camp was built at the Rochleigh (Rocklea perhaps?) School House and was later used to house evacuees coming from Java. Dutch pilots and officers were seen in Lennon's Hotel in Brisbane. The 22nd helped set up the A.P.O. in Brisbane it released experienced personnel to G.H.Q. in Melbourne and helped form the base section of Brisbane at Somerville House. But the most important work of all was the splendid job the ground crews did in assembling aircraft new to them - the P-40 and P-39 aircraft were arriving in crates. Aussies and Yanks worked side by side on the assembly lines inside hangars and the Yanks irritated by the Aussies taking time out for "tea" and "smoke-o's" during what they considered working hours and while a war was going on really outdid themselves.
On March 22nd 1942, the first flight of the 22nd air echelon arrived at Amberley Field - the first Air Force Group, completely armed to fly the Pacific en masse.
Commands had shifted by this time within the Group. Lt. Commander Millard L. Haskin was now in command. The squadron leaders were:-
| 1st Lt. Hugh B. Manson | H.Q. Squadron |
| 1st Lt. George R. Anderson | 2nd Squadron, |
| Lt. Col. Dwight Divine | 11 18th Squadron |
On April 24th 1942, the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron was redesignated the 408th Bombardment Squadron of the 22nd Bombardment Group, and was now under the command of Captain Brian O'Neill, one of the most colourful Squadron Commanders this Group has had.
As soon as the Group was assembled plans were made to move it to a more forward area. The Group C.O. and the Squadron commanders flew ahead to Garbutt Field, Townsville, North Queensland, to select camp sites and establish maintenance facilities. No depot repairs were as yet available.
By the first few days of April, the Group moved into sites outside Townsville. Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron as well as the 19th Squadron remained at Garbutt Field while the 33rd moved out to Antill Plains about 20 miles south of Townsville. The 2nd and 408th Squadrons continued on to Reid River another 20 miles beyond Antill Plains. From Garbutt Field, on April 5th 1942, the 22nd Bombardment Group took off to strike at Rabaul, New Britain, the key air and shipping base in the south-west Pacific.
On this first blow at Japanese shipping, Lt. R.W. Robinson, Lt. Mo. Johnson, Lt. Bumgarner, Lt. Moye, Lt. Reed, Lt. Craft, Lt. Herron, and Lt. Ray, with their crews, participated - and successfully sank a transport. Lt. Moye's ship, hit by Ack-Ack, crash-landed at sea later, killing S/Sgt. Bourne, the crew chief, and painfully smashing up Lt. Dreasher, the bombardier. The crew managed to return to the Group.
On April 18th, Lt. G. Lewis, Lt. Powell, Lt. Frank Coleman, Lt. George Kahle, Lt. Almeida, Lt. R.W. Robinson, Lt. Glenn and Lt. William A. Garnett, and their crews made another strike at Lakunai Drome and shipping at Rabaul, successfully bombed and strafed grounded Jap Zeros, heavy bombers, moored flying boats, and sank a 7,400 ton tanker, a 7,000 ton merchant ship, and damaged another merchant ship of 6,500 tons. Individual bombing runs were made at different times from different directions. As Lt. Kahle was leaving the target, the Zeros pursuing him peeled off and climbed to intercept Lt. Garnett's ship which was just beginning its bombing run. His ship was last seen entering a cloud over the target, trying to shake off the Zeros on its tail. Since then news has reached the Group that one of the crew, Sgt. Sanger Reed, is now a prisoner of war in Japan. The entire Group missed the capable Squadron Leader with a brilliant future ahead of him - Lt. Garnett, idolised by both officers, and enlisted men of his 33rd Squadron. These missions had no pursuit protection and four B-26 holding off as many as 20 aggressive and determined Zeros were common odds. Zeros were able to attack as the bombers approached, then would peel off to give the Ack-Ack a chance, and then would pick up the formation after the bombing run and close in again.
Port Moresby Memoirs: The B-26 Marauders of this group departed from Garbutt Field (Townsville), loaded with bombs for Port Moresby where they refuelled and the pilots received scanty briefing before taking off on their mission. Each mission was invariably 2,600 miles with 1,300 of those miles carrying bombs, and in the main, 2,400 miles of it was over shark infested waters. The overland section of the usual flight path, meant the aircraft had to deal with the cloud covered mountains which jutted to 10,000 feet and were matted over with thick pestilent jungle growth, inhabited by treacherous natives on the whole and a ruthless enemy, should an aircraft be unfortunate to crash. Moresby itself, was a malaria-infested hole at the time and since no adequate living quarters of any kind were available, the crews had to bring their own bedding and mosquito bars and sleep under the wings of their planes. As for food, it consisted of emergency rations with bread being a rarity. Operational aids had not yet been installed and there was no Radar available at the field to give an imminent air-raid warning. Such warnings were signalled by a frantically hoisted red flag on top of the Operation Tower, followed by the Tower personnel themselves frantically tumbling down stairs headed for the nearest suitable hole in the ground, knowing that they had only three minutes to find a suitable hole in the ground to crawl into.
The lack of revetments for plane dispersal meant that the pilots had to take off often with cold engines and with bombs raining down, followed by Zeros diving and strafing them as they took off in an effort to save their aircraft from destruction. The lack of fighters in any numbers meant that there was little protection for the airfield and of course there could be no pursuit protection for the B-26 against the many Zeros that seemed always to appear from the clouds to attack. All missions were carried out therefore without fighter cover except for any special attacks on Lae and Salamua over the Owen Stanley Range. To the U.S. combat aircrews, the terrain was very un-familiar and maps were rarely available on time, while those that were found were usually inaccurate. Weather forecasting was practically nil, and whole formations took off time and again only to turn back because of the weather. Combat intelligence was just beginning to operate at this time and was of little use to any extent to the combat crews. In spite of the many difficulties and conditions prevailing at the time the Squadron carried out many of its missions inflicting damage on the enemy, achieving credits for 94 enemy aircraft shot down in the air in the first ten months of operations. When the B-26 Marauders passed their allotted number of flying hours and were due for major engine overhaul, this group changed over to B-25 Mitchell aircraft.
2nd SQUADRON, 22nd BOMBARDMENT GROUP
UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE
THE MOVEMENTS OF THE 2nd/22nd BOMBARDMENT GROUP IN AUSTRALIA
1942
The P-40 aircraft is one in which Col. Bond, one of the leading aces in the Pacific, flew. While stationed at Ipswich, the 22nd Bombardment Group flew a few missions to Port Moresby, Rabaul, New Britain, then returned.
Within a few weeks the aircraft and crews were moved to Garbutt Field Townsville and from there the 22nd Squadron, along with 408 Squadron moved to Reid River. The 19th and 33rd Squadrons moved to Antil Plains. The next move was to Iron Range with combat crews and there to Port Moresby and all proceeded north as the war progressed.
Sydney Robert Lynch (Q114569) died at Iron Range on 30 September 1942.
Can anyone help with details of his death.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I'd like to thank Tom Hall of California for his assistance with this web page.
REFERENCE BOOKS
"Wings Around Us"
by Rod Cardell
The Forgotten Fifth
A Classic Photographic Chronology of the
Fifth Air Force in Action in the Pacific in WW2
By Michael Claringbould
"Gateway to
Victory"
by Noel Tunny
"Fight Back from the
North"
by Noel Tunny
Can anyone help me with more information?
"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
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© Peter Dunn OAM 2020 |
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e-mail me |
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This page first produced 5 July 1998
This page last updated 20 February 2020
