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Welcome to the 381st Bombardment Group (Heavy) Web Site Minimize

If you served with any unit associated with the 381st Bombardment Group (Heavy) at Ridgwell, England, Station 167, -- in any capacity -- during World War II, or are related to someone who did, we invite you to join our association.

NOTE:  The Unit Roster is online, thanks to all who have submitted corrections.  Unit Roster Link.  Have also added a brief MOS db and 381st MACR db.

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381st PresidentReunion 2009

July 2, 2009 Reunion Reminder; Charleston SC Aug. 23-28, 2009

We are now three weeks away from the hotel and activities registration cutoff date for the 33rd reunion of the 381st BG to be held in Charleston, South Carolina from Aug 23-28th.  See the reunion tab for details and to request registration materials.

Last week marked sixty six years since  the 381st flew the first combat mission on June 22, 1943.  We are fortunate to have several original members of the group who flew that mission join us in Charleston this year.  Other 381st veterans from the later combat periods will also be present.  We value our time with all of these WWII veterans in recalling the history and honoring those who did not return. 

If you have not joined the memorial association or attended a reunion, consider doing so.  We welcome not only veterans but also descendants and friends who wish to preserve the group history and honor the 381st veterans.  We need your support to continue the reunions and activities of the memorial association.  Our WWII veterans will not be with us forever and we have an exciting week of reunion activities planned.  Wishing everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration. Hope to see you in Charleston.

Kevin Wilson, PhD

President, 381st Bomb Group Memorial Association

Email: Wilsonkvn@aol.com

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February 26, 2009

The February Newsletter has been mailed to 381st BGMA association members.  If your address, phone number, or email information has changed, please advise Joe Waddell.  The Association contact information is posted on the association tab of the website.  For those who prefer to receive the Newsletter by pdf email rather than a mailed print copy, this option is now available and helps reduce printing and mailing costs for the association.  You can elect this option with an email to the secretary.  We are updating the association directory this year and would appreciate notice of any changes to your listing information.

Final details for the 2009 reunion in Charleston are nearly complete and reunion info. packets will be mailed after the schedule is complete.  Dates and outline of activities are available now on the Reunion 2009 tab listed above.  It looks to be a great week of activities including our visit to the Mighty Eighth Museum.

We are still collecting 381st mission records and formation sheets together with other items as detailed in the newletter.  Thank you to those who have already provided this information.  These items help fill in gaps in the group history data and add to the considerable resources which we have for responding to inquiries about 381st BG history from veterans, families, and friends of the group.

Kevin Wilson, PhD President, 381st BGMA


October 8, 2008  The association had a smaller but very successful reunion in San Diego, CA from 10/1-10/4.  We had two days of tours of the area with harbor cruise, remembered the fallen at the Memorial luncheon, and enjoyed the annual banquet.  Details to follow in the newsletter.

Reunion for 2009 is scheduled for Charleston, South Carolina from Sunday 8/23 to Wednesday 8/26, 2009 with optional group tour to the Mighty 8th Museum in Savannah on Thurs 8/27. Note the reunion schedule is different than has been usual over recent years. Click on the reunion tab for full details.   Thank you to all those who have contributed to the 381st Memorial and 381st Scholarship funds.  

 

August 6, 2008

The Association newsletter has been mailed and is enroute to all members.  Mail delivery for this type of mail varies around the country but the newsletter should arrive soon if you have not already received it. You will find a response form to send back confirming your mail and email addresses for the updated association directory to be printed this fall.  Please respond so our directory information will be current.  We are also requesting your donations to the Memorial Fund for the maintenance of the 381st Memorial at Ridgewell and the Scholarship Fund for the college scholarships sponsored by the association.  Please support these worthy efforts in memory of the 381st BG.

Reminder: Deadline for submitting 2008 reunion registration activities is rapidly approaching on August 28th.  Hope to see many of you in San Diego Oct 1-4.  Click on the reunion tab for details.

Kevin Wilson,PhD  President, 381st Bomb Group Memorial Association   Email:Wilsonkvn@aol.com


 

May 23, 2008

Reunion packets are now enroute to all association members for this October 2008 reunion in San Diego.  Click on the updated 2008 Reunion tab for more details of the reunion.  This is the 30th reunion for the Memorial Association and we are hoping for good attendance from our vets, their son and daughters, grandchildren, and friends of the group.

Hope that everyone has a good Memorial Day Holiday.  We remember all of our veterans this weekend including those who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives in service to our country.  From 1943-1945, the 381st Bomb Group lost 585 men with many more wounded and POW.  The group history pamphlet published at the end of the war was dedicated to "those who paved the way to the target with their lives"  We honor their service and do not forget.

Kevin Wilson
President, 381st Bomb Group Memorial Association
 

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381st Forum - latest posts Minimize

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:44:20 -0400

Forum Members: Received notice today from family on the passing of Leslie Alexander, 532nd Bomb Squadron, 381st BG, on July 1, 2009. Leslie Alexander was a tailgunner on the Jack McGregor crew completing his missions in the summer of 194

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:55:38 -0400

Thanks Lucky. This adds greatly to my research. Appreciate it very much.

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:43:21 -0400

Scott, Here is what I have in the database on Wayne Schomburg. Sorry my information on the 534th is not as complete.

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 07:15:29 -0400

Kevin,  Perfect! Thank you. I will contact you via e-mail for more info... Thanks for taking a minute to post this! I really appreciate the pointers and want to make this a memorable and educational trip!   Can't thank those from the 381st memor

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:17:00 -0400

Scott: The information on specific missions comes mainly from crew loading lists which show the aircraft number and personnel who flew in each crew position for that mission. For pilots only, we also have formation sheets for s

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:40:04 -0400

Lucky, where did you find this flight log? I would love to find such a list for my cousin Wayne Schomburg who was a pilot with the 534th Sq., 381st BG.

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:23:18 -0400

Cathi: I would echo recommendations from Al and Bob about contacting Jim Tennet and Dave Osborne. I just made this trip with a 381st vet in May and they were great tour guides around the Ridgewell area and what remains of the bas

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:17:30 -0400

Terry, Hopefully you will find the attached file interesting.

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:00:31 -0400

Hi Terry I have loaded a couple of photos (Frenchy's Folly and Our Boarding House) up into the photo gallery/aircraft for you. Contact me if you would like the 1mb versions. I would however appreciate it if your photos are different that you could

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:59:48 -0400

My father was in the 381st BG, unit 533 BS. He passed away in December 1992 and I found a shoebox under his bed with a document of "Certification of Operational Missions" listing 35 missions, mission #1 from 24 Aug 1944 (Weimer, Germany) to mi

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