391st Bomb Group

American airmen in London and preparing for a bombing mission from Matching air base.

Scenes of the 391st Bombardment Group before and during the period they were stationed at Matching, Essex, filmed by Lt. Donald J. Hudson. The film titles carry the symbol of the Ninth Air Force, except for the flight to Myrtle Beach which carries the Third Air Force symbol. The planes are seen in the air, filmed from a cockpit, with scenes of the United States ground below. In flight over Matching Green in 1944, the planes are seen in formation, filmed from the ground. The American Red Cross Map of London is shown with an arrow pointing to Trafalgar Square where a long queue of uniformed men and women stand around two sides of the HM Forces Information Office. Film of Nelson’s Column with the base covered in promotional material for the Salute the Soldier campaign. An airman stands looking at the statue. As the previous passenger pays the taxi driver, an airman gets into a black cab. London scenes are filmed from the moving vehicle, including Regent Street looking towards Broadcasting House and All Souls Church, Langham Place, and the Houses of Parliament beyond Trafalgar Square. People in and out of uniform are walking along pavements and crossing the roads. At Matching, after briefing for a bombing mission, the air crews gather around their planes and don their kit. Two of the planes with nose art are Fifinella and Skyhag. The men lark about for a joke, then two planes are seen preparing for take off. From the air, smoke rises from bombed targets. Planes in formation fly against a bright blue sky. On the plane, an airman reads a book. Three planes land at Matching, and flares fall from the sky. Dark scenes show a damaged plane dripping, with missile holes and torn metal. Following their 25th mission, air crews sit in the back of a truck as more suitcases are piled in. Signs for Semley, Wiltshire near Shaftesbury where they would spend their rest and recuperation. There is more of this film not captured in the copy at EAFA.

Keywords

US Air Force; American airmen; Aeroplane nose art; Bombing; World War Two; World War II

Intertitles

391 BOMBARDMENT GROUP 572ND, 3RD, 4TH & 575TH SQUADRONS IN THE USA AND E.T.O. 575TH SQUADRON IN FLIGHT TO MYRTLE BEACH. N.C. 391ST B.G. MARAUDERS IN FLIGHT OVER MATCHING GREEN E.T.O. TRAFALGAR SQUARE AND THE MONUMENT TO LORD NELSON AIR CREWS LEAVE BRIEFING FULLY PRIMED FOR ANOTHER MISSION 391ST B.B. MARAUDERS WITH WOUNDED ABOARD RETURNING TO MATCHING GREEN MAY 1944 AIR CREWS DEPARTING FOR WELL EARNED REST LEAVE AFTER 25 MISSIONS MAY 1, 1944

Other Places

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA London

Background Information

E.T.O. European Theater of Operations Myrtle Beach is in South Carolina - site of Myrtle Beach General Bombing and Gunnery Range Nose art on Fifinella, based on a Roald Dahl character: "In 1943, Walt Disney drew a "Fifinella," depicted as a small winged female gremlin coming in for a landing. She became the Women Airforce Service Pilots official mascot and insignia patch. " "Fifinella put in appearances on WASP flight jackets and in many variations on the noses of bombers." Wikipedia For the detailed history of 391st Bombardment Group see http://www.b26.com/page/391st_bomb_group.htm RAF Matching use by USAAF: Matching was known as USAAF Station AAF-166 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and by which it was referred to instead of location. Its USAAF Station Code was "MT". 391st Bombardment Group The first combat organisation, the 391st Bombardment Group, arrived at Matching on 26 January 1944 from Goodman AAF, Kentucky flying Martin B-26 Marauders. Operational squadrons of the group were: 572d Bombardment Squadron (P2) 573d Bombardment Squadron (T6) 574th Bombardment Squadron (4L) 575th Bombardment Squadron (O8) The group marking was a yellow triangle painted on the tail fin of their B-26s. The first mission was flown on 15 February and 150 more were completed before the group moved into France in late September 1944. The group moved onto the continent, transferring to Roye/Amy, France (ALG A-73) on 19 September 1944. The group then switched to Douglas A-26 Invaders and flew its last mission on 3 May 1945 from Asche, Belgium (ALG Y-29). The 391st Bomb Group returned to the United States in October and was inactivated at Camp Shanks, New York on 25 October 1945. With the move of the 391st to France, this was the end of Matching airfield's association with the Ninth Air Force as a combat airfield. Wikipedia