II Bomber Command explained

Unit Name:II Bomber Command
Dates:1941-1943
Branch:
Role:Command and training of bomber units

The II Bomber Command is a disbanded United States Air Force unit. It was established in September 1941, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor to command heavy bomber units assigned to Second Air Force. Following the entry of the United States into World War II, it flew patrols off the northwest Pacific coast. However, its main efforts soon began organizing and training heavy bomber units and aircrews. By 1943, the command had become the only command under Second Air Force conducting operational training, and on 6 October 1943 it was disbanded as redundant and its functions absorbed by Second Air Force or transferred to the bomber commands of the other continental air forces.

History

Initial operations

GHQ Air Force (GHQ, AF) had been established with two major combat functions, to maintain a striking force against long range targets, and the air defense of the United States.[1] In the spring of 1941, GHQ, AF reorganized its Northwest Air District as 2nd Air Force. To carry out its mission of training and maintaining a strike force, 2nd Air Force organized 2nd Bomber Command at Fort George Wright, Washington in September 1941, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor.[2]

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the command began to perform antisubmarine and air defense patrols along the Pacific coast. Although off shore patrols continued to some degree until May 1943, by early 1942, it had become apparent that having two commands responsible for air defense in the Western Theater of Operations was impractical, and 4th Air Force assumed responsibility for air defense of the entire Pacific coast.[3] Later in 1942, the Navy was able to assume the air antisubmarine mission entirely.[4]

Unit and crew training

As the United States entered World War II it found that its traditional system of splitting off cadres from existing groups, with the groups performing "self training" to become combat ready was inadequate for the huge expansion of the Army Air Forces (AAF) taking place. Old groups needed to be kept at or near full strength so that they could deploy overseas or perform air defense duties in the US and it was hard to spare experienced aircrew to act as instructors. Instead, planners began to look at the Operational Training Unit (OTU) system of the Royal Air Force as a model. This system provided additional training on unit tactics, rather than concentrating on individual proficiency. In January 1942, the commander of 3d Bomber Command, Follett Bradley, urged the adoption of the OTU system.[5]

In early February 1942, the OTU program was adopted for 2nd and 3rd Air Forces, and it was expected that these two air forces would be able to manage the AAF's unit training program. Units designated as OTUs, referred to as "parent" units, would be brought up to full strength, and then a "satellite" unit would be added and also brought up to full strength.[6] During World War II, the unit trained most heavy bomber (Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator) bombardment groups.[7] The command's wings specialized in a single phase of training: Phase I (individual training); Phase II (crew training) and Phase III (unit training).[8]

At about the same time, the command began to implement the Replacement Training Unit system. to train replacement aircrews for overseas deployment. This replaced the system by which experienced personnel were withdrawn from units in the United States for overseas assignment with one in which oversized units were formed expressly to train aircrews for deployment. This training became the most important training for heavy bomber units by 1943.[9]

Disbanding the command

However, by 1943, the command had become redundant. 2nd Fighter Command had transferred its air defense mission to 4th Fighter Command and in the fall of 1942, had transferred to the Southwest Pacific Theater as V Fighter Command.[10] 2nd Air Support Command transferred to Third Air Force when the AAF decided to concentrate all light bomber, medium bomber, and reconnaissance under Third's control at the beginning of 1943.[11] As the only remaining operational command in Second Air Force, II Bomber Command became an extra layer of command. Even earlier, during 1942, it had functioned more like a staff agency than as an independent command. It was disbanded in October 1943.[2] [12] At about the same time, some heavy bomber training was transferred to the other three continental air forces to make possible additional combined training between fighter and bomber units.[13]

Lineage

Activated on 5 September 1941

Disbanded on 6 October 1943[2]

Assignments

Components

Wings

Groups

Stations

Campaigns

See also

References

Notes

Explanatory notes
Citations

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Cate & Williams, p. 152
  2. Maurer, p.439
  3. Goss, pp. 294-295
  4. Ferguson, pp. 82–83
  5. White, pp. 9-10
  6. White, pp. 11-13
  7. White, p. 27
  8. White, pp. 27-28
  9. White, pp. 16-17
  10. Web site: Factsheet Fifth Air Force (PACAF). Robertson. Patsy. August 26, 2009. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 14, 2021.
  11. Web site: Factsheet Third Air Force (USAFE). Haulman. Daniel L.. April 4, 2019. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 9, 2021.
  12. White, p. 21
  13. White, p. 28
  14. Maurer indicated the unit was constituted as the "II" Bomber Command. However, the unit originally held an arabic number in its designation. Only in September 1942, did the Army establish that commands would be identifified with roman numerals. Web site: Air Force Historical Research Agency Organizational Reconds: Types of USAF Organizations. 9 January 2008. Air Force History Index. 19 September 2016.
  15. Web site: Factsheet Second Air Force (AETC). Ream. Margaret. September 9, 2020. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 12, 2021.
  16. Web site: Abstract, History II Bomber Command Dec 1941-Oct 1943. Air Force History Index. January 9, 2022.
  17. Web site: Factsheet 17 Air Division . Air Force Historical Research Agency . https://web.archive.org/web/20121030115712/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10070 . 4 October 2007. 30 October 2012. 9 April 2014.
  18. Web site: Factsheet 46 Operations Group (AFMC). Robertson. Patsy. 4 September 2008. Air Force Historical Research Agency . https://web.archive.org/web/20110507070606/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9695 . May 7, 2011. 31 January 2022.
  19. Web site: Factsheet 58 Air Division (Defense) . 5 October 2007. Air Force Historical Research Agency . https://web.archive.org/web/20121014044615/http://www.afhra.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=10112 . 14 October 2012. 2 April 2014.
  20. Web site: Factsheet 7 Operations Group (ACC). Haulman. Daniel. June 27, 2017. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 27, 2021.
  21. Web site: Factsheet 39 Air Base Wing (USAFE). Haulman. Daniel. June 8, 2017. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 30, 2021.
  22. Web site: Factsheet 42 Air Base Wing (AETC). Haulman. Daniel. June 13, 2018. Air Force Historical Research Agency. December 30, 2021.
  23. Web site: Factsheet 46 Operations Group (AFMC). Robertson. Patsy. September 4, 2008. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 11, 2022.
  24. Web site: Factsheet 91 Operations Group (AFSPC). Robertson. Patsy. May 28, 2010. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 10, 2022.
  25. Web site: Factsheet 94 Operations Group (AFRC). Robertson. Patsy. July 11, 2017. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 11, 2022.
  26. Web site: Factsheet 95 Air Base Wing (AFMC). Robertson. Patsy. June 30, 2010. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 11, 2022.
  27. Web site: Factsheet 100 Air Refueling Wing (USAFE). Stephens. Maj Tonia. January 9, 2019. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 10, 2022.
  28. Web site: Factsheet 305 Operations Group (AMC). Kane. Robert B.. October 28, 2010. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 11, 2022.
  29. Haulman, Daniel L, Lineage & Honors History of the 384th Air Expeditionary Group, 4 December 2001, Air Force Historical Research Agency
  30. Web site: Lineage and Honors History of the 385 Air Expeditionary Group (AMC) . Haulman . Daniel L. . Air Force Historical Research Agency . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104003504/http://www.foia.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-091225-005.pdf . 4 November 2013 . 20 December 2016 . dead .
  31. Web site: Factsheet 388 Operations Group (ACC). Robertson. Patsy. 28 December 2011. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 19, 2022.
  32. Lineage & Honors, 389 Strategic Missile Wing, through 1965, USAF Historical Research Center
  33. Lineage & Honors, 390 Strategic Missile Wing (ICBM - Titan), 31 January 1084 [sic], USAF Historical Research Center
  34. Haulman, Daniel L. Lineage & Honors History, 392 Air Expeditionary Group (ACC), 27 April 2004, USAF Historical Research Center
  35. Web site: Factsheet 445 Operations Group (AFRC). Kane. Robert B.. 30 October 2012. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 16, 2022.
  36. Web site: Factsheet 446th Operations Group (AFRC). Robertson. Patsy. 19 November 2012. Air Force Historical Research Agency. 2 September 2012.
  37. Web site: Factsheet 451 Air Expeditionary Group (ACC). Lacomia. John M.. 3 May 2018. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 16, 2022.
  38. Web site: Factsheet 452 Operations Group (AFRC). Robertson. Patsy. 20 November 2012. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 17, 2022.
  39. Web site: Factsheet 455 Air Expeditionary Wing (ACC). Lacomia. John M.. 14 November 2017. Air Force Historical Research Agency. January 17, 2022.
  40. Web site: Factsheet 460 Space Wing (AFSPC). Bailey. Carl E.. 23 May 2018. Air Force Historical Research Agency. 14 June 2019.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "II Bomber Command".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.