List of units using the B-26 Marauder during World War II

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This is a, believed to be comprehensive, list of military units to use the Martin B-26 Marauder during World War II. This list was created using the public content located at B26.com, the content from the B-26 Martin Marauder Historical Society, and data from the United States Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Verification of this list with records supplied by the United States Air Force and Royal Air Force is ongoing.

Contents:
U.S. Army Air Corps	U.S. Navy	U.S. Marine Corps
Fifth Air Force Eighth Air Force Ninth Air Force Eleventh Air Force Twelfth Air Force Thirteenth Air Force USAAF support units Tow target squadrons	Utility Squadrons Photographic Squadron	VMJ-1 VMJ-2 VMJ-3
French Air Force • Royal Air Force • South African Air Force Other units • References

United States Army Air Corps/Army Air Forces

From the date the first B-26 Marauder was shipped to the United States War Department in 1939, the B-26 began operation for the United States Army Air Corps. It would remain in operation for them until 20 June 1941 when it was renamed the Army Air Forces; it would operate for them until the end of World War II. During this period the B-26 Marauder and its many variants were operated by many units on many continents and serving in many different theaters of conflict. Amazingly the B-26 which had a poor reputation among pilots would end the war with the lowest casualty rating of any medium range bomber flown by these forces.

Fifth Air Force

22d Bomb Group

Reference Link: [1]

Location: US & SW Pacific

Bomb Squadrons:

• 2d (1941–1943)
• 19th (1941–1944)
• 33d (1941–1943)
• 408th (1941–1943)

Stations:

• Mitchel Field, NY - 1 February 1940
• Lanley Field, VA - 14 November 1940
• Muroc, Calif - 9 December 1941-31 January 1942
• Brisbane, Australia - 25 February 1942
• Ipswich, Australia - 7 March 1942
• Townsville, Australia - 7 April 1942
• Woodstock, Australia - 5 July 1942
• Iron Range, Australia - 29 September 1942
• Woodstock, Australia - 4 February 1943
• Dobodura, New Guinea - Oct. 1943
• Nadzab, New Guinea - Jan. 1944
• Owi, Schouten Islands - 17 August 1944
• Leyte - 15 November 1944
• Angaur - 26 November 1944
• Samar - 21 January 1945
• Clark Field, Luzon - March 1945
• Okinawa - 15 August 1945
• Luzon - Nov. 1945

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citations: Papua (23 July 1942 - 23 January 1943) and New Guinea (5 November 1943)
• Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

Eighth Air Force

25th Bomb Group

Reference Link: [2][3]

Location: European Theater (OSS Reconnaissance Unit)

Bomb Squadrons:

• 654th

Stations:

• Station 376, at RAF Watton, Norfolk, England - Apr '44 - Jul '45

Decorations:

Ninth Air Force

First Pathfinder Squadron

Reference Link: [4]

Location: European Theater, England and France. Provisional, flew last ever B-26 Mission May 3, 1945.
Bomb Squadrons: 1st Pathfinder Squadron (Provisional), detached.(1944–1945)
Stations: Great Saling (Station #485), England (Feb. 1944 - Sept. 1944);
Beauvais-Tille (Station #A-61), France (Sept. 1944-1945)

Decorations:

322d Bomb Group

Reference Link: [5]

Location: European Theater (Originally part of the Eighth Air Force, Transferred Oct. 1943)

Bomb Squadrons:

• 449th (1942–1945)
• 450th (1942–1945)
• 451st (1942–1945)
• 452d (1942–1945)

Stations:

• MacDill Field, FL - 17 July 1942
• Drane Field, FL - 22 September.- Nov. 1942
• Rougham, England - 1 December 1942
• Great Saling, England - Jan. 1943
• Beauvais/Tille, France - Sept. 1944
• Le Culot, Belgium - March 1945
• Fritzlar, Germany - June-Sept. 1945
• Camp Kilmer, NJ - 14–15 December 1945

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: ETO (14 May 1943-24 July 1944)

See also:

• Flak Bait

323d Bomb Group

Reference Link: [6]

Location: European Theater (Originally part of the Eighth Air Force, Transferred Oct. 1943)

Bomb Squadrons:

• 453d (1942–1945)
• 454th (1942–1945)
• 455th (1942–1945)
• 456th (1942–1945)

Stations:

• Columbia AAB, SC - 4 August 1942
• MacDill Field, FL - 21 August 1942
• Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, SC - 2 November 1942-25 April 1943
• Horham, England - 12 May 1943
• Earls Colne, England - 14 June 1943
• Beaulieu, England - 21 July 1944
• Lessay, France - 21 September 1944
• Laon/Athies, France - 9 February 1945
• Gablingen, Germany - 15 May 1945
• Landsberg, Germany - 16 July 1945
• Clastres, France - Oct.- Dec. 1945
• Camp Myles Standish, MA - 11–12 December 1945

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: Belgium and Germany (24–27 December 1944)

344th Bomb Group

Reference Link: [7]

Location: European Theater

Bomb Squadrons:

• 494th (1942–1946)
• 495th (1942–1945)
• 496th (1942–1945)
• 497th (1942–1945)

Stations:

• MacDill Field, FL - 8 September 1942
• Drane Field, FL - 28 December 1942
• Hunter Field, GA - 19 December 1943-26 January 1944
• Stansted, England - 9 February 1944
• Cormeilles-en-Vexin, France - 30 September 1944
• Florennes/Juzaine, Belgium - 5 April 1945
• Schleissheim, Germany - 15 September 1945-15 February 1946
• Bolling Field, DC - 15 February.-31 March 1946

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: France (24–26 July 1944)

386th Bomb Group

Reference Link:[8]

Location: European Theater (Originally part of the Eighth Air Force, Transferred Oct. 1943)

Bomb Squadrons:

• 552d (1942–1945)
• 553d (1942–1945)
• 554th (1942–1945)
• 555th (1942–1945)

Stations:

• MacDill Field, FL - 1 December 1942
• Lake Charles AAB, LA - 9 February.- 8 May 1943
• Snetterton Heath, England - 3 June 1943
• Boxted, England - 10 June 1943
• Great Dunmow, England - 24 September 1943
• Beaumont-sur-Oise, France - 2 October 1944
• St-Trond, Belgium - 9 April–July 1945
• Seymour Johnson Field, NC - 7 August 1945
• Westover Field, MA - 30 September.-7 November 1945

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: ETO (30 July 1943 - 30 July 1944)

387th Bomb Group

Reference Link: [9]

Location: European Theater (Originally part of the Eighth Air Force, Transferred Oct. 1943)

Bomb Squadrons:

• 556th (1942–1945)
• 557th (1942–1945)
• 558th (1942–1945)
• 559th (1942–1945)

Stations:

• MacDill Field, FL - 1 December 1942
• Drane Field, FL - 12 April 1943
• Godman Field, KY - 11 May-10 June 1943
• Chipping Ongar, England - 25 June 1943
• Stony Cross, England - 18 July 1944
• Chateaudun, France - 18 September 1944
• Clastres, France - 30 October 1944
• Beek, Holland - 29 April 1945
• Rosieres-en-Santerre, France - 24 May-Nov. 1945
• Camp Kilmer, NJ - 14–17 November 1945

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany (23 December 1944)

391st Bomb Group

Reference Link: [10]

Location: European Theater

Bomb Squadrons:

• 572d (1943–1945)
• 573d (1943–1945)
• 574th (1943–1945)
• 575th (1943–1945)

Stations:

• MacDill Field, FL - 21 January 1943
• Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, SC - 24 May 1943
• Godman Field, KY - 4 September.-31 December 1943
• Matching, England - 25 January 1944
• Roye/Amy, France - 19 September 1944
• Assche, Belgium - 16 April 1945
• Vitry-en-Artois, France - 27 May-27 July 1945
• Camp Shanks, NY - Oct.- 25 October 1945

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany (23–26 December 1944)

394th Bomb Group

Reference Link: [11]

Location: European Theater

Bomb Squadrons:

• 584th (1943–1946)
• 585th (1943–1946)
• 586th (1943–1946)
• 587th (1943–1945)

Stations:

• MacDill Field, FL - 5 March 1943
• Ardmore AAFld, OK - 12 July 1943
• Kellogg Field, MI - 19 August 1943-15 February 1944
• Boreham, England - 11 March 1944
• Holmsley, England - 24 July 1944
• Tour-en-Bessin, France 24 August 1944
• Bricy, France - 8 October 1944
• Venlo, Holland - 2 May 1945
• Kitzgingen, Germany - Sep 1945 -15 February 1946

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: France (7–9 August 1944)
• French Croix de Guerre with Palm: France (6 June - 14 September 1944)

397th Bomb Group

Reference Link: [12]

Location: European Theater

Bomb Squadrons:

• 596th (1943–1945)
• 597th (1943–1946)
• 598th (1943–1945)
• 599th (1943–1945)

Stations:

• MacDill Field, FL - 20 April 1943
• Avon Park Bombing Range, FL - 12 October 1943
• Hunter Field, GA - 1 November 1943-13 March 1944
• Gosfield, England - 5 April 1944
• Rivenhall, England - 15 April 1944
• Hurn, England - 5 August 1944
• Gorges, France - Aug. 1944
• Dreux, France - 11 September 1944
• Peronne, France - 6 October 1944
• Venlo, Holland - 25 April 1945
• Camp Kilmer, NJ - 5–6 January 1946

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: Eller, Germany (23 December 1944)

410th Bomb Group

Reference Link: [13]

Location: European Theater

Bomb Squadrons:

• 644th
• 645th
• 646th (only operated B-25's)
• 647th

Stations:

• Birch, England - April 1944
• Gosfield, England - April 1944 - Sept. 1944
• Coulommiers, France - Sept. 1944 - Feb. 1945
• Juvincourt, France - Feb 1945 - May 1945
• Beaumont-sur-Oise, Belgium - May 1945 - end World War II

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 23–25 December 1944

Eleventh Air Force

28th Bomb Group (Composite)

Reference Link: [14]

Location: Alaska and the Aleutians

Bomb Squadrons:

• 73d (1941–1943)
• 77th (1942–1945)

Stations: 73rd:

• Elmendorf Field, AK - 14 March 1941 (operated from Ft. Randall, Umnak, Adak, and Amchitka, 1942–1943)
• Umnak - April 1943;
• Amchitka - June-30 August 1943
• Paine Field, WA - 14 September 1943

77th:

• Elmendorf Field, AK - 29 December 1941 (operated from Umnak beginning 30 May 1942)
• Adak - 3 October 1942 (operated from Adak beginning 12 December 1942 and from Attu beginning 22 July 1943)
• Amchitka - 11 September 1943

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: Kuril Islands (1 April 1944 - 13 August 1945)

Twelfth Air Force

17th Bomb Group

Reference Link: [15]

Location: North African Theater

Bomb Squadrons:

• 34th (1931–1945)
• 37th (1931–1945)
• 95th (1931–1945)
• 432d (1942–1945)

Stations:

• March Field, CA - 15 July 1931
• McChord Field, WA - 24 June 1940
• Pendleton, OR - 29 July 1941
• Lexington County Aprt, SC - 9 February 1942
• Barksdale Field, LA - 23 June-Nov. 1942
• Telergma, Algeria - Dec. 1942
• Sedrata, Algeria - 10 May 1943
• Djedeida, Tunisia - 23 June 1943
• Sardinia - Nov. 1943
• Corsica - 14 September 1944
• Dijon, France - 20 November 1944
• Horshing, Austria - June 1945
• Clastres, France - 3 October.-Nov. 1945

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citations: Italy (13 January 1944) and Schweinfurt, Germany (10 April 1945)
• French Croix de Guerre with Palm: April, May, and June 1944

Location: North African Theater

Bomb Squadrons:

• 437th (1942–1945)
• 438th (1942–1945)
• 439th (1942–1945)
• 440th (1942)

Stations:

• Barksdale Field, LA - 26 June 1942
• Harding Field, LA - 8–27 August 1942
• Shipdham, England - 12 September 1942
• Horseham St. Faith, England - 4 October 1942
• St. Leu, Algeria - 11 November 1942
• Tafaraoui, Algeria - 18 November 1942
• Maison Blanche, Algeria - 24 November 1942
• Telergma, Algeria - 12 December 1942
• Oujda, French Morocco - 25 April 1943
• Sedrata, Algeria - 1 June 1943
• Djedeida, Tunisia - 26 June 1943
• Sardinia - 1 November 1943
• Corsica - 21 September 1944- 1 January 1945
• Bradley Field, CT - 25 January 1945
• Columbia AAB, SC - 28 February.- 27 April 1945
• Kadena, Okinawa - 21 July-21 November 1945
• Ft. Lewis, WA - 17–18 December 1945

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citations: Rome, Italy (3 March 1944) and Florence, Italy (11 March 1944)
• French Croix de Guerre with Palm: Apr, May, and June 1944

320th Bomb Group

Reference Link: [16]

Location: North African Theater

Bomb Squadrons:

• 441st (1942–1945)
• 442d (1942–1945)
• 443d (1942–1945)
• 444th (1942–1945)

Stations:

• MacDill Field, FL - 23 June 1942
• Drane Field, FL - 8–28 August 1942
• Hethel, England - 12 September 1942
• La Senia, Algeria - 2 December 1942
• Tafaraoui, Algeria - 28 January 1943
• Montesquieu, Algeria - 9 April 1943
• Massicault, Tunisia - 29 June 1943
• El Bathan, Tunisia - 28 June 1943
• Sardinia - 1 November 1943
• Corsica - 18 September 1944
• Dijon/Longvic, France - 11 November 1944
• Dole/Tavaux, France - 1 April 1945
• Herzogenaurach, Germany - 18 June 1945
• Clastres, France - Oct.-Nov. 1945
• Camp Myles Standish, MA - 3–4 December 1945

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citations: Italy (12 May 1944) and ETO (15 March 1945)
• French Croix de Guerre with Palm: April, May and June 1944

Thirteenth Air Force

42d Bomb Group

Reference Link: [17][18]

Location: SW Pacific

Bomb Squadrons:

• 69th (1943–1946)
• 70th (1943–1946)
• 75th (1941–1946)
• 76th (1942)
• 77th (1942)
• 390th (1942)
• 406th (1942)

Stations:

• Fort Douglas, UT - Jan 1941 - June 1941
• Gowen Field, Boise, ID - June 1941 - Jan 1942
• McChord Field, Tacoma, WA - Jan 1942 - Mar 1943
• Camp Stoneman, CA - Mar 1943 - April 1943
• Fiji Is. - April 1943 - June 1943
• Guadalcanal - June 1943 - Oct 1943
• Russell Is. - Oct 1943 - Jan 1944
• Sterling, Solomon Is. - Jan 1944 - Aug 1944
• Hollandia - Aug 1944 - Sept 1944
• Sansapor, New Guinea - Sept 1944 - Feb 1945
• Morotai - Feb 1945 - March 1945)
• Puerto Princesa, Palawan - March 1945 - end World War II )

Decorations:

• Distinguished Unit Citation: Balikpapan, Borneo 23–30 June 1945
• Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

USAAF training/support units

• 21st Bomb Group (Operational Training Unit) – MacDill Field, FL
  • 313th, 314th, 315th, 398th Bomb Squadrons

• 38th Bomb Group (Operational Training Unit) – US & SW Pacific
  • 69th, 70th, 71st Bomb Squadrons
  • 15th Reconnaissance Squadron

• 40th Bomb Group (Operational Training Unit) – Caribbean
  • 25th, 44th, 45th Bomb Squadrons

• 335th Bomb Group (Replacement Training Unit) – Barksdale, Field, LA
  • 474th, 475th, 476th, 477th Bomb Squadrons

• 336th Bomb Group (Replacement Training Unit) – MacDill, Ft. Meyers, Avon Park, Lake Charles, LA
  • 478th, 479th, 480th, 481st Bomb Squadrons

Pilot transition training

• Tarrant Field, Texas
• Del Rio, Texas
• Laughlin Field, Texas
• Dodge City, Kansas

Tow target squadrons

• 1st Tow Target Squadron (Romulus Field, Romulus, Michigan & Bradley Field, Hartford, Connecticut)
• 2d Tow Target Squadron (Baltimore, Maryland)
• 6th Tow Target Squadron (Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas)
• 7th Tow Target Squadron (Wheeler Field, Oahu, Hawaii)
• 12th Tow Target Squadron (Eglin Field, Santa Rosa, California)
• 13th Tow Target Squadron (Bradley Field)
• 15th Tow Target Squadron (Elmendorf Field, Anchorage, Alaska)
• 17th Tow Target Squadron (Wheeler Field)
• 19th Tow Target Squadron (Biggs Field)
• 20th Tow Target Squadron (Ellsworth Field, Casper, Wyoming)
• 21st Tow Target Squadron (Felts Field, Spokane, Washington)
• 23d Tow Target Squadron (Howard Field, Panama)
• 27th Tow Target Squadron (Biggs Field & Deming Field, Deming, New Mexico)
• 28th Tow Target Squadron
• 29th Tow Target Squadron

United States Navy

Utility Squadrons

VJ-1 VJ-2 VJ-4 VJ-7 VJ-8

VJ-9 VJ-10 VJ-12 VJ-13 VJ-14

VJ-15 VJ-16 VJ-17 VJ-18 VJ-19

Photographic Squadron

VD-2 – Placed into operation at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Atlantic Fleet Air Base, Norfolk, Virginia late in 1942, Fleet Air Photographic Reconnaissance VD-2 became a photographic training squadron, which did equipment testing and specialized assignments by direct orders from the Director, of the Photography Division, of the Bureau of Aeronautics, Washington, D.C. This photographic squadron operated from the Atlantic Fleet Air Base at Norfolk during World War II, with a hodge-podge collection of airplanes that were not equipped or suited for overseas war time operations.

United States Marine Corps

VMJ-1

Commissioned 21 March 1945 at Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii as VMTD-1 and on 1 May 1945 was redesignated as VMJ-1 and assigned to the 3rd Marine Division, towing targets for Marine AA batteries over the Hawaiian Islands. The squadron was deactivated on Kauai in October 1945.^[19](PDF)

VMJ-2

Commissioned 10 October 1944 at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii as VMTD-2 to train in towing aerial targets and tracking missions for Marine AA batteries. After two months in Hawaii towing for the 5th Marine Division, the entire detachment of 6 JM-1s (Navy Version of the B-26) left 24 November 1944 for Agana, Guam. They daily towed targets and carried out tracking for Army AA units on Guam, Tinian and Saipan. It was redesignated VMJ-2 on 1 May 1945. Following the war, the squadron returned to the West Coast and was deactivated on 6 March 1946. ^[20](PDF)

VMJ-3

Commissioned 1 October 1944 at the Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii as VMTD-3 to provide towing and tracking for Marine AA battalions which had been formerly performed by Navy Squadrons attached to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and operated in practice beach assaults with the 4th Marine Division. The squadron was redesignated VMJ-3 on 1 May 1945 at Ewa. In August 1945 the detachment was sent to Midway to tow for Marine defense battalions. Following the end of the war, the squadron returned to MCAS Ewa and was deactivated in October, 1945. ^[21](PDF)

French Air Force

All six squadrons below were operating under command of 42nd Bombardment Wing of the US 12th Air Force.

• 31e escadre
  • GBM 1/19 Gascogne
  • GBM 2/20 Bretagne
  • GBM 1/22 Maroc
• 34e escadre
  • GBM 1/32 Bourgogne
  • GBM 2/52 Franche-Comté
  • GBM 2/63 Sénégal

Royal Air Force

• No. 14 Squadron RAF
• No. 39 Squadron RAF, Balkan Air Force
• No.70 Operational Training Unit
• North African Air Forces

South African Air Force

• 3rd Wing, North African Air Forces
• 12 Squadron, North African Air Forces
• 21 Squadron, North African Air Forces
• 24 Squadron, North African Air Forces
• 25 Squadron, Balkan Air Force
• 30 Squadron, North African Air Forces

Unsorted other units

• 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
• 2nd Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
• 3rd Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
• 6th Combat Crew Replacement Centre
• 1st Base Air Depot
• 2nd Tactical Air Depot
• Bomber Command Training Unit, Telergma, Algeria
• Air Corps Ferry Command
• 54th Bomb Squadron, AF Proving Ground
• 4th Tactical Recon - Antilles Air Command
• 76th Service Group

References

• History: AF Combat Units by Maurer, 1983; ISBN 0-912799-02-1
• The Martin B-26 Marauder: A Bibliography and Guide to Research Sources ISBN 1-877597-02-3
• Havener, J.K. (May, 2001 - Vol. 8, No. 1). "The B-26 as a target-towing tug". The Marauder Thunder, p. 3.
• http://www.b26.com/ - Information on various pilot and crew members
• http://www.web-birds.com/ - Information on multiple groups

Bomb group homepages

• http://www.redraiders22bg.com/ - 22nd Bomb Group Homepage
• http://320thbg.org/ - 320th Bomb Group Homepage
• http://www.319thbombgroup.com/ - 319th Bomb Group Homepage