25th Bombardment Group

Constituted as 25th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 22 Dec 1939. Activated on 1 Feb 1940. Trained with A-17's and B-18's. Moved to the Caribbean late in 1940. Redesignated 25th Bombardment Group (Medium) in May 1942. Flew antisubmarine patrols, escorted convoys, and served as part of the defense force of the area. Aircraft: B-18's (1940-1942), A-20's (1942-1943), and B-25's (1943-1944). Returned to the US early in 1944, assigned to Second AF, and equipped with B-17's. Disbanded on 20 Jun 1944.

Squadrons. 10th: 1940-1943. 12th: 1940-1944. 35th: 1940-1944. 59th: 1943-1944. 417th: 1942-1944.

Stations. Langley Field, Va, 1 Feb-26 Oct 1940; Borinquen Field, PR, 1 Nov 1940; Edinburgh Field, Trinidad, 1 Nov 1942; Ft Amsterdam, Curacao, 1 Aug 1943; Borinquen Field, PR, 5 Oct 1943-24 Mar 1944; Alamogordo AAFld, NM, 6 Apr 20 Jun 1944.

Commanders. Maj Theodore Koenig, 1 Feb 1940; Maj William B Sousa, unkn; Lt Col Caleb V Haynes, 7 Jan 1941; Maj Alva L Harvey, 1 Jun 1941; Maj Neil B Harding, 10 Sep 1941; Maj Jasper N Bell, unkn; Lt Col Robert Alan, unkn; Maj Mathew McKeever Jr, unkn; Maj Milton E Lipps, unkn; Maj Howard A Cheney, unkn; Col Charles F Born, 1942; Maj John Mullen, unkn; Col Kenneth O Sanborn, 1 Aug 1943-7 Apr 1944; unkn, Apr-Jun 1944.

Campaigns. Antisubmarine, American Theater.

Decorations. None.

Insigne. Shield: Azure, issuing out of sinister side an arm embowed grasping a trident bend sinisterwise prongs to base or, on and over the junction of the shaft and prongs a compass rose of the first on a background of the second. Motto: Guard With Power. (Approved 3 Oct 1940.)

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986