USAAF 41-31695 Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder

USAAF serial number S/N: 41-31695 Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder

1941031695, 41-31695 Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder Fate: Unit: 387BG556BS Remarks: 387BG556BS (Chipping Ongar) - Tiger Tails Code:FW-G named: QQQQ, Disposal:

Web reference: http://387bg.com/Aircraft/B-26%20QQQQ.htm

Q Q Q Q
Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder
Sn: 41-31695
Squadron Code: FW-G

First Sortie	Last Sortie	Total
15 Aug 43	19 Apr 45	150

Crew Chief: T/Sgt. John Early
Asst. Crew Chief: Cpl. Lenor F. Benesch

Q Q Q Q was in active service for the Group's entire combat tour. It was one of the original fourteen aircraft assigned to the 556th and ferried by the squadron to England; it flew on the Group's first bombing mission, and it participated in the Group's last day of combat operations.. The crew to which the aircraft was originally assigned and that flew the aircraft from the United States to England was:

Pilot CP B/N EG ROG AG

Flt. Off. 2nd Lt. 2nd Lt. Sgt. S/Sgt. S/Sgt.

Earle J. Dillionaire Richard M. Abrams, Jr. Robert I. Poe Albert Grivois Joseph Ballirano Lionel W. MacFarland

Flight Chief M/Sgt. George R. Collins accompanied the aircraft on its trip to England.

The crew originally tried to name the aircraft '4Q' but the powers that be thought the name too vulgar. The crew changed the spelling to 'Q Q Q Q' but did not change the pronunciation.  Bill Thompson, the squadron's postwar historian, commented "The first time I saw this B-26 was when our crew joined the 556th at Stoney Cross in mid-August, 1944. The names on their bombers brought exclamations of delight the first day that we toured the aircraft dispersal area at Station 457. None so much as Q Q Q Q. If ever an aircraft's name signified the average U.S. GI's thoughts during those days of our youth, Q Q Q Q would win hands down."

Q Q Q Q was part of both the group's first bombing mission on August 15, 1943, against the St. Omer-Ft. Rouge airdrome, and its last on April 26, 1945, against oil storage tanks at Schrobenhausen, Germany. In the latter mission the Group was recalled three minutes from base because the target had been overrun by the fast-advancing U.S. ground forces; the Group did not get credited for the mission because it never entered hostile air space.

The name of the aircraft is sometimes written as QQQQ, without the spaces between the letters.

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387th Bombardment Group

Constituted as 387th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 25 Nov 1942. Activated on 1 Dec 1942. Trained with B-26 aircraft. Moved to England in Jun 1943. Served with Eighth AF until assigned to Ninth in Oct 1943. Began combat in Aug 1943 and concentrated its attacks on airdromes during the first months of operations. Made numerous strikes on V-weapon sites in France in the winter of 1943-1944. Hit airfields at Leeuwarden and Venlo during Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944, the intensive campaign against the German Air Force and aircraft industry. Helped to prepare for the invasion of Normandy by attacking coastal batteries and bridges in France during May 1944. Bombed along the invasion coast on 6 Jun 1944 and supported ground forces throughout the month by raiding railroads, bridges, road junctions, defended areas, and fuel dumps. Moved to the Continent in Jul 1944 and participated in attacks on the enemy at St Lo in the latter part of the month and on German forces at Brest during Aug and Sep. Extended operations into Germany by fall of 1944. Received a DUC for action during the Battle of the Bulge when the group hit strongly defended transportation and communications targets at Mayen and Prum. Supported the Allied drive into the Reich by attacking bridges, communications centers, marshalling yards, storage installations, and other objectives. Ended combat operations in Apr 1945. Returned to the US in Nov. Inactivated on 17 Nov 1945.

559th Bombardment Squadron 556th BS: 1942-1945.

559th Bombardment Squadron 557th BS: 1942-1945.

558th Bombardment Squadron 558th BS: 1942-1945.

559th Bombardment Squadron 559th BS: 1942-1945.

Squadrons. 556th: 1942-1945. 557th: 1942-1945. 558th: 1942-1945. 559th: 1942-1945.

Stations. MacDill Field, Fla, 1 Dec 1942; Drane Field, Fla, 12 Apr 1943; Godman Field, Ky, c. 11 May-10 Jun 1943; Chipping Ongar, England, 25 Jun 1943; Stony Cross, England, 18 Jul 1944; Maupertuis, France, 22 Aug 1944; Chateaudun, France, 18 Sep 1944; Clastres, France, 30 Oct 1944; Beek, Holland, 29 Apr 1945; Rosieres-en-Santerre, France, 24 May-c. Nov 1945; Camp Kilmer, NJ, 14-17 Nov 1945.

Commanders. Maj David S Blackwell, 20 Dec 1942; Col Carl R Storrie, c. 19 Jan 1943; Col Jack E Caldwell, 8 Nov 1943; Col Thomas M Seymour, 13 Apr 1944; Col Grover C Brown, c. 18 Jul 1944; Lt Col Richard R Stewart, 20 May 1945; Col Philip A Sykes, Jun 1945-unkn.

Campaigns. Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 23 Dec 1944.

Insigne. None.

387th Bombardment Group Mission List

Target: Zeiperich highway bridge Feb 26 1945 387BG Mission:303 Target: Munstereifal road junction Feb 27 1945 387BG Mission:304 Target: Mayen railroad bridge Feb 28 1945 387BG Mission:305 Target: Rheinbach communication center Mar 01 1945 387BG Mission:306 Target: Iserlohn barracks area Mar 02 1945 387BG Mission:307 Target: Giessen ordnance depot Mar 02 1945 387BG Mission:308 Target: Wermelskirchen ordnance depot Mar 03 1945 387BG Mission:309 Target: Unna ordnance depot Mar 05 1945 387BG Mission:310 Target: Kreutzal marshalling yard Mar 05 1945 387BG Mission:311 Target: Ettort (Eitort?) communication center Mar 08 1945 387BG Mission:312 Target: Neiderhausen marshalling yard Mar 09 1945 387BG Mission:313 Target: Arnsberg-Olpe marshalling yard Mar 09 1945 387BG Mission:314 Target: Altenkirchen road junction Mar 10 1945 387BG Mission:315 Target: Brettscheid landing ground Mar 11 1945 387BG Mission:316 Target: Sythen explosive works Mar 11 1945 387BG Mission:317 Target: Westerberg marshalling yard Mar 13 1945 387BG Mission:318 Target: Frankfurt Rhein Main Airfield Mar 13 1945 387BG Mission:319 Target: Gross Ostheim Airfield Mar 14 1945 387BG Mission:320 Target: Pirmasens supply & communication center Mar 15 1945 387BG Mission:321 Target: Landau communication center Mar 16 1945 387BG Mission:322 Target: Siegen marshalling yard Mar 17 1945 387BG Mission:323 Target: Frankenberg marshalling yard Mar 17 1945 387BG Mission:324 Target: Worms road junction Mar 18 1945 387BG Mission:325 Target: Kreutzal marshalling yard Mar 18 1945 387BG Mission:326 Target: Vossen railroad bridge Mar 19 1945 387BG Mission:327 Target: Sythen explosive works Mar 20 1945 387BG Mission:328 Target: Coesfield road junction Mar 21 1945 387BG Mission:329 Target: Stadtlohn road junction Mar 21 1945 387BG Mission:330 Target: Haltern communication center & flak positions Mar 22 1945 387BG Mission:331 Target: Alt Schermbeck communication center Mar 22 1945 387BG Mission:332 Target: Dinslaken defended town Mar 23 1945 387BG Mission:333 Target: Dinslaken defended town Mar 23 1945 387BG Mission:334 Target: Vlotho railroad bridge & flak positions Mar 24 1945 387BG Mission:335 Target: Vlotho flak positions Mar 24 1945 387BG Mission:336 Target: Weyenbusch road junction Mar 25 1945 387BG Mission:337 Target: Friedberg marshalling yard Mar 25 1945 387BG Mission:338 Target: Fleiden marshalling yard Mar 26 1945 387BG Mission:339 Target: Ebenhausen oil storage Mar 30 1945 387BG Mission:340 Target: Wurzburg marshalling yard Mar 31 1945 387BG Mission:341 Target: Holzminden marshalling yard Apr 03 1945 387BG Mission:342 Target: Ehrbach oil storage Apr 04 1945 387BG Mission:343 Target: Nienhagen oil storage Apr 08 1945 387BG Mission:344 Target: Amberg-Kummersbruck ordnance depot Apr 09 1945 387BG Mission:345 Target: Jena marshalling yard & flak positions Apr 09 1945 387BG Mission:346 Target: Rudolstadt ordnance depot Apr 10 1945 387BG Mission:347 Target: Aschersleben marshalling yard Apr 11 1945 387BG Mission:348 Target: Bamberg assembly & storage area Apr 11 1945 387BG Mission:349 Target: Kempten ordnance depot Apr 12 1945 387BG Mission:350 Target: Guzenhausen marshalling yard Apr 16 1945 387BG Mission:351 Target: Kempten ordnance depot Apr 16 1945 387BG Mission:352 Target: Madgeburg defended area Apr 17 1945 387BG Mission:353 Target: Donau oil storage depot Apr 18 1945 387BG Mission:354A Target: Ulm marshalling yard Apr 19 1945 387BG Mission:354B Target: Gunzberg railroad siding Apr 19 1945 387BG Mission:355 Target: Schrobenhausen oil storage Apr 26 1945