The history of the 390th Bombardment Squadron (M) began with its activation at McChord Field, Tacoma, Washington, on March 20, 1942. Original cadre was drawn from headquarters 42nd Bomb Group and from the 76th Bomb Squadron (M). Over a period of a year the squadron grew to T/O strength trained and equipped itself and flew its first missions in Northwest Pacific anti-submarine patrol.

On March 15,1943, the Squadron set out for the front. Staging at Camp Stoneman, California, the original personnel boarded the S.S. Maui at San Francisco and on March 28 cleared the Golden Gate for what was to be a 28 to 30 month tour overseas for most of the ground echelon.

Debarking at New Caledonia on April 16 the squadron pitched camp outside Noumea. The flight echelon took off on the 20th-23rd for Nandi, Fiji, and on May 5 the ground men sailed on the naval transport George Clymer for Guadalcanal, reaching the Solomon Island on May 11.

From Fiji our B-25s flew their first two missions, both searches. The Mitchell's left June 17-23, flying to Carney Field, Guadalcanal, to rejoin the ground echelon. Guadalcanal is so well known to all pacific veterans that it needs little description here. Suffice to say that there originated the phrase "when things were rough". Things were indeed at that time. Supplies of all kinds were short; men had to accustom themselves to steaming heat, steaming rain, clinging mud and biting dust; to field living and malaria discipline, while keeping the planes flying under battle conditions, Every day meant at least one mission, and for a considerable period every night meant an alert and air raid. On June 25 the squadron flew its first bombing mission, an attack from medium altitude on Vila Airdrome, Kolombangara Island. Second mission flown was a medium strike on Munda, New Georgia. Both missions scored good hits and were accomplished without loss.

The squadron operated from Carney field until October 21, on each day delivering one or more attacks against Japanese airfields, supply depots and shipping in the Solomons and Bismarck Archipelago. On August 1 first flight crews returned to Fiji for six weeks of rest, training and anti-sub patrol. At this time the first of our combat crews to receive rest leave were flown to Auckland, New Zealand.

Our missions of this period were very successful. And inflicted vast damage upon the Japanese advanced positions. High points were the sinking of a Japanese cruiser off Choiseul on July 20, and a dusk strafing attack on October 6 which crippled Japanese aircraft caught on the ground at Kahili Airdrome, bougainville. Parafrags were used for the first time on this raid. An available tabulation of our damage to enemy shipping in the Solomons shows: 1 cruiser, 6 AKs and 5 barges sunk; 1 AK and 16 barges damaged.

On October 21-22 the squadron made a short move to Banika, Russell islands. This was a more pleasant camp than Canal although the squadron's first location proved unsatisfactory. In the Russells the combat schedule continued much the same, with Solomons targets receiving our attention.
In January 1944 Group and squadrons with the exception of the 75th and 390th moved to Stirling Island, Treasury Group. A schedule alternating 60 days in combat from Stirling and 40 days in the rear area at Banika was inaugurated for aircrews. While our combat men at Stirling, our ground crews serviced the planes of another squadron, quartered with us.

Principal target from Stirling was Rebaul, New Britain, and keystone of the Japanese conquests in the South Pacific. Rabaul with its five satellite airfields was perhaps the hottest bombing target in our experience. AA fire was encountered in some degree on every mission and frequently all planes over the target were holed. Over Rabaul the squadron met its greatest volume of air interception, Japanese planes attacking many of our formations. Squadron gunners accounted for one definite and one probable Zeke. Other Solomons and Bismarck targets were assigned us, but we kept Rabaul, the main show, under constant attack from January until the final raid by the 42nd Group on July 22,1944.

So thoroughly was this target destroyed, with the 390th prominent in the assault that the one-time "Japanese Pearl Harbor" was written off as an offensive base.

At the close of this operation the squadron had completed 16 months overseas and had participated in two campaigns. For its efforts the Group was awarded the battle Stars of the northern Solomons end Bismarck Archipelago campaigns, and individually the squadron received high commendation from the Fiji and Australian governments, USAFISPA, Navy and subordinate commands.

On July 3O the squadron split up for another move. An advance air echelon flew to Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, to set up camp for the combat crews, who remained in the Russells until August 7, then flying to Hollandia via the Admiralties. The ground echelon proceeded by the S. S. Extavia on august 1 for Sansapor, Dutch New Guinea, arriving there August 26. The air and flight echelons operated at Hollandia from August 31 until September 17, bombing western New guinea targets, then traveled by C-47 and B-25 to the newly opened Mar strip at Sansapor on September 18-19.

Sansapor was "rugged". Dense tropical rain forest untouched by man had to be cleared from absolute scratch by our own efforts with axe and machete. Over a month of backbreaking, sweat-drenched labor a campsite was cleared tents rose and reasonably comfortable camp life became possible.

From Sansapor our tactical assignment was to neutralize Japanese airfields and destroy supplies and shipping throughout the eastern islands of the Netherlands East Indies, which lay to the west of our base on the Vogelkop Peninsula. Reduction of these enemy potentialities for offense was necessary to protect the left flank of the "return to the Philippines". With other squadrons of the Group, the 390th applied itself to the task.

Ambon, Celebes, Ceram, Halmahera and smaller islands were bombed and strafed; Japanese shipping in surrounding waters was harassed, damaged and sunk. Considerable AA and some interception countered our attacks, and over Menado, Celebes, our gunners added another probable Zeke to our score.

Minimum altitude strafing attacks supplanted medium level bombing until, by the end of February 1945; the former type of mission had become our specialty. Following landings on Leyte by General MacArthur's ground forces in October 1944, the squadron joined in the Philippine battle, attacking airfields in the, Central and southern islands. These missions staged at Morotai. Between November 11 and 20 the squadron, with other Group units, provided the entire aerial force for the successful Invasion of the Asia and Mapia Islands, just north of the equator from Sansapor.

Courtesy of Carl Fassinger

Aircraft: B-18, A-29, 1942. B-26, 1942-1943. B-25, 1942-1945.

Operations: Antisubmarine patrols, March 1942 - March 1943. Combat in South Pacific, 25 June - 22 July 1944. Combat in Southwest Pacific, 3 Sept 1944 - 14 Aug 1945.

Decorations: Distinguished Unit Citation - Balikpapan, Borneo 23-30 June 1945. Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.

Stations: Gowen Field, Idaho 20 March 1942. McChord Field, Washington 20 March 1942 - 15 March 1943. New Caledonia 15 April 1943. Fiji Islands 23 April 1943. Guadalcanal 11 May 1943. Russell Islands 22 October 1943. (Operated from Sterling Island) 8 March - 8 May 1944, 17 June - 24 July 1944. Hollandia, New Guinea 23 August 1944. Sansapor, New Guinea 23 August 1944. (Operated from Morotai) 24 February - 20 March 1945. Puerto Princesa, Palawan 21 March 1945 - 27 January 1946.