page_title: RAF Andrews Field
section_title: 322d Bombardment Group (Medium)
hierarchical_section_title: RAF Andrews Field / History / United States Army Air Forces use / 322d Bombardment Group (Medium)
caption_attribution_description: English: B-26 Marauders of the 322nd Bomb Group line up for take off behind a B-26 (serial number 41-34959) nicknamed "Clark's Little Pill".
context_page_description: Royal Air Force Andrews Field or more simply RAF Andrews Field is a former Royal Air Force station located 4 miles east-northeast of Great Dunmow Essex, England.
  Originally designated as Great Saling when designed and under construction, the base was renamed "Andrews Field" in honor of United States Army Air Forces General Frank M. Andrews, who was killed in an airplane crash in Iceland in May 1943. Andrews Field was primarily the home of the USAAF Ninth Air Force 322d Bombardment Group during the Second World War, which flew the Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber. After being transferred to the Air Ministry in late 1944, it was used briefly by RAF Fighter Command for Gloster Meteor jet fighter testing before being finally closed in late 1945.
  Today the remains of the airfield are located on private property, being used as agricultural fields, with a small portion used by the Andrewsfield Flying Club.
context_section_description: Replacing the 96th was the 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) which arrived from RAF Bury St. Edmunds on 12 June. The group was assigned to the 3d Bomb Wing and flew Martin B-26B/C Marauders. Operational squadrons of the 322d were:
  449th Bombardment Squadron (PN)
  450th Bombardment Squadron (ER)
  451st Bombardment Squadron (SS)
  452d Bombardment Squadron (DR)
  1st Pathfinder Squadron (Provisional) (Attached) (1H)
  The 322nd was the first B-26 group to enter combat (in May 1943) from the UK, during which its combat performance helped to prove the effectiveness of the medium bombers flying tactical combat missions.
  In common with other Marauder units of the 3rd Bomb Wing, the 322d was transferred to Ninth Air Force on 16 October 1943. The group attacked enemy airfields in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands attacking the principal targets but the group also attacked secondary targets such as power stations, shipyards, construction works, and marshalling yards.
  Beginning in March 1944 the 322nd bombed railway and highway bridges, oil tanks, and missile sites in preparation for the invasion of Normandy.
  On 8 May 1944, one of the 322nd aircraft, nicknamed "Mild and Bitter" (serial 41-31819) became the first B-26 flying from England to complete 100 combat missions.  Another B-26, "Flak Bait" (41-31773) survived to the end of hostilities with 202 missions to its credit, the only US bomber involved in combat over Europe to pass the 200 mark.
  On D-Day, 6 June 1944 the 322d Bomb Group attacked coastal defences and gun batteries.  Afterwards, during the Normandy campaign, the 322nd pounded fuel and ammunition dumps, bridges, and road junctions, supporting the Allied offensive at Caen and the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July.
  From Andrews Field the 322d received a Distinguished Unit Citation for the period 14 May 1943 – 24 July 1944. The group moved during September 1944, transferring to Beauvais (A-61) Airfield in northern France, and aiding the drive of Third Army across France. On the continent, the 322nd BG used the following Advanced Landing Grounds:
  Beauvais/Tille Airfield (A-61), France September 1944
  Le Culot Airfield (A-89), Belgium March 1945
  Fritzlar Airfield (Y-86), Germany June - November 1945
  The 322d flew its last mission on 24 April 1945. After V-E Day, the group was assigned to occupation duty in Germany beginning in June 1945, engaging in inventorying and disassembling German Air Force equipment and facilities. Returned to the Camp Kilmer, New Jersey in December 1945, and was inactivated on 15 December.
  1st Pathfinder Squadron (Provisional)
  The 1st Pathfinder Squadron (Provisional) was formed at Andrews Field in February 1944 and equipped with B-26s, carrying the Oboe radio transponder blind-bombing device. When the unit was formed the squadron consisted of 14 aircraft.  The squadron was attached to the 322nd Bombardment Group, but provided bad weather leads for all IX Ninth Bombing Command groups.
  The first B-26 night mission was flown by the 1st Pathfinder Squadron on the night of 1 June 1944 when three B-26's bombed gun positions at St Marie au Bois, France. This was purely a Pathfinder mission and no other unit participated. On the night of 8 July 1944, using Oboe, the 322d undertook a night mission but nine of its aircraft fell victim to Luftwaffe fighters. At the end of hostilities the squadron strength was 36 B-26's.
caption: B-26 of the 322d Medium Bomb Group on the perimeter track prior to takeoff
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