Research & Archives

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes Mission Reports documenting 306th operations during World War II. These reports provide detailed, firsthand records of individual missions and remain one of the most valuable sources for understanding the actions of the aircraft and crews involved.

Includes

• Formation sheets
• Weather and intelligence briefings
• Combat observations (fighters, flak)
• Aircraft loss and parachute sightings

Notes

Report content varies, but they remain the most complete source for mission, aircraft, and crew information.

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs) for 306th aircraft lost in combat between 1942 and 1945.

Includes

• Crew names
• Last known location
• Weather conditions
• Loss details

Archive Notes

Original MACRs are included where available. Where they are not, Russell Strong compiled research summaries organized by loss date. Additional research materials, particularly those of 1945, are included.

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes records of awards and decorations presented to 306th personnel during World War II.

General Orders

Official award documents with names, service numbers, and often narrative descriptions.

Group Diary Medal Lists

Monthly award listings from War Diaries, including:

• Air Medal (AM)
• Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
• Purple Heart (PH)
• Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC) for additional awards

Tally Sheets

Records tracking missions and award eligibility, including officer tally forms and award submissions.

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes Special Orders documenting personnel activity within the 306th Bomb Group. All documents are declassified.

About Special Orders

Special Orders were issued by Army Air Forces commands to record personnel actions and assignments. These orders identified individuals by name and serial number and tracked key administrative changes throughout the war. Orders were issued frequently — often daily — at the group and station level, and were numbered sequentially each year.

Typical entries include

• Unit assignments and arrivals
• Promotions and demotions
• Leaves of absence
• Transfers and training assignments
• Completion of combat tours

Highlights

• 770+ Special Orders preserved
• 1942 movement orders (Wendover → England)
• Records referencing nearly all 306th personnel

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes daily Control Tower Logs from Thurleigh.

Includes

• Weather conditions
• Airfield status
• Takeoff and landing activity

Notes

Logs are organized by month and year. Due to water damage, most 1942 entries are unreadable, with only a single surviving record. Coverage improves in later years, with logs available through September 1945.

These materials were preserved and provided by 306th veteran Bill Carlile, whose records conclude in October 1945 following the end of the war.

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes correspondence with 306th veterans and Association records.

Postcard Project (1987)

Returned veteran postcards, organized as an alphabetical file. View the alphabetical postcard file.

Additional Records

• Veteran correspondence
• Organized alphabetically by last name

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes materials on Prisoners of War (POWs) and evadees. Contributions are welcome.

Includes

• The Yankee Kriegies (POW account)
• Evadee reports (20 accounts plus lists)
• 306th evadee/escapee listings
• Related correspondence (including Russell Strong)

Notes

Document quality varies; some duplication exists.

Additional Source

Echoes (Oct 2000, p. 7) — “Through the Eye of the Needle” series on 306th POW experiences.

The American Battle Monuments Commission maintains overseas cemeteries for fallen U.S. service members. This section of the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive lists 306th personnel buried in those cemeteries.

Includes

• Overseas burial listings (various formats)

Notes

Some personnel were returned to the United States for burial. Additional information is available in Echoes:

• Oct 1997 (p. 3)
• Jan 1998 (p. 5)

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes a diverse collection of squadron rosters and personnel lists spanning from the Wendover training period through combat operations at Thurleigh.

These records, gathered from multiple sources, provide valuable insight into the composition and organization of the 306th Bomb Group over time.

What the Collection Includes

• Squadron rosters
• Personnel and unit listings
• Deployment and load lists
• Miscellaneous administrative records

While the collection varies in format and organization, it offers important historical data on the structure and personnel of the bomb group.

Available Documents

• 367th BS Roster
• 368th BS Roster
• 369th BS Roster
• 423rd BS Personnel Roster (April 1943)
• Officers Rosters
• Miscellaneous Personnel Lists

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archives include extensive records of aircraft assigned to the 306th Bomb Group. These materials — drawn from both wartime and postwar sources — have been carefully reviewed and consolidated into a comprehensive inventory.

These records have been organized into a complete listing of all aircraft by serial number, covering the war years through the conclusion of the Casey Jones Project in 1946.

Aircraft Listings

Two primary inventories are provided:

• Full Serial Number Listing — A complete record of all aircraft assigned to the 306th
• Three-Digit Listing — Organized by the last three digits of the AAF serial number

The three-digit format reflects how aircraft were commonly identified in mission reports, formation diagrams, and interrogation forms, allowing researchers to quickly match abbreviated references to full serial numbers.

Additional Records

The collection also includes original wartime documents:

• Monthly Aircraft Status Reports
• Monthly Aircraft Engine Reports
• Later “Monthly Inventory Report of Aircraft” records

These provide detailed operational and maintenance information throughout the war.

Aircraft Photographs

The archive contains numerous photographs of 306th aircraft, including over 200 images available on this site. Aircraft with available photos are identified by blue, hyperlinked serial numbers within the inventories. Selecting a serial number will open the corresponding images.

Fate Abbreviations Key

The following abbreviations are used in the inventory “Fate” column:

• US — Returned to the United States postwar
• RZOI — Remained in the U.S. after deployment to England
• Lost — Lost in action
• TFR — Transferred to another bomb group
• SAL — Salvaged due to damage or accident
• Casey Jones — Participated in the postwar Casey Jones Project (a mission to photograph and map Europe)

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes the complete, declassified War Diaries of the 306th Bomb Group.

What’s Included

• Monthly narrative reports (written by Intelligence Officers)
• Operational statistics
• Award listings (Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, etc.)
• Headquarters Squadron diaries (included with each month)

Source

Compiled from original microfilm records obtained by Russell Strong from the Maxwell Air Force Base Archives Branch.

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes Squadron Combat Diaries compiled by Russell Strong.

Use With

• Mission Reports
• War Diaries
• Aircraft and personnel records

Notes

PDFs are text-searchable in most browsers, allowing quick lookup of names and events.

By Squadron

• 367th BS Combat Diary
• 368th BS Combat Diary
• 369th BS Combat Diary
• 423rd BS Combat Diary

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes Squadron Operations Records from microfilm sources.

Some records are in poor condition but remain valuable for understanding squadron activity.

Includes

• Operational summaries
• Aircraft and resource overviews
• Chronological activity records

Use With

• War Diaries
• Mission Reports
• Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs)

By Squadron

• 367th BS Operations Records
• 369th BS Operations Records
• 423rd BS Operations Records

368th Bomb Squadron operations records are not present in the archive.

The 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes materials that provide insight into daily life and operations at Thurleigh.

Daily Bulletins

Daily base updates (Dec 1943–Sept 1945, partial), including schedules, assignments, and announcements.

Telephone Directories

Snapshots of base organization (1943 and 1945), showing command structure and unit changes.

Special Service Bulletins

Weekly updates (1944–1945) covering sports, entertainment, and activities.

Squadron Newsletters

Informal publications with updates, humor, and squadron life (e.g., 423rd Squadron, 367th “Pigeon Poop”).

Yank was a U.S. military weekly published during World War II and widely read by service members overseas. This collection from the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes issues from the British Edition.

Collection

• Owned by William H. Feeser (367th Bomb Squadron)
• Donated by his family
• Digitized for research use

Originals will be preserved at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force.

About Yank Magazine

• First published: June 17, 1942
• Written by enlisted personnel
• 21 global editions
• Circulation: 2.6+ million

Included articles, photos, cartoons, and morale features.

Stars and Stripes was a U.S. military newspaper widely distributed to service members during World War II. This collection from the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes issues from the London Edition.

Collection

• Owned by William H. Feeser (367th Bomb Squadron)
• Donated by his family
• Digitized for research use

Originals will be preserved at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force.

About Stars and Stripes

• Multiple wartime editions
• Produced and distributed worldwide
• Printed near front lines for timely reporting

This section of the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes WWII-era articles related to the 306th Bomb Group.

Includes

• Published wartime articles
• Materials preserved by veterans and families

Contribute

Additional articles are welcome. Contact the BGHA or see the Leadership page.

This section of the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association archive includes German wartime records related to 306th aircraft and personnel.

Many are KU (Kampfflugzeug Unterlagen) files, documenting downed Allied aircraft and now held by the U.S. National Archives. These records are not fully online, but copies may be requested.

Includes

• KU (downed-aircraft) files
• Original German documents and translations
• Example case: Feb 14, 1945 (Aircraft 42-97185, Boylston Lewis)

Available translations are helpful but may contain minor inaccuracies due to document quality and abbreviations.

Contribute or Assist

• Share KU file references
• Improve translations
• Provide related research

Contact the BGHA via the website feedback link or see the Leadership page.