| 396th Bombardment Group | |
|---|---|
 B-17 as used by the 396th Group for training | |
| Active | 1943–1944 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Heavy bomber training |
The396th Bombardment Group is a formerUnited States Army Air Forces unit. It was active duringWorld War II as aBoeing B-17 Flying FortressOperational Training Unit, training newly organized units, then as aReplacement Training Unit for aircrews. It was inactivated in 1944 in a general reorganization ofArmy Air Forces training units.
The396th Bombardment Group was activated atMountain Home Army Air Field, Idaho on 16 February 1943 with the592d, 593d, 594th and595th Bombardment Squadrons assigned.[1][2][3][4] After initial organization and equipping withBoeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers, thegroup moved toMoses Lake Army Air Base, Washington. There the 396th acted as anOperational Training Unit (OTU) for B-17 units. The OTU program was patterned after the unit training system of theRoyal Air Force. The OTU program involved the use of an oversized parent unit to providecadres to "satellite groups". It assumed responsibility for their training and oversaw their expansion with graduates ofArmy Air Forces Training Command schools to become effective combat units.[5][6][7] Phase I training concentrated on individual training increwmember specialties. Phase II training emphasized the coordination for the crew to act as a team. The final phase concentrated on operation as a unit.[8]
In August 1943, the unit's mission changed to being aReplacement Training Unit (RTU).[1] By This time most combat units had been activated and many of them had deployed overseas. With the exception of special programs, like formingBoeing B-29 Superfortress units, training "fillers" for existing units became more important than unit training.[9] Like OTUs, RTUs were oversized units. Their mission, however was to train individualpilots or aircrews.[5]
In November 1943, the 396th moved toDrew Field, Florida, where it would remain for the duration of its active service.[1] However, theArmy Air Forces was finding that standard military units, based on relatively inflexibletables of organization were not well adapted to the training mission. Accordingly, it adopted a more functional system in which each base was organized into a separate numbered unit.[10] The 592d was inactivated on 1 May 1944 at Drew Field, Florida.[1] Its personnel and equipment became part of the 326th AAF Base Unit.[11]
| Campaign Streamer | Campaign | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
.png) | American Theater without inscription | 19 January 1943 – 1 May 1944 | [1] |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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