The 100th Bomb Group, Thorpe Abbotts Station 139

The 100th Bomb Group based at Thorpe Abbotts, near Rushall flew its first combat mission on June 25, 1943, and its last on April 20, 1945. During those 22 months, some 7,000 men and a few women were stationed at Thorpe Abbotts. They flew 306 missions including six food drops to the Netherlands in May, 1945. They were credited with 8630 sorties; they dropped 19,257.1 tons of bombs plus 435.1 tons of food on mercy missions.

"Hard Luck" one of the 100th's most famous aircraft

Billingford nr Thorpe Abbotts during the war

As part of the 8th Air Force (affectionately called "The Mighty Eighth") during World War 2, The 100th Bomb Group received two Distinguished Unit Citations for the missions to Regensberg 17th August '43, and the 4/6/8 March '44 to Berlin. Over 800 men were killed in action or flying accidents. 229 Fortresses were lost or declared salvage. The 100th’s gunners claimed 261 enemy aircraft shot down, 1,010 probably destroyed, and 139 possibly destroyed. They were some of the first gunners who, late in the war, destroyed the German Jet, the ME-262.

In 1943. the average life of an 8th Air Force B-17 crew was eleven missions. In 1943-1945, the 100th lost 177 aircraft missing in action plus 52 lost due to operational accidents, making a total of 229. The 100th was not the Group with the highest losses in the 8th, but since its losses often came many at a time, it soon acquired the reputation of a hard-luck outfit and the name “The Bloody Hundredth.” It lost 9 crews on the August 17, 1943, Regensburg-to-Africa shuttle. It lost seven over Bremen on October 8, 1943, with its lead plane being shot out of formation over the target and then returning alone on the deck before crash-landing on the shore of East Anglia. It lost 12 over Munster on October 10, 1943, with one plane, Royal Flush with the legendary Robert Rosenthal as its pilot being the only one to return. It lost 15 over Berlin on March 6, 1944, and nine there on May 24. It lost 12 over Ruhland on September 11, 1944, and 12 over Hamburg on December 31, 1944.

100th over unknown target 1944

With all its bad luck, the 100th still earned an enviable record during its time in England. It lead the bombing of Trondheim, Norway, which delayed the manufacture of heavy water for the German atomic bomb, stiffened Norwegian underground resistance, and earned the Group citations by the Norway government-in-exile, and the British. It participated in three 8th AF shuttle missions, twice to Russia and once to Africa. For its part in the liberation of France and for mercy missions dropping food to the French Resistance, the 100th was awarded the French Croix de Guerre twice. For dropping food to Warsaw the Group earned a special medal from the Polish Government in exile. It received two Presidential Citations. In spite of its losses, the 100th never once went off operations. As Jimmy Doolittle once said, “The 100th was always ready.”

Thorpe Abbotts control tower

Link to - The 100th Bomb Group Foundation official website

Link to - The 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum website