Remembering the Mighty Men of the 381st Bomb Group

The all-volunteer museum honors the memory of the 381st Bomb Group, which was stationed at the Ridgewell Airfield in England.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, November 11, 2022 at 07:56 AM ET

Verified

B-17 'The South Boston Shillelagh' [Courtesy: Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Museum]

Key Takeaways:

Ridgewell Airfield in England served as a crucial base for the USAAF's 381st Bomb Group, flying B-17 Flying Fortresses, during World War II.
The Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Museum, housed in a surviving Nissen hut from the base, is dedicated to preserving the history and personal stories of the "bomber boys" who served there.
Online communities, such as a dedicated Facebook group, alongside the museum, provide valuable resources and an emotional connection for families researching their relatives who served at Ridgewell.
The article emphasizes the profound and lasting impact of the war through personal accounts, highlighting the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by the servicemen.

See a mistake? Contact us.

In the fall of 2020, I was researching a story about Texas Raiders, the B-17 owned by the Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing. The aircraft, which is still airworthy, is painted in the colors of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) 381st Bomb Group. All I knew about the 381st is that it had been based at Ridgewell Airfield in England during World War II.

Lucky for me there is a Facebook group, “Bomb Group at Ridgewell During WW2,” that provides a wealth of information. The page is loaded with requests for information from people trying to learn about their family members who served there, and posts from people who have come across military records, personal items that belonged to a serviceman, newspaper clippings, battle reports, letters home, and photographs of daily base life.