386th Bombardment Group Memorial Great Dunmow, Essex, UK - World War II Memorials / Monuments on Waymarking.com

The memorial is located in a grass niche at the side of the B1256 close to the gates of Easton Lodge, the wartime home of the Group. The niche is surrounded on three sides by a low wooden fence.

The memorial was erected by the Essex Anglo-American Goodwill Association (EAAGA). The memorial is constructed of brick with a stone angled cap and a stone plinth. There is an inscribed stone tablet to the front of the monument with the EAAGA blue symbol on it and bronze tablets to left and right sides.

The inscription on the centre panel reads

WE SALUTE AND
COMMEMORATE
THE COURAGE
OF OUR
GALLANT ALLIES
OF THE
AMERICAN ARMY
AIR FORCE
WHO FLEW OUT
AGAINST THE ENEMY
FROM THIS
ESSEX AIRFIELD
1941-5

Below the centre panel, on the plinth there is the inscription

ESSEX ANGLO-AMERICAN
GOODWILL ASSOCIATION

The left panel has the insignia of the 9th Bomber Group and the 552nd and 553rd Squadrons and the inscription:-

THE CRUSADERS

386TH BG(M) 9TH AIR FORCE USAAF
BOXTED, EASTON LODGE, BEAUMONT-SUR-OISE FR, TROND BEL

AIR OFFENSIVE EUROPE 4 JULY 1942 – 5 JUNE 1944
NORMANDY 6 JUNE 1944 – 24 JULY 1944
NORTHERN FRANCE 25 JULY 1944 – 14 SEPT 1944
RHINELAND 15 SEPT 1944 – 21 MARCH 1945
ARDENNES 16 DEC 1944 – 25 JAN 1945
CENTRAL EUROPE 22 MARCH 1945 – END OF WAR

IN MEMORY OF OUR GALLANT BROTHERS AND COMRADES
WHO NEVER RETURNED FROM THE AIR WAR OVER OCCUPIED EUROPE

“AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM”

HONOR ROLL

THE FOLLOWING AIRCREW MEMBERS WERE REPORTED KIA/MIA
FROM THE SQUADRONS BELOW

The right panel has the insignia of the 9th Bomber Group and the 554th and 555th Squadrons and the same inscription as the left panel.

The 386th Bombardment Group were stationed at USAAF Station AAF-164 at Easton Lodge, Great Dunmow from 24th September 1943, and were the first unit to use the airfield. The airfield was built by the 818th Engineer Batallion.

The Group was assigned to the VIII Air Support Command 3d Bombardment Wing and later to the Ninth Air Force Bombardment Wing. They flew B-26B/C Marauder aircraft. There were four squadrons, the 552nd, 553rd, 554th and 555th.

The 386th carried out tactical operations against V-weapon sites along the coast of France in the winter of 1943-1944, and bombed airfields in Holland and Belgium during Big Week, 20-25 February 1944. They supported the Normandy invasions by bombing gun positions, coastal batteries, bridges and supply targets.

On 2 October 1944, the 386th Bomb Group moved to Beaumont-sur-Oise (A-60) Airfield, in Normandy, France.

In addition to the memorial there are memorial stained glass windows in the church at Little Easton.

Property Permission: Public Commemoration: A USAAF Bomber Group Date of Dedication: Not listed Access instructions: Not listed Access times: Not listed Website for Waymark: Not listed Location of waymark: Not listed

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