US Army Air Force Grouping

[NDShooter]

Hello everyone;

here is a grouping that belonged to my grandfather in law which just found its way into my collection.

Can anyone help me with the ribbon rack? I know some medals but not all. Also if anyone knows anything about the insignia on both the jacket and uniform. I'm working on getting the full story on James Robinson.

Thanks
Cody

[SteveR]

He was an aerial gunner staff sergeant in the 5th airforce, China Burma India theater that flew missions around the Pacific. He has an armament specialist flash on the lower right sleeve. with 1 year overseas stripes
The ribbons are as follows:
Top row
Good Conduct, WWII Victory, Air medal indicating 25 missions
Bottom row
American Campaign , Pacific theater of operations with 4 campaign stars, Philipine Liberation
I do not know the group and squadron patches on the A2 jacket. The jacket is a really nice one.
A really nice grouping. He was in the thick of it.
Keepers for sure buddy.

[cricketchris1944]

Steve is correct.
The patches on the jacket are always hard to know if you are not a expert in that field.
chris

[Walkwolf]

Indeed, SteveR is correct. It's a very nice grouping with a great A2 jacket !
I suppose 'King Of The Heavies' would relate to the B29 Superfortress ?

The ribbon bar is really mixed up - I believe the Air Medal, for one,
should come first or be situated on the top left.........

[milmuseum]

Nice grouping Why is there a star on the WWII Victory Ribbon? Did he serve in WWI also? If so he would have had a WWI Victory Ribbon right? I've seen this before but don't know the anwser. Can anyone help with this?

Thanks

Burt

[Battery Command Post]

The A2 patches are for the 528th Squadron, 380th Bombardment Group. An interesting unit as, for a while, this Bombardment group was under Royal Australian Air Force command

Rob

[Battery Command Post]

I found this quick history online:

The 380th Bombardment Group (H), insignia above, flew B-24 Liberator bombers in the South West and Western Pacific areas in WWII. We were part of the 5th Air Force. We were known as the FLYING CIRCUS and as the KING OF THE HEAVIES (note the lion in the insignia). The 380th went overseas in April 1943 to become the second B-24 unit in the Fifth Air Force at that time after the 90th Bomb Group. The other Heavy Bomber unit (the 43rd) flew B-17s. The 380th was placed under the control of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and assigned to the Australian NorthWest Area Command operating out of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. We were thus the only heavy bomber unit available to cover the whole of the Dutch East Indies (1,000,000 square miles) from July 1943 until late in 1944. At that time the successes in the New Guinea campaign had brought the other Fifth Air Force units close enough to the East Indies to join us in that task. When arriving in Northern Territory, the 380th Bomb Group took over from the 319th Squadron of the 90th Bomb Group, which has been serving there from January 1943. The 319th helped indoctrinate the new arrivals with mixed crews and joint missions until the 380th was deemed fully operational. The 319th returned to the other 90th Group Squadrons in New Guinea in early July 1943. The 380th made the longest bombing missions of WWII, to the oil refineries at Balikpapan, Borneo (200 miles further than the Ploesti mission in Europe) and to those at Surabaja, Java (as long as Ploesti). We did both of these missions several times during our stay in Australia. In addition to our attacks on the Japanese oil supply, we were heavily engaged in crippling their shipping fleet to reduce the Japanese capability of supplying their far-flung forces. We also heavily bombed the numerous Japanese airfields in the East Indies to reduce the Japanese threat to Australia and our New Guinea forces. In its service with the Australians, the 380th served longer under the operational control of an Allied country than any other Air Force unit (from June 1943 until February 1945).
As part of its duties in Australia, the 380th carried out the operational training of 52 Australian crews and their associated ground staffs so that the Australians could take over the East Indian campaign activities of the 380th when they were assigned to The Philippines in February 1945. Many of the Australians so trained have become part of the 380th Bomb Group Association, our veterans group here today, strong evidence of the strong ties of friendship, which developed between us in our long service together. The 380th was composed of four Squadrons: the 528th, 529th, 530, and 531st.

Link to this: History of the 380th Bombardment Group

Rob

[cricketchris1944]

The A2 patches are for the 528th Squadron, 380th Bombardment Group. An interesting unit as, for a while, this Bombardment group was under Royal Australian Air Force command

Rob

great info.
chris

[Battery Command Post]

Nice grouping Why is there a star on the WWII Victory Ribbon? Did he serve in WWI also? If so he would have had a WWI Victory Ribbon right? I've seen this before but don't know the anwser. Can anyone help with this?

Thanks

Burt

The only thing i could find was this:

No attachments were authorized although some veterans received the medal with an affixed bronze star which, according to rumors at the time, was to distinguish those who served in combat from those who did not. However, no official documentation has ever been found to support this supposition. Although eligible for its award, many World War II veterans never actually received the medal since many were discharged prior to the medal's institution.

Rob

[milmuseum]

Thanks Rob, I think I have one or two of these WWII Victory's with a star in my collection but never put too much thought into it. I would love to find a definitive anwser.

Burt