A personal tribute

Dedicated to the best of the best

GROUP NICKNAME : ‘ Wittan’s Wallopers’ COMPONENT SQUADRONS : 568th, 569th, 570th and 571st Bombardment Squadrons (H)

COMBAT AIRCRAFT: B-17 F and B-17 G

STATION : FRAMLINGHAM (Near the village of Parham in Suffolk). From 14th July 1943 until the 4th August 1945.

GROUP CO’s : Col Edgar M. Wittan, 26th January 1943 – 15th May 1944. Col Frederick W. Ott, 15th May 1944 – 6th September 1944. Col Joseph A. Moller, 6th September 1944 – 21st May 1945. Lt Col George W. Von Arb, 23rd May 1945 – 26th June 1945.

FIRST MISSION : 12th August 1943.

LAST MISSION : 20th April 1945.

TOTAL MISSIONS : 300 . Made up from 8,725 sorties dropping 19,059.2 tons of bombs. 144 A/C were missing in action. A total of 473 E/a were claimed destroyed. Two Distinguished Unit Citations were awarded: 17th August 1943 for the Regensburg mission and 14th October 1943 for the Schweinfurt mission.

CLAIMS TO FAME : Highest claims of enemy aircraft destroyed by any bomb group in one mission- 10th October 1943. They had the only man to do 100 missions For more details click on History

Robert J Tompkins
Click on the link to go to the 390th Web Site to find out more about exploits and individuals of the Group. 390th Web site
Framlingham memorial and village web site
You may also wish to got to the following page relating to 704th Squadron 446th Bombardment Group to learn about the exploits of Lieutenant Alva J Tompkins

Sarah Jane Tompkins Gratefully acknowledges the support and encouragment of Karen Gray in putting together the historical details contained within these pages

If you have any information you can add to this site regarding the 568th please email me at sarahjane2uk@yahoo.co.uk Please do not reproduce any images or information contained within these pages without consent. Copyright Sarah Jane Tompkins 2002