Talk:470th Bombardment Group
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803d (Provisional) Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)
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As one of four squadrons assigned to the 470th BG, the 803d BS(H) is listed as disbanded at Tonopah on 31 March 1944, never having left US shores. However, simultaneously another unit bearing the same designation was created many miles away at RAF Sculthorpe, England, engaged in Radio Counter Measures (RCM). The history of this second 803rd BS is more than a little confused here on Wikipedia (and elsewhere). This unit was created from a nucleus of six veteran B-17 crews, along with a mix of B-17F & G aircraft equipped with Carpet and Mandrel jamming equipment, all originally flying for 96 Bomb Group at RAF Snetterton Heath. After assembling at Sculthorpe, where their B-17s were further modified, within weeks the unit relocated to a third airfield, still in Norfolk, RAF Oulton, and hastily prepared for their first mission, jamming German radar in Normandy on D-day. This unit went on to provide RCM support for both USAAF and RAF bombing operations, flying both B-17s and B-24s over the North Sea, often at night. In August 1944 this unit (803 BS) ceased to exist when it merged with 856th BS(H) to become 36th Bomb Squadron (Heavy) (RCM). Note; other versions of this story exist.
Cahill, William. "The Unseen Fight: USAAF radio counter-measure operations in Europe, 1943 to 1945" (PDF). Journal of Aeronautical History. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
Whilst there appears to be no direct link between the 470th BG (the subject of this article) and the 803d (Prov) BS identified above, the usage of the same unit designation, and the timing, inevitably leads to some confusion. Indeed, normally reliable sources (e.g. Maurer & Maurer), and related articles here on Wikipedia (856th BS(H) and 36th BS) all seem to disagree on exact details, including the nature of their 'special ops' (e.g. Operation Carpetbagger is typically mentioned)