3RD BOMBARDMENT DIVISION

UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCES

DISTINGUISHING FLAGS & GUIDONS
3rd BOMBARDMENT DIVISION • EIGHTH AIR FORCE • WORLD WAR II

In June 1944 the Eighth Air Force's 3rd Bombardment Division was headquartered at Elveden Hall, Elveden, Suffolk. Its five subordinate bomber wings embodied fifteen bombardment groups equipped with the B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber. Also assigned to the division were two signal companies, a quartermaster detachment, a military police company (less several detachments) and a military police detachment.

Units belonging to the US Army Air Corps had flags and guidons based on the colors ultramarine blue and golden orange, the Air Corps branch colors. These were used also for flags of United States Army Air Forces units, i.e. wings and above. Those units, mostly service and support, that did not belong to the Air Corps had flags and guidons of the designs authorized for their parent branches. USAAF distinguishing flags were made of wool bunting, 3 feet at the hoist by 4 feet on the fly. They were always carried or displayed with a National Standard, Service, made of wool bunting, 3 feet at the hoist by 4 feet on the fly plus 2 1/2-inch yellow silk fringe. Headquarters squadron (HHS) guidons were of the same colors and design as the distinguishing flag.

Many service and support units were split into detachments. I have chosen to show the unit guidon for the main body and all detachments.

Credits: The drawings on this page are based on the specifications given in Army Regulation 260-10 dated 25 October 1944, a copy of which was kindly provided by FOTW Mailing List member Joseph McMillan. Order of battle information was taken from Dr. Leo Niehorster’s outstanding and essential website, World War II Armed Forces: Orders of Battle and Organizations.