Groupe de Bombardement 1/19
| GB.1/19 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Air Force: French L'Armee de L'Air | |||
| Division: | |||
| Wing: | |||
| Group: 1/19 | |||
| Active: Apr 1937 - Apr 1946 Jan 1951 - Nov 1955 | |||
| Theater Indochina | |||
| Motto: | |||
| Aircraft: B-26 Invader (1951-1962) | |||
| COMMANDERS | |||
| Group CO:
Cpt. Barthe (1st Sqd, 1932) | |||
| MAIN BASES | |||
| Air fields: Bordeaux-Merignac (1932) | |||
| SQUADRONS | |||
| 1st Squadron - SAL 28 | |||
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| 2nd Squadron - SPA 97 | |||
 | |||
Back to France.
Groupe de Bombardement 1/19 was a French Invader squadron that flew missions during the French-Indochina war. The list of planes below are planes that are known to have been part of that unit. While some records indicate which planes bore which tail letters, tracking down which plane bore which tail letters during a specific point it time is less accurate. Some estimates can be made based on the dates that planes were accepted, struck from inventory, or lost due to accidents or combat. Group 1/19 was made up of 2 squadrons; 1st Squadron - SAL 28, and 2nd Squadron - SPA 97. At this point it is not entirely clear to us how the planes were assigned to the squadron within the group. If you can clarify that for us, please let us know.
The Creation of Group II/19
The bombardment group II/19, created on April 1, 1937, has its origins in the squadrons of the Great War SAL 28 and SPA 79. In 1932, these two units were the squadrons of the Cazaux camp: 1st squadron, commanded by the Captain Barthe, and 2nd squadron of Captain Perronneau equipped respectively with Nieuport 622 and Breguet 19 and Breguet 19B.2. In charge of conducting bombing and firing experiments, these formations gave birth in March 1933 to a squadron specialized in night reconnaissance (1st squadron) and another squadron (2nd squadron), intended for day reconnaissance. Four months later, a ministerial note allowed these units to resume the traditions of the SAL 28 and the SPA 79, whose insignia are respectively the elephant of the Nile and the wolf head in profile.
Then in October 1936, the group of Cazaux became a unit of bombing, and he joined in January 1937, the base of Bordeaux-Merignac where it was incorporated on April 1 of the same year to the 19th squadron, under the name of GB II / 19. At the same time, this training began to pass, not without serious problems, on Bloch MB 210. In May 1939, she took the road to North Africa in order to carry out exercises of bombing. Transiting through Tunis El Aouina, the group reached Oran on the 20th of this month, then left for Ksar es souk, in Morocco. On August 26, the II / 19 rallied Setif to face any Italian aggression in Tunisia.
As no belligerence was declared with this country, the group was brought back to Blida towards the end of September 1939 and was billeted the following month at Biskra, where it formed with the 61st squadron the group of instruction 2. In March 1940, a squadron of II / 19 went to Morocco to test the Douglas DB 7 on which the high command counted to transform the bombardment group. The passage on this new apparatus took place in April-May and, in the middle of this last month, the II / 19 returned to France, where the Germans had just launched their great offensive.
On May 20, the group was in Evreux. Two days later, his war missions began, in this case against enemy columns that took the road from Cambrai to Bohain. The outings followed each other from then on and carried towards the end of May on the region of Abbeville and the sum, but also on Ham and Saint-Quentin. On June 2, the group was transferred to the Pithiviers field, from where it continued from 05 its missions against the German forces launched to the attack on the front of the sum and the aisne. The enemy advance being then menacing, the II/19 rallied on June 11 the base of Subdray, between Bourges and Saint Florent sur Cher, then he won Agen (June 15) and finally, by Lézignan, North Africa. Arrived at Blida, the II/19 left for Souk el arba on June 21 and prepared to bomb Sardinia, Italy having entered the war a few days earlier. An expedition to Cagliari was canceled due to the entry into force of the armistice on June 25 with Germany and Italy.
World War II
Maintained in the armistice air force, the GB II/19 was placed on alert after the British attacks against Mers el Kebir in July 1940. In August of the same year, went to Meknes in Morocco to assault Gilbratar. This mission being canceled, the group returned to Blida, which became its base of attachment. After having completed his manpower, he received the new name of light bombing group I/19 on 1 September 1940, while his 3rd and 4th squadrons became respectively 1st and 2nd squadrons. On 23 and 25 September he took part in the attacks against Gilbratar, then he returned to Blida. When the Allied landing in North Africa occurred in November 1942, the group did not participate very much in the resistance the Vichy army opposed to the Anglo-Americans. Based in Rovigo,
Shortly thereafter, an internship began on Martin B Marauder and, on 21 February 1944, I/19 took the name of the I/19 GASCOGNE medium bombardment group. Having continued his training on Martin B-26 throughout the months of February and March, the group won the ground of Châteaudun-du-Rhumel on April 1, 1944 and formed there a squadron of bombardment with Brittany and Morocco, already engaged in operations.
Italy Campaign Commanded by the Commander-in-Chief, GBM I/19 departed for Sardinia, which was in the hands of the Allies, on May 15 and made its first war mission a month later, attacking lines of communication in the Spezia, Italy. Outings followed one another, targeting bridges, railways, railway stations and roads in the Italian peninsula. They continued throughout the months of June and July before moving, from August, to the south of France in anticipation of the landing in Provence. The first mission on the metropolitan territory was completed on the 2nd of this month, and during the second, on August 4th and 15th, the B-26s of Gascony attacked the Sisteron road bridge. Then the activity of I/19 was shared between France and Italy.
Campaign of Germany At the beginning of October, the group rallied at midday and set up at first in Istres. He won Lyon-Bron in mid-November to take part in operations since then in the east of the country. The first mission to Germany took place on 17 November and took the Neuenburg railway bridge on the Rhine between Mulhouse and Colmar. The objectives that were subsequently designated for I/19 were either bridges, stations, or even barracks. The bad weather that prevailed in January, February and March 1945 slowed the outings, and on March 19, the GBM I/19 made its last mission from Lyon-Bron. He then won Saint-Dizier and continued his actions on Germany until the middle of April, when he participated in raids against the pockets of Royan and the Pointe de Grave,
Dissolution of the Group Stationed in France for a few months, the I / 19 settled in Mengen, Germany, in September 1945 and was dissolved in April 1946, while under the command of Commander Forget.
The Indochina War
It was rebuilt in January 1951 under the name I/19 Gascogne for its participation in the operations of Indochina. The unit was officially reconstituted in Indochina, under the name of I/19 Gascogne bombardment group, and based in Tourane. Equipped with Douglas B-26 Invader, she made many operational sorties on Annam and was engaged in Tonkin early in 1954, participating in particular in the battle of Dien Bien Phu. Still confined to Tourane at the end of the Indochina War, Gascony continued to train there and was dissolved on November 1, 1955. During this campaign, more than 21,000 hours of flight will have been made, nearly 13,000 tons of bombs dropped and 9 crews will have been lost.
The War of Algeria
The unit was recreated on 1 September 1956 in Oran, under the name of bombing group 1/91, and took part in the Algerian conflict. It is on the basis of Oran-les-Salines that the group will receive its flag during a ceremony presided over by the Secretary of State for Air Armed Forces, Mr. Laforest and General Bailly, on June 20, 1957. Many operations are conducted jointly with the Air Force fighter squadrons stationed in AFN and the Naval Aviation.
The 1/91 Gascony accomplished more than 9000 missions representing 24000 sorties until 1962 and totaled 44300 hours of flight. Repatriated to Bordeaux when hostilities ended in Algerian territory, Gascony was dissolved again on September 17, 1962.
The Nuclear Era
The 1/91 Gascogne bombing squadron was reformed at Mont de Marsan on 1 June 1964. It was the first nuclear-capable squadron armed with Mirage IV, and it was declared operational as of 1 October. It was "Gascony" that was responsible for firing a real shot at the Pacific Experimental Center. Indeed, on July 19, 1966, after taking off from the Hao base, the weapon was dropped at 05:05 local, without any problem. To achieve this result, Gascony was training intensively long-distance missions, supersonic bombing at high altitude. It must also keep in operational alert the resources set by the FAS operational center. In February 1965 an EMAA decision authorizes I / 91 Squadron "GASCOGNE" to carry the fodder assigned to its predecessor, the I / 91 Bombardment Group "GASCOGNE". In 1968 the FAS turned to low-altitude bombing, which became the squadron's main mission, with supersonic bombing being retained only as a replacement bombardment.
In 1986, EB 01.091 became the first operational squadron on the MIVP-ASMP weapon system and included 7 to 8 MIVP. In September 1992, following the dissolution of the Bordeaux reconnaissance and training squadron 01.328. He inherits the strategic reconnaissance mission. In the spring of 1994, he participated in the Crécerelle operation of peacekeeping in Bosnia and Herzegovina by carrying out photo reconnaissance missions over this territory.
In 1996, the FAS Headquarters decided that the Mirage 2000N can now take over the nuclear mission alone. The Mirages IVP have now only one mission: the distant strategic reconnaissance that allows, with the help of the tankers, the singular endurance of the Mirage IV. On July 1, 1996, EB 1/91 became a strategic reconnaissance squadron, ERS. Equipped with the CT 52 photographic container and the famous OMERA cameras, Gascony has made since 1968 important reconnaissance missions like that of Chad in 1974. Other missions such as CONDOR in 1996 and 1997 from Djibouti over the Hanish Islands in the Red Sea, ALADIN in Iraq in 1998, HERACLES in 2001-2002 following the attacks of 11th September, lastly TARPAN in 2003 for surveillance missions over Iraqi territory, demonstrated the essential functions of the ERS in the face of international threats. The ERS was dissolved on June 23, 2005 in Mont de Marsan.
The Rafale Era
The year 2008 marks the rebirth of the fighter squadron 01.091 "Gascogne" on the 113 airbase of Saint-Dizier. BR 66 "Egyptian Falcon" prestigious squadron having fought during World War II within the Royal Air Force and having served the mission of nuclear deterrence from 1965 to 1986 on Mirage IV, joined Gascony. Since September 1, 2008, the EC 01.091 "Gascogne" flies on Rafale F3 and, since the summer of 2010, has been implementing the Rafale - ASMP-A (medium-range enhanced ground air) weapon system.
Since its recreation, the squadron has participated in all French foreign operations requiring the intervention of the air force (Harmattan in 2011, Serval in 2014, Barkhane in 2014).
As of September 1, 2016, the recreation of 4 Wing Fighter at Air Base 113 in Saint-Dizier resulted in a change in the official nomenclature. 1/91 became the first squadron of 4 Wing under the name EC 1/4 "Gascogne". His missions continue identical.
Unit Awards and Decorations
For the Great War:
- SAL28: a quote to the order of the army, a quote to the order of division;
- SPA 79: no quote.
For the Second World War:
- GBM I/19 GASCOGNE obtained during the second campaign of France two quotes to the order of the army and the fodder in the colors of the ribbon of the Croix de Guerre.
For the Indochina War:
- GB I/19 GASCOGNE obtained six citations to the order of the army and the furs in the colors of the ribbon of the Legion of Honor with an olive in the colors of the ribbon of the Croix de Guerre Special under Theaters of Operations exteriors.
For Operation TRIDENT (Balkans, 1999):
- ERS 1/91 GASCOGNE obtained a quote to the order of the air brigade under the TOE.
Planes
The Delivered and Struck-off-charge dates listed below are the dates that the planes were accepted and discharged by the French Air Force in general, and do not necessarily reflect the dates that they were with this unit.
| Tail Letter | USAF S/N | Delivered | SOC | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 44-35927 | 3 Jan 1951 | 1953 | Leter A from 1951 until Lost at Hon Dau Island, 6 Nov 1953. |
| A | Unknown | They almost certainly would have replaced A plane after 1953. It is unclear which plane became A-tail after the loss of the first one. | ||
| B | 44-35828 | 3 Jan 1951 | 7 Oct 1955 | The first plane to bear B-tail. Because this plane rotated to other units, they almost certainly had a successor. |
| B | Unknown | At least one other plane would have been painted as B-tail, following the transfer of the first plane. | ||
| C | 44-35829 | 3 Jan 1951 | 17 Nov 1955 | The original C-tail. GB.1/19 (C and U), GB.1/91 (B), GB.1/19 (V). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| C | 41-39490 | 16 Feb 1954 | Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (C and N). Crashed 29 Aug 1954 at Cap St. Jacques. There is some question as to whether it was repaired. |
| D | 44-35831 | 3 Jan 1951 | 14 Oct 1955 | This plane started out as D-tail. It was later rotated to a different squadron. |
| D | 44-34579 | 3 Jan 1951 | 27 Oct 1955 | This plane was the second D tail. It was originally S-tail. |
| E | 44-35911 | 3 Jan 1951 | 22 Oct 1955 | This plane started out as E-Tail. GB.1/19 (E and Y). Returned to USAF. |
| E | 41-39454 | 16 Feb 1954 | Apr 1954 | GB.1/19 (E). Crashed on takeoff (u/c collapsed), 11 Mar 1954. |
| F | 44-35891 | 3 Jan 1951 | 14 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (F), GB.1/25 (?). Returned to USAF. Became N34962. Reportedly no longer exists. |
| G | 44-35798 | 3 Jan 1951 | 22 Oct 1955 | This plane almost certainly started out a G-tail. GB.1/19 (G), ERP.2/19 (P). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| G | 44-35440 | 16 Feb 1954 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (G). Returned to USAF. Became N6838D, then C-FMSB. Static display at Travis AFB 1990. |
| H | 44-35811 | 3 Jan 1951? | 1951 | The first H-tail from Jan 1951 until it Crashed on take-off at Tourane, 19 Jun 1951. |
| H | 44-34496 | 26 Jan 1954 | 1954 | GB.1/19? (H). Shot down 4 May 1954 at Dien Biend Phu. |
| H | 44-34564 | 3 Jan 1951 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (K and H). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| I | 44-34569 | 26 Jan 1954 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (I), GB.1/91 (I), GB.1/25 (I), GB.1/19. Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| I | 44-34686 | 26 Jan 1954 | 16 Nov 1955. | GB.1/25 (W), GB.1/19 (I). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| J | 44-34565 | 3 Jan 1951 | 1953 | The first J-Tail from 1951 until it Exploded in mid-air 6 Nov 1953 near Sud-Laie. |
| K | 44-34564 | 3 Jan 1951 | 22 Oct 1955 | The First K-Tail. (K and H). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| L | 44-34505 | 3 Jan 1951 | 16 Nov 1955 | The first L-Tail. (L and N). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| M | 44-34530 | 3 Jan 1951 | 1954 | The first M-Tail from Jan 1951 until it Crashed on take off 3 Jan 1954 at Seno in Laos. |
| N | 44-34538 | 3 Jan 1951 | 22 Oct 1955 | The first N-tail. (N and W). Returned to USAF. |
| N | 41-39490 | 16 Feb 1954 | Oct 1955 | The 2nd N-tail. (C and N). Crashed 29 Aug 1954 at Cap St. Jacques. There is some question as to whether it was repaired. |
| N | 44-34505 | 3 Jan 1951 | 16 Nov 1955 | The 3rd N-tail. (L and N). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| O | 44-34545 | 3 Jan 1951 | 1951 | The first O-tail from Jan 1951 until it went Missing 11 Sep 1951. Wreck later found near Tuyeng Quang. Crew killed. |
| O | 44-34552 | 26 Jan 1954 | 14 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (O and X). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| O | 44-34577 | 3 Jan 1951 | 27 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (T), GB.1/25, GB.1/19 (O). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| O | 44-34693 | 16 Feb 1954 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (O). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| P | 44-34555 | 3 Jan 1951 | 10 Nov 1955 | Presumably the only P-tail. This plane never rotated to another squadron and survived the war. |
| Q | 44-34575 | 3 Jan 1951 | 27 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (Q), GB.1/25 (D), GB.1/19. Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Q | 44-34230 | 16 Feb 1954 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (Q). Returned to the USAF, scrapped. |
| R | 44-34558 | 3 Jan 1951 | May 1951 | The 1st R-tail from Jan 1951 until it went Missing 28 Apr 1951 near Cao Bang. Crew of 2 plus 2 passengers missing. |
| R | 44-35729 | 19 Apr 1952 | 22 Oct 1955 | Probably the 2nd R-tail until it's transfer. (R), GB.1/91 (R), ERP.2/19 (C), GB.1/19 (R). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| R | 44-34487 | 16 Feb 1954 | May 1954 | GB.1/19 (R). Missing 14 Mar 1954 between Dien Bien Phu & Cat Bi. |
| R | 44-34320 | 26 Jan 1954 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/91 (U) and GB.1/19 (R). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| S | 44-34579 | 3 Jan 1951 | 27 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (S and D). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| S | 41-39447 | 16 Feb 1954 | 14 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (S?), GB.1/91 (V), and GB.1/19 (V?) |
| T | 44-34577 | 3 Jan 1951 | 27 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (T), GB.1/25, GB.1/19 (O). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| T | 41-39407 | 23 Mar 1953 | 14 Oct 1955 | Served with GB.1/91 (Y) and GB.1/19 (Y and T). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| T | 44-35748 | 6 Apr 1954 | 1954 | GB.1/91 (T). Crashed on landing at Tourane, 9 Jun 1954. |
| U | 44-34568 | 3 Jan 1951 | 16 Nov 1955 | GB.1/19 (U). Returned to USAF. |
| U | 44-35267 | 7 Apr 1954 | 4 Sep 1954 | GB.1/19 (U). Returned to USAF. |
| U | 44-35774 | 5 Mar 1952 | 3 Dec 1955 | GB.1/25 (C), GB.1/19 (U). Returned to USAF without engines. USAF did not take up. |
| U | 44-35829 | 3 Jan 1951 | 17 Nov 1955 | GB.1/19 (C and U), GB.1/91 (B), GB.1/19 (V). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| V | 44-34528 | 3 Jan 1951 | 1953 | GB.1/19 (V). Shot down 6 Jan 1953 between Na San and Haiphong. |
| V | 41-39598 | 18 May 1953 | Aug 1954 | GB.1/19 (V). Crashed 1 Jul 1954 at Tourane. |
| V | 41-39447 | 16 Feb 1954 | 14 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (S?), GB.1/91 (V), and GB.1/19 (V?) |
| V | 44-35829 | 3 Jan 1951 | 17 Nov 1955 | GB.1/19 (C and U), GB.1/91 (B), GB.1/19 (V). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| W | 44-34585 | 3 Jan 1951 | 11 Jul 1955 | GB.1/19 (W), GB.1/91 (E), GB.1/25. In accident 21 Jun 1955. Presumed not repaired due to SOC date. |
| W | 44-34538 | 3 Jan 1951 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (N and W). Returned to USAF. |
| X | 44-34552 | 26 Jan 1954 | 14 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (O and X). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| X | 44-34554 | 3 Jan 1951 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (X), GB.1/25, GB.1/19. Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Y | 44-34583 | 3 Jan 1951 | 1951 | GB.1/19 (Y). Crashed on landing, 31 May 1951 at Cat Bi. Crew survived. |
| Y | 41-39407 | 23 Mar 1953 | 14 Oct 1955 | Served with GB.1/91 (Y) and GB.1/19 (Y and T). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Y | 44-35911 | 3 Jan 1951 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/19 (E and Y). Returned to USAF. |
| Z | 44-34536 | 3 Jan 1951 | 1951 | GB.1/19 (Z). Lost 3 Nov 1951 near Nhat-NY. Crew MIA. |
| Z | 41-39582 | 23 Mar 1953 | 10 Nov 1955 | GB.1/19 (Z). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Unknown | 41-39561 | 16 Feb 1954 | 17 Nov 1955 | GB.1/25 and GB.1/19. Returned to USAF. |
| Unknown | 44-34713 | 26 Jan 1954 | 10 Nov 1955 | GB.1/25 (X and K), GB.1/19. Returned to USAF. |
| Unknown | 44-35202 | 12 Mar 1952 | 17 Nov 1955 | GB.1/25 (K), GB.1/19. Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Unknown | 44-35643 | 10 Apr 1954 | 22 Oct 1955 | ERP.2/19 (F) and GB.1/19 (?). Returned to USAF. |
| Unknown | 44-35654 | 10 Apr 1954 | 14 Oct 1955 | ERP.2/19 (G) and GB.1/19 (?). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Unknown | 44-35708 | 18 Apr 1952 | 10 Nov 1955 | GB.1/25 (O), GB.1/91 (O), GB.1/19 (?), and ERP.2/19 (D). Returned to USAF. |
| Unknown | 44-35741 | 19 Aug 1951 | 14 Oct 1955 | GB.1/91 (?), ER-B-26 (E), ERP.2/19 (E), GB.1/19 (). Named "Milady" and "Aramis". Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Unknown | 44-35770 | 12 Mar 1952 | 10 Nov 1955 | GB.1/25 (J) and GB.1/19 (?). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Unknown | 44-35785 | 19 Aug 1951 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/91 (?), ER-B-26 (D), ERP.2/19 (D and H), GB.1/19 (?). Named "d'Artagnan". Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Unknown | 44-35787 | 5 Mar 1952 | 10 Nov 1955 | GB.1/25 (A and D), GB.1/91 (D), GB.1/19 (?). Returned to USAF, Scrapped. |
| Unknown | 44-35819 | 19 Aug 1951 | 14 Oct 1955 | GB.1/91 (?), ER-B-26 (A), ERP.2/19 (A and D), GB.1/19 (?). Name "Athos". Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Unknown | 44-35826 | 10 Mar 1952 | 22 Oct 1955 | GB.1/25 (M), GB.1/19 (?). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Unknown | 44-35837 | 5 Mar 1952 | 10 Nov 1955 | GB.1/25 (E), GB.1/19 (?). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |
| Unknown | 44-35991 | 16 Feb 1954 | 10 Nov 1955 | ERP.2/19 (S), GB.1/19 (?). Returned to USAF, scrapped. |