320th Bombardment Squadron (320th BS) "Moby Dick"
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF), 90th Bombardment Group (90th BG)

Background
On January 28, 1942 constituted as 320th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy). On April 15, 1942 activated in the 90th Bombardment Group (90th BG) at Key Field, Miss equipped with the B-24 Liberator. Nicknamed "Moby Dick".

On November 16, 1942 ten B-24s took off on the group's first bombing misison against Rabaul but four abort the mission due to bad weather. Lost is B-24D "Punjab" 41-11902 pilot Major Raymond S. Morse (MIA).

On January 1, 1943 took off for 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby on a bombing mission against Vunakanu Airfield near Rabaul. Returning, ditched is B-24D "Crosair" 41-23752  pilot Major Philip J. Kuhl (survied).

B-24D "Little Eva" 41-23772  pilot Altman ditched January 9, 1943

B-24D "Pudgy" 41-23830  scrapped December 11, 1944

B-24D 41-23835  pilot Adams crashed December 18, 1942

B-24D "The Eager Beaver" 41-23849  returned to the United States, scrapped

B-24D "Dinky" 42-40325  condemned June 4, 1945 ultimate fate unknown likely scrapped

B-24D "The Blonde Bomber" 42-40942  scrapped postwar

B-24D "Sky Lady / Mitsu Butcher" 41-24043  pilot Smeltzer crashed October 18, 1943

B-24D "Virgin III" 42-40327  pilot Willcoxon crashed July 20, 1943

B-24D "Double Trouble" 42-40358  condemned April 24, 1945 later scrapped

B-24D 42-40359  pilot Goff crashed May 24, 1943

B-24D "Golden Lady" 42-40814  pilot Tosch MIA July 19, 1944

B-24D "Lobo" 42-40830  pilot Smith MIA December 1, 1943

B-24D "Shack Rat" 42-40918  pilot Volz MIA October 27, 1942 wreckage found 2002 resolved 2010

On March 11, 1944 eleven B-24s flew Mission Number 71-D a bombing mission against Boram Airfield near Wewak. At 12:58pm arrived over the primary target but found Boram Airfield obscured by a undercast so the B-24s from both squadrons dropped a total of 48 x 1,000 pound bombs on targets of opportunity. Returning, the formation turned eastward and followed the north coast of New Guinea over the Stephan Strait toward the secondary target of anti-aircraft guns on Awar Point bordering Hansa Bay. Shot down by anti-aircraft fire was B-24D "Heaven Can Wait" 42-41216  pilot 1st Lt Herbert G. Tennyson (MIA).

B-24D "Little Beaver" 42-63984  scrapped November 1944

B-24D 42-72954  pilot Corley force landed October ?, 1944

B-24J "Salvo" 42-73122  ultimate fate unknown

B-24J 42-73197  pilot Mettes crashed June 14, 1944

B-24J 42-110051  pilot Savarese crashed May 15, 1944

B-24D "Connell's Special" 41-23765  returned to United States October 1945

Postwar
On January 27, 1946 inactivated.

Awards
Distinguished Unit Citation for Papua November 16, 1942–January 1943, New Guinea September 13-15, 1943
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 392 (320th Bombardment) [PDF pages 404]
The Jolly Rogers History of the 90th Bomb Group During World War II (1981) by John S. Alcorn unit history of the 90th Bomb Group
Legacy of the 90th Bombardment Group "The Jolly Rogers" (1994) by Wiley O. Woods, Jr unit history of the 90th Bomb Group