30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG)

Background
On June 13, 1917 organized as the 30th Aero Squadron in the U.S. Army. On April 19, 1919 demobilized. On March 24, 1923 reconstituted and redesignated as the 30th Bombardment Squadron. On July 2, 1926 became part of the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC). On June 24, 1932 activated. On June 20, 1941 became part of the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). On December 6, 1939 redesignated as the 30th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy). Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF). Prewar, based at Clark Field on Luzon in the Philippines.

Wartime History
On December 20, 1941 the air echelon of B-17s withdraws from Clark Field in the Philippines flying south to Batchelor Field near Darwin in Australia. Meanwhile, the ground echelon remains on Luzon attached to the 5th Interceptor Command (Provisional) and will fight as infantry defending the Bataan Peninsula.

On December 31, 1941 the air echelon of B-17s moves to Singosari Airfield on eastern Java. The squadron participates in the Java Campaign.

On March 5, 1942 the air echelon of remaining B-17s, B-24s and LB-30s departs Singosari Airfield bound for Melbourne in Victoria in Australia.

On March 27, 1942 moves to Cloncurry Airfield in Queensland.

On April 25, 1942 lost is B-17E 41-2505 pilot 1st Lt. Daniel W. Fagen (MIA) on a bombing mission against Rabaul and crashed at 4:46am into the southeastern upper slopes of Mount Obree. The crash site was found in 1961 and remains recovery in 1986.

On May 13, 1942 moves to Longreach Airfield in Queensland.

On July 13, 1942 at 3:30am B-17s took off from Horn Island Airfield on a mission. Shortly after take off, B-17E 41-2655  pilot 1st Lt. Paul M. Lindsey crash a mile off Horn Island. Also lost was B-17E 41-2636  pilot Lt. Paul Holdridge that crashed into a mangrove swamp roughly 300-400m off Horn Island with two killed in the crash.

On July 24, 1942 moves to Mareeba Airfield.

On July 30, 1942 in the predawn hours, six B-17s where scheduled to take off from Horn Island Airfield on a bombing mission against Lae. Before take off, B-17E 41-2460 accidentally taxied into B-17E "Tojo's Physic" 41-2640  pilot Lt. Carey O'Brien tearing off the nose section. Both bombers were damaged and written off. After emergency repairs, flown back to Mareeba Airfield but was written off and stripped for usable parts.

On August 7, 1942 crashed is B-17E 41-2617  pilot Captain C. H. Hillhouse without injury to the crew.

On August 16, 1942 lost is B-17E 41-2434  pilot Major Dean C. "Pinky" Hoevet on a flight to test a new flare dropping mechanism. During the flight, the mechanism malfunctioned and a flare exploded inside the bomber and caused it to crash into the sea and exploded on impact roughly a mile off Yorkeys Knob north of Cairns.

On September 5, 1942 nine B-17s led by Major William R. Humrichouse took off on a night bomb mission against Japanese shipping in Simpson Harbor off Rabaul. Inbound, the formation experienced bad weather. Returning on September 6, 1942, force landed is B-17F "Miss Carriage" 41-24428  pilot Major William R. Humrichouse (survived).

On September 15, 1942 nine B-17s conduct a night bombing mission over Rabaul. Lost is B-17F 41-24427 pilot Captain Robert L. Williams (MIA) the crash site was found in 2023. Returning, B-17E "Frank Buck" 41-2659 pilot Lt. Ramond E. Holsey force landed at Hood Point and is later flown back to base.

B-17E 41-9196  pilot Hageman MIA October 6, 1942, 9 missing.

On October 5, 1942 six B-17s took off from Mareeba Airfield and landed to refuel at 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby then took off again on a bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. On October 6, 1942 at dawn arrived over the target but a cloud required the formation to make a second bomb run and were intercepted by 25 Zeros that made head-on attacks. During the air combat, B-17F "Blitz Buggy" 41-24403 was damaged but managed to land safely.

On October 28 1942 took off on a bombing mission against Tonolei Harbor on southern Bougainville. On October 29, 1942 at 1:00am failed to find the target salvoed the bomb load turned towards Port Moresby but became lost. B-17E "Clown House" 41-9235  pilot Major Allen Lindberg ditched ditched on the Great Barrier Reef roughly 20 miles off the Cape York Peninsula near Cooktown.

B-17E 41-2635  pilot Hancock crashed November 1, 1942

B-17E 41-9012  crashed November 5, 1942

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 148-149 [PDF pages 160-161]