2641sg.org is a project of the Army Air Corps Library and Museum. Volunteers are transcribing servicemen names and their awards from General Orders that we are publishing on this website for enthusiasts, families and researchers of genealogy and World War II history. The names on this honor roll of men assigned to the 2641st Special Group is not a complete list of all who served with the 2641st, however, we are attempting to locate as many documents that have survived as possible. Sources of material include the US National Archives, Air Force Historical Research Agency and the records donated by individual servicemen and their families. The 15th Special Group was also a command that these squadron were assigned. We hope you will find this information useful and enjoyable. We are accepting volunteers help in this very large World War II project as we preserve this history and honor service.
The 2641st Special Group was created out of a number of special squadrons with many secret missions and targets in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations from December 1944 to May 1945. Name designations continually changed at one time known as the 15th Special Group and the 885th was originally the 122nd. One of the primary missions was the delivery of OSS agents behind enemy lines along with supplies for partisan groups. The 885th Bomb Squadron operated primarily in Italy. The 859th Bomb Squadron operated primarily in the Balkans but was initially located in England and flew what was termed Carpetbagger missions. The squadrons of the Special Group operated specially modified heavy bombers painted all black with very limited identification markings. The 885th operated both B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators while the 859th operated only B-24s. Most of the crews were comprised of men with prior service in the other bombardment groups of the 15th Air Force and they were then trained in low-altitude night operations.
The 2641st Special Group (Provisional) received several Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC), numerous commendations and foreign awards. The 859th received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for support of the French Resistance during Operation Carpetbagger in the summer of 1944. The 885th was awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm for operations in support of the French Resistance and a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations on the night of 12/13 August 1944. On that date the 885th, while based at Blida Airport, Algeria, delivered a total of 18 agents and 67,000 pounds of war material to the Resistance in the south of France in advance of Operation Dragoon, the southern invasion of France that would begin in a couple days. Additionally, the 2641st received a Unit Citation for operations in Italy's Po Valley on the night of 17/18 February 1945 in which both squadrons participated.
Brindisi Airfield, Italy, 17 December 1944
Rosignano Airfield, Italy, 24 March-20 May 1945
122nd Squadron
885th Bombardment Squadron (Attached), 17 December 1944-20 May 1945
859th Bombardment Squadron (Attached), 17 December 1944-20 May 1945
Colonel Munro MacCloskey
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