The 88th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 unit. It was last assigned to the III Bomber Command

III Bomber Command

The III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...

, being stationed at Avon Park Army Airfield, Florida. It was inactivated on 1 May 1944.

History

Established in early 1942 as a B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment group. Was assigned to II Bomber Command

II Bomber Command

The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....

 as a heavy bomber Operational Training Unit (OTU). The group was assigned primarily to airfields in the Pacific Northwest under II BC; performing training of new units, then becoming a Replacement Training Unit (RTU). Reassigned to III Bomber Command

III Bomber Command

The III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...

 in November 1943 when Second Air Force

Second Air Force

The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....

 began to exclusively train B-29 Superfortress

B-29 Superfortress

The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...

 aircrews. Continued as a B-17 RTU until the end of heavy bomber training of replacement aircrews in May 1944; was inactivated.

Lineage

• Constituted as 88th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 January 1942

Activated on 15 July 1942

Disbanded on 1 May 1944

Assignments

• II Bomber Command
  II Bomber Command
  The II Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Second Air Force, based at Fort George Wright, Washington. It was inactivated on 6 October 1943....
  
  , 15 July 1942
• Second Air Force
  Second Air Force
  The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
  
  , 6 October 1943
• III Bomber Command
  III Bomber Command
  The III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
  
  , November 1943-1 May 1944

Components

• 316th Bombardment Squadron
  316th Bombardment Squadron
  The 316th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 88th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Avon Park Army Airfield, Florida on 1 May 1944.-History:...
  
  : 1942–1944
• 317th Bombardment Squadron
  317th Bombardment Squadron
  The 317th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 88th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Avon Park Army Airfield, Florida on 1 May 1944.-History:...
  
  : 1942–1944
• 318th Bombardment Squadron
  318th Bombardment Squadron
  The 318th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 88th Bombardment Group. It was inactivated at Avon Park Army Airfield, Florida on 1 May 1944.-History:...
  
  : 1942–1944
• 399th Bombardment Squadron: 1942–1944

Stations

• Salt Lake City Army Airbase, Utah
  Utah
  Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
  
  , 15 July 1942
• Geiger Field, Washington, 1 September 1942
• Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington, 21 September 1942
• Rapid City Army Air Base, South Dakota
  South Dakota
  South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
  
  , c. 28 October 1942
• Walla Walla Army Air Base, Washington, c. 28 November 1942
• Avon Park Army Airfield, Florida, November 1943-1 May 1944.

Wartime Cartoons

88th Bomb Group Headquarters S-2 Office (specifically 399th Squadron on at least one) produced war cartoons / propaganda reminding US Soldiers on topics such as:

• watching for female spies,
• loose talk that could give up military information,
• drinking too much,
• writing home to loved ones,
• etc

The wording/verses were done by LT. DAVID MINDLIN and Cartoons by both PFC. JOHN P. KLEIN (J.P. KLEIN) and PFC. SKYLTZ (spelling on SKLYTZ may be incorrect?). There at least 9 different cartoons set on either wood panel backing or laminated type material. The laminated material versions were issued in two sizes, either 7x10 and 11x14 medium/small. Some of the larger cartoons are colored with colored pencil.

Pictures / first seen listed:
http://clarkeny.auctionflex.com/showlot.ap?co=6247&weid=17972&weiid=6623142&lso=lotnumasc&pagenum=8&lang=En