341st Missile Wing Heritage Pamphlet 2018

341st Missile Wing History
HISTORY OF THE 341 MISSILE WING
World War II Bomb Group
The 341st Missile Wing began as the 341st Bombardment Group (Medium) in the China-Burma-
India (CBI) Theater of World War II. The Group was activated at Camp Malir in Karachi, India
on 15 September 1942. The unit was one of the first bomber units in the CBI; being equipped
with B-25 Mitchell medium bombers, which were shipped from the United States to Karachi.
The aircraft were readied for flight operations by Air Technical Service Command at Karachi Air
Depot and dispatched to Chakulia Airfield, now in Bangladesh in December. The group was
formed with two bomb squadrons (11th, 22d) which had been attached to the 7th Bombardment
Group since May 1942, and two newly activated squadrons (490th and 491st). The 11th Bomb
Squadron was already in China, having flown combat missions with China Air Task Force since
1 July 1942. Planes and crews of the 22nd had been flying recon and tactical missions over north
and central Burma, also since July.
The group began flying combat missions in October 1942 and operated chiefly against enemy
transportation in central Burma until 1944. It bombed bridges, locomotives, railroad yards, and
other targets to delay movement of supplies to the Japanese troops fighting in northern Burma.