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The Northern Bombing Group consisted of United States Navy and United States Marine Corps squadrons
conducting strategic bombing of German U-boat bases along the Belgian coast during World War I. The first
United States military unit sent to Europe was the First Aeronautic Detachment of seven naval officers and 122
enlisted men who arrived in France on 5 June 1917. These men became the nucleus of the United States Naval
Forces in Europe. They formulated a strategic bombing plan approved by the Secretary of the Navy on 30 April
1918, but chronic difficulties in obtaining aircraft prevented establishment of an effective bombing campaign
before the war ended six months later.[1]
Contents
1 Background
2 Concept
3 Implementation
4 References
Concept
One of the Allied efforts to reduce shipping losses was a day and night bombing campaign against the bases
from which the U-boats operated. United States naval aviators were to establish a Northern Bombing Group
headquarters near Ardres for a sustained bombing effort against the U-boat bases. The group was to consist of a
day wing and a night wing operating from six aerodromes with a separate repair and supply base, all in the area
of Calais and Dunkirk. Each of the six Navy night wing squadrons was to have ten Caproni Ca.5 bombers
operating in two flights of five; and each of the six Marine Corps day wing squadrons was to have eighteen
Airco DH.4 bombers operating in three flights of six.[1]
Implementation
Difficulty in obtaining aircraft caused reduction of planned strength to four-day squadrons and four night
squadrons on 31 May 1918: Night squadrons 1 and 2 were assigned to Saint-Inglevert Airfield (aerodrome A).
Night squadrons 3 and 4 were assigned to aerodrome B in Campagne. Aerodrome C in Sangatte was to be built
as a dummy but was cancelled after objections by local residents. Day squadrons 7 and 8 were assigned to
aerodrome D at Oye-Plage. Day squadrons 9 and 10 were assigned to aerodrome E at Le Frene. Aerodrome F at
Alembon served as a bomb dump and was available as a reserve field. By June, the military situation in France
raised doubts about the safety of bases; so on 20 July a British site in Eastleigh was designated the repair and
supply base where newly delivered aircraft would be assembled and tested.[1]
Caproni had projected delivery of thirty bombers in June and July, and eighty more in August. Only eighteen
had been delivered by the end of August, and their Fiat engines were unsatisfactory. Arrangements were made
to equip future Caproni deliveries with Isotta Fraschini V.6 engines; but the improved aircraft were not
available prior to the First Armistice at Compigne. Substitution of Handley Page Type O bombers was
similarly unsuccessful until after the armistice. The only Northern Bombing Group night raid was made on 15
August 1918 by a single Ca.5 bomber over Ostend; but seven United States Navy pilots and about 40 enlisted
men participated in several raids flying two No. 214 Squadron RAF Handley Page bombers. Of an originally
projected strength of sixty night bombers, the war ended with six Ca.5s at the night wing aerodromes; and only
two of these were operational.[1]
References
1. Van Wyen, Adrian O. (1969). Naval Aviation in World War I. Washington, D.C.: Chief of Naval
Operations. pp. 9, 64, 8081 & 8487.
2. Potter, E.B.; Nimitz, Chester W. (1960). Sea Power. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
pp. 457463.