525th Bombardment Squadron
The 525th Bombardment Squadron was one of the four original squadrons of the 379th Bombardment Group, identified by the squadron code FR painted on their aircraft.
Activation and Training
The 525th was activated on November 26, 1942, at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, as part of the 379th Bombardment Group. The squadron trained with B-17 Flying Fortresses at Wendover Field, Utah before completing final preparations at Sioux City AAF, Iowa.
Combat Operations
Arriving at RAF Kimbolton in May 1943, the 525th immediately joined combat operations. The squadron flew its first mission on May 29, 1943, targeting German U-boat pens at St. Nazaire, France.
Throughout the war, the 525th participated in some of the most dangerous missions of the air campaign, including:
- Bremen Raids - Heavily defended by 236 concrete flak towers and mobile anti-aircraft guns on rail cars
- Schweinfurt Raids - The devastating attacks on ball bearing factories that resulted in massive losses
- D-Day Operations - Bombing German positions ahead of the Allied landings on June 6, 1944
- Operation Crossbow - Attacking V-1 and V-2 rocket launch sites
The Iron Maiden
One of the 525th's notable aircraft was The Iron Maiden (B-17F 42-29511, code FR-W), piloted by 1st Lt. Roland H. Martin. The aircraft was shot down during the devastating second Schweinfurt raid on October 14, 1943—known as "Black Thursday"—when 60 American bombers were lost. Remarkably, all crew members survived and became prisoners of war.
Lt. Martin was held at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Germany until liberation. His oral history is preserved in the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.
A Crew's Story: Hit by Friendly Fire
Ray T. Matheny, a flight engineer with the 525th's Crew Number 80, documented one of the squadron's missions to Bremen. Flying aboard "The Deacon's Sinners," the crew faced intense flak and fighter attacks. Their bombardier, 2nd Lt. Melvin D. Henroid, was wounded during the mission. After the war, Matheny discovered that Henroid had actually been hit by a .50 caliber round from another B-17—a tragic case of friendly fire.
Distinguished Service
The 525th Bombardment Squadron received two Distinguished Unit Citations as part of the 379th Bomb Group for sustained combat operations and exceptional performance.
Squadron Personnel
Notable veterans of the 525th include:
- 1st Lt. Roland H. Martin - Pilot of "The Iron Maiden," survived the second Schweinfurt raid as a POW
- 1st Lt. Arlo F. Bartsch - Served with the squadron at Kimbolton from 1942-1945
- Ray T. Matheny - Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner who documented his experiences in detailed accounts
Deactivation
Following V-E Day, the 525th participated in the "Green Project," transporting American troops from Europe back to the United States. The squadron was inactivated on July 25, 1945, at Casablanca, Morocco.
The stories of the 525th's crews remind us of the human cost of the air war over Europe, where young men faced extraordinary dangers on every mission.