1689th Ordnance
390th Heavy Bombardment Group, U.S. 8th Air Force, World War II
(from the records of the 390th)
(information in italics relates specifically to Robert Whiteford, added by Mary Whiteford)
In April 1941, the 2nd Platoon, Company B, 92nd Quartermaster Battalion, was designated the 874th QM Platoon at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. The Unit moved to New Albuquerque Air Base, New Mexico. 21 October 1941: Robert's induction, Fort Lee, New Jersey.
24 October 1941: 689 Quarter Master Company, Camp Lee, Virginia.
5 January 1942: Ordnance, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Soon after war was declared, 14 December 1941, training, repair and motor convoys and 3rd Echelon Repair work in the field. It was designated the 689th QM Company (LM) Aviation 22 April, 1942, with a strength of 50 enlisted men under Lt. Fairbank. In the last days of April, having been alerted for overseas shipment, the 689th went by Pullman (with meals in the diner!) to Fort Hamilton, New York Overseas Staging Area, where the 2nd Air Depot was being processed. The Unit embarked on the Cathay, a British ship, 22 April 1942, and after a voyage of 13 days, entered Belfast Lough, having touched at Halifax, N.S. en route.
30 April 30 1942: Depart U.S. on convoy troop across Atlantic. It was very dark, foggy and the other ships could not be seen. Arrived Newport, Wales, 13 May 1942.
The ship sailed from Belfast without docking, and tied up at Newport, England, 14 May 1942.
From New port, movement was by train to Thrapston, Northants, and thence to Wickstead Park, Kettering, 15 May where quarters where taken up. After losing several battles with the English stoves the cooks began to get things in order and turn out meals.
Duties there were the establishing of warehouses, unloading, railway cars and the necessary guard duty and fatigue. During this time, Robert met his future wife, Cissie Enfield, a native of Kettering.
9 June 1942, the unit moved to Central Hall, in the city of Kettering, to establish a mess for 300 arriving United States troops. 17 June the outfit moved to Site 5, Molesworth Aerodrome, rejoining the parent organization, the 2nd Air Depot Group.
4 July members of the company witnessed the take off and return of the first raid by United States planes on enemy-occupied Europe in World War II.
4 August the unit moved by truck to Warrington; then 6 August to Poynton, rejoining the 2nd Air Depot Group.
15 September the designation was changed from 689th QM Company to 689th Ordnance Company.
7 October the unit moved to Melchbourne Park, near Rushden.
14 November to 21 November, 2221 vehicles were repaired in the 689th Shop that was in the open with no shelter and deep in mud, amid frequent and copious rainfall. The 689th was assigned to the 8th Air Force Service Command 5 Nov 1942, and on 23 Nov was changed to 1689th Ordnance Company MM (AVN). Assigned to 390th, 571 Bomb Squadron, Warrington.
Brig. Gen. Baker and Maj. Gen. Spaatz visited the 1689th, the 2nd Air Depot Group and the 15th Bombardment Group (A-20's), when these were the 8th Air Force, and the only body of American troops in England. We saw the 8th Air Force bloom and then fade, as the African invasion demanded its planes. In Oct 1942 we took bombs to half-completed aerodromes with no planes on them, in Cornwall and wondered why. Then we saw the strength 8th grow to a mighty striking force as the build up for the invasion of Europe began.
21 Nov the company moved to Bruche Hall Warrington and immediately started work at Burton Wood Air Depot, expediting the movement to Africa. 29 Jan 1943 from Bristol inspections for march the unit moved by motor convoy to Drinkstone Manor, near Bury St Edmunds 192 miles in 10 hours.
26 March from Bristol to Stone, Straffordshire April 19. 3 May, a detachment of 23 men was sent to Prestwick, Scotland the balance back to Melchbourne Park. 13 August they reunited with the parent company, in time for their first anniversary overseas (4 months late) at the Manor Hall. 17 August 1943: Mission #3 to Regensburg, Germany. For this mission the 390th received a Presidential Citation. 25 August 1943: Robert Whiteford and Cissie Enfield married in Kettering, Northants, England.
13 Sept 1943, the organization was transferred form Service Command to Bomber Command, assigned to the Third Bombardment Division (H), and attached to AAF Station 153 to operate with the 390th Bombardment Group (H). The organization developed from motor-maintenance to armament, ammunition, maintenance, supply and headquarters sections. 10 October 1943: Mission 22 Munster, Germany, Marshalling Yard. 14 October 1943: Mission 23 Schweinfurt, Germany, Ball-bearing Plants. For this mission the 390th received a Presidential Citation. 28 July 1945: Robert Whiteford departs England from Silbury Dock, London, on the USS Samuel Griffin, Liberty Ship that was built in Houston Texas August 1942. 9 August 1945: the ship arrived in Boston, MA, USA. 25 September 1945: Robert Whiteford received an Honorable Discharge, New York.
Although the 1689th was fated to cease its wandering, and remain an important component on the 390th Station 153, it was to undergo one final change of destination when the 423rd Air Service Group was formed, 15 April 1945, and the Ordnance became the 673th Air Materiel Squadron.
