Back to Blogs
Discover
How a Bury St Edmunds Air Base Made History
Bury St Edmunds was home for thousands of American airmen and women during WWII and a visit to Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum is like taking a trip back in time.
Bury St Edmunds and The Friendly Invasion
Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum. Photo: Phil Morley
During WWII the East of England became home to thousands of American air force personnel – over 350,000 in total.
Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire would never be quite the same again. The Friendly Invasion, as it was dubbed, introduced a rural backwater to the big band music of Glenn Miller, peanut butter, chewing gum, nylons, donuts, jitterbugging, Coca Cola and much more.
A new TV series starring BAFTA-Winning Best Actor Austin Butler will be coming to Apple TV+ in 2023 based on Donald L. Miller’s non-fiction book 'Masters of The Air' and produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. The book tells the true story of the bomber boys of the USAAF 8th Air Force, known as the Mighty Eighth. Over the course of 10 episodes, the TV series will tell the legendary story of the American Eighth Air Force, a bomber unit put together shortly after Pearl Harbor and sent to bases in the East of England, one of those bases was RAF Bury St Edmunds.
RAF Bury St Edmunds, now Rougham Airfield and known in WWII by the USAAF as Station 468, not only welcomed 3,000 GIs during WWII but the Glenn Miller Orchestra, legendary comedian Bob Hope and Hollywood movie star Clark Gable, who all visited to entertain the troops.
It was home for the 94th Bomb Group (and for a shorter time the 322nd and the 47th Bomb Groups) of the 8th Airforce whose contribution to the Allies’ strategic bombing offensive helped turn the tide of war against the Nazis and free occupied Europe.
The 94th Bomb Group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.
The Airfield opened in September 1942 and was specifically designed for a United States Army Airforce unit (USAAF) bomb group and housed personnel in Nissen and other temporary buildings.
94th Bomb Group Missions
The 94th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrived from RAF Earls Colne on the 15th of June 1943. The 94th was assigned to the 4th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a "Square-A".
The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.
The 94th flew its first mission on the 13th of June 1943, bombing an airfield at Saint Omer. After that, the group attacked such strategic objectives as the port of St Nazaire, shipyards at Kiel, an aircraft component parts factory at Kassel, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, a chemical factory at ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Frankfurt, oil facilities at Mersburg, and ball-bearing works at Eberhausen.
The 94th took part in the campaign of heavy bombers against the enemy aircraft industry during Big Week, between the 20th and the 25th of February, 1944.
Prior to D - Day in June 1944, they helped to neutralize V-weapon sites, airfields, and other military installations along the coast of France.
On the 6th of June, the group bombed enemy positions in the battle area to support the invasion of Normandy. During this time it struck troops and gun batteries to aid the advance of the Allies at Saint - Lo in July and at Brest in August.
Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum
The Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum, opened in 1992 and is home to a fascinating collection of memorabilia including photos, artefacts, uniforms, airplane parts, flags, letters, and photographs, which tell the story of Rougham Airfield and the US personnel stationed there.
You’ll find a collection of memorabilia from the family of Preston Clark who flew The Eric Ferry, The Eagles Wrath and the Leading Lady as pathfinder crew from Rougham.
There is also wonderful collection of photographs and original concert posters of The Skyliners, the band of the 322nd Bomb Group after whom the new Skyliner Sports Centre and Skyliner Way in Bury St Edmunds is named.
Discover the story of local girl Edith Miller who married her dashing GI B17 bomber hero Tom Miller on 12 May 1944, just after VE Day.
You can still see the hangar that the Glenn Miller Ensemble played in today and you can imagine the deep roar of the engines and the sound of the propellers of the B17 flying fortresses from the top of the control tower as you look towards the runway.
But the museum is also a stark reminder of sacrifices made in war. Of the 3,000 servicemen stationed at Rougham, more than 600 died during missions.
Among them the Commander of the 94th Bomb Group (and newly promoted to commander of the 4th Combat Bomb Wing) Brigadier General Frederick Castle. Castle, who was based at RAF Bury St Edmunds, died a hero on December 24 1944 when he flew out of Lavenham in the lead bomber of the 487th Bombardment Group and was awarded Posthumously the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Truman.
The volunteers who keep this museum going and preserve the memories of those stationed here, are on hand to show you the museum are extremely passionate and knowledgeable about the airfield, its history and the era.
Be sure to see The Flight of Peace sculpture on the Lady Miriam Way roundabout near the Museum, which commemorates the US Air Force’s arrival at Rougham Airfield. The breath-taking B17 Flying Fortress commemoration sculpture, with a dove of peace blossoming from it, is a symbolic remembrance of those gallant American servicemen who, by preparing, maintaining and flying the B17 Flying Fortress bombers, contributed to lasting peace in Europe.
Visit Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum
Photo: Emily Fae
Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum is open every Sunday between 10am and 4pm from Easter to October and at other times by appointment. It is Free to visit, but the Museum relies on donations to keep going.
The Museum also hosts special events and Open Days throughout the year at which you can see volunteers dressed up in period costume, browse extra displays and stalls, these days are listed on the Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum website.
Memories of Rougham Airfield and The 94th Bombardment Group (H) written by Cliff Hall and Masters of The Air by Donald L Miller are available to buy from The Apex Tourism Information Centre.
For more information download The Friendly Invasion souvenir publication, with forewords by HRH Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, and Tom Hanks.
Related Posts
Untold Stories of Masters of the Air:…
The extraordinary stories of the Americans who came to…
View MoreUntold Stories of Masters of The Air: Edith…
How Local Girl Edith Married Handsome American GI Tom
View MoreVisit the Only Surviving WWII Royal Observer…
Bury St Edmunds Guildhall contains the only surviving…
View MoreRelated Blogs
News
Tours Take Off for Masters of…
Tours developed by Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides and…
News
Vote for Bury St Edmunds Tour…
Vote now to Help Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides win the…
News
See Rendlesham Revealed at…
1,400-year-old Anglo-Saxon artefacts from National…
News
New afternoon tea at Lavenham…
Enjoy a Masters of the Air themed afternoon tea at The…
News
Itinerary: Masters of the Air
Follow in the footsteps of the Master of the Air
Latest news
News
Bury St Edmunds Celebrates English Tourism Week
Bury St Edmunds MP, Jo Churchill, met representatives from the town’s attractions and tour guides involved with the town’s Masters of the Air tourism campaign at Bury St Edmunds Guildhall.
News
Tours Take Off for Masters of The Air
Tours developed by Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides and Bury St Edmunds Guildhall to tie in with the Apple TV Series Masters of The Air so popular more dates are being added.
News
International illustrator David Hughes draws largest exhibition Bury St Edmunds
The largest ever exhibition is now underway at Moyse’s Hall Museum featuring the work of internationally acclaimed illustrator David Hughes.
News
A Taste of Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk
After visiting Suffolk's foodie capital, you'll want to take it with you - here are 5 foodie treats to take home!
News
Doctor Who Stars Coming to Bury St Edmunds to Star in Sherlock Holmes Classic
Who stars Colin Baker, Terry Molloy, and Rosie Baker will star in Hound of The Baskervilles at Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal
News
Vote for Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides Now
Vote now to Help Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides win the VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar 2024!
News
Cycle the Wolf Way
Winding its way around many of the best bridleways, byways, gravel tracks, cycle paths and quiet back roads, the Wolf Way takes in some of Suffolk’s most beautiful locations and hidden gems
News
See Rendlesham Revealed at West Stow
1,400-year-old Anglo-Saxon artefacts from National Trust’s Sutton Hoo, are now on display at West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village.
News
Dinosaurs are taking over the Cathedral!
Two special guests will be delighting children this half-term at St Edmundsbury Cathedral: a pair of dinosaurs!