Pima Air and Space Museum
95TH BOMB GROUP MEMORIAL ROOM
Within the 390th Memorial Museum at Pima Air and Space Museum
Tucson, Arizona
As two members of the 13th Combat Wing of the 3rd Air Division of the 8th Air Force, the 95th and 390th Bombardment Groups have had a close relationship since their establishment. It was further cemented when Col. Joseph A. Moller came to the 95th Bomb Group under orders from General Curtis LeMay to get combat experience in the B-17 to qualify him for further assignments. After flying 30 missions, this seasoned pilot long had that experience, after which he served as Wing Operations Officer in the 13th Combat Wing. Ultimately, Col. Moller became Commander of the 390th . Beloved of both Groups, he was not forgotten at war’s end, and he did not forget the Groups in his Wing (95th , 100th, 390th ).
Some years later, Col. Moller led efforts to build a memorial museum for his 390th Group on the grounds of the Pima Air & Space Museum. His dream was realized with the dedication of the museum in September, 1987. Plans were made almost immediately to expand the museum and the Board of the 390th Memorial Foundation extended invitations to the 95th Bomb Group and the 100th Bomb Group to participate. The 100th declined since they were already committed to restoring buildings on their wartime base site in England. The 95th readily agreed, but it would take several more years to design and complete the project. The Memorial Room was dedicated on March 1, 1996 as a true memorial, with the focal points of columns inscribed with the names of those lost, an empty chair for the “Missing Man,” and a wall-sized detail from a painting by John Rayson depicting the first daylight raid on Berlin.
Renovations to the 390th Memorial Museum in 2012 precipitated an update for the Memorial Room, resulting in the present exhibit, which combines memorial tributes with informational displays in an interactive format to engage visitors. The close partnership continues between the 95th Bomb Group and our generous host, the 390th Memorial Museum.
“The various displays celebrate the individuals and events that were fundamental to our lives and mission in the air war: the role of our support personnel, our prisoners of war, escapees, the mission parties held at the completion of every 100 missions and included music by Glenn Miller’s Orchestra, our Presidential Citations and more. To be in this room is to relive the experience, the joys, the adventure and, of course, the fears and sadness of those days so long ago.”