345th Bombardment Group
First used by observation air units, the role of the Columbia Army Air Base (CAAB) shifted to a B-25 medium bomber training site for replacement pilots. Many units honed their combat skills at CAAB including the Doolitte Raiders, but only one called the base home. Assigned to the Fifth Army Air Force, the 345th Bombardment Group activated at CAAB in the Fall of 1942. Known as the “Air Apaches”, the group flew practice missions over the small islands in Lake Murray. One such landmass was used so much it was dubbed "Bomb Island". Final training for the group was done in Walterboro and Greenville. The 498th, 499th, 500th, and 501st squadrons also received their nicknames "The Falcons", "The Bats Out of Hell", "The Rough Riders", and "The Black Panthers" respectively.
During their final training, the unit's B-25 Mitchell Bombers were modified to the “J” version with four .50 caliber machine guns in the nose which made them suited for low altitude strafing missions. Flying so close to the ground, the bottom of the planes would be covered in palm fronds. This earned the 345th another nickname when they became the first full Army Air Force combat group in the Pacific Theater, “Tree Toppers”.
August 15th,1945 marked the announcement of Japan’s surrender. V-J Day had arrived and the 345th would be leading the path to peace by escorting the Japanese delegation to Manila for a conference with General MacArthur. Painted white with green crosses, two Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” bombers took off form the mainland and linked up with the American bombers on their way to the island of Iejma. The Japanese officials then boarded Army Air Force C-54s and made way for the Philippines discuss the terms of Allied occupation.
In 2012, the Air Apaches returned to Columbia for the 70th Anniversary Reunion. Nineteen surviving members were able to get together for the historical marker dedication and a flyover by a restored "Betty's Dream" B-25. Also by the Columbia Metropolitan Airport is a monument dedicated to the aviators who lost their lives during training at the former Army Air base. This includes six crews from the 345th. Not far away is possibly the last remaining B-25 to be used by the 345th during training. "Skunkie" sat at the bottom of Lake Greenwood until 1983 when it was pulled up to undergo renovations. You can now view it at the J.B. Owens Airport.