The 2nd Bomb Group was re-designated as the SECOND BOMB GROUP, HEAVY during October 1942 at Ephrata, Washington.  The group was made up of four Squadrons, the 20th, 49th, 96th, and the 429th, some of which date back to World War I (all but the 429th are still active today at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana). 

In November 1942, the squadrons were sent to satellite bases in Montana for additional training as units, the 20th to Great Falls, the 49th to Lewistown, the 96th to Glasgow, and the 429th to Cut Bank.  This was the third and final phase of training.  The 2nd Bomb Group and squadrons left their satellite bases on March 13-14, 1943 arriving at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey March 17-18, 1943 for debarkation overseas.  The Flight Echelon left the above bases for Morrison Field West Palm Beach, Florida; Natal, Brazil; Marrakech, Morocco and arriving at Navarin, Algeria on April 22, 1943.  The Ground Echelon were disbursed at Camp Kilmer in several ships arriving at Casablanca and Port Lyautey in March/April, 1943, thence motor and train convoy to Navarin, Algeria.

THE SECOND BOMB GROUP, HEAVY departed Navarin, Algeria April 27, 1943.  It arrived at Chateau D'un, Algeria on April 27, 1943. The first mission on April 28, 1943 was to Terranova, Sardinia.  The 2nd Bomb Group departed Chateau D'un and arrived at Ain M'Lila, Algeria on June 17, 1943 and flew 25 missions from that base.  The 2nd Bomb Group departed for Massicault, Tunisia on July 31, 1943 and flew 56 missions from that base.  The 2nd Bomb Group departed Massicault and arrived Amendola, Foggia, Italy on December 10,1943.  The balance of missions flown by the 2nd Bomb Group were from Amendola Air Base in Foggia, Italy.  The final missions, #412, was flown on May 1, 1945 to the Marshalling yards at Salzburg, Austria and there were two mminor injuries suffered during this final mission.