S207: Morale in a Heavy Bombardment Group

To study the morale of one heavy bombardment group before the men were sent overseas In order to do a follow-up study later which would correlate questionnaire responses on morale items to subsequent combat records of the fliers. In addition, to measure the effects of noncombatant overseas duty on morale by administering a questionnaire to ground personnel as well as fliers.

a. Neuropsychiatric items were included also in order to measure the effects of overseas duty and combat duty on the responses to these items.

b. The initial phase of the study was a comparative analysis between Ground Personnel, Service Personnel and the Base Unit in the B-29 group.

c. The later phase — the effectiveness of predicting combat performance of fliers from morale items in a questionnaire — was abandoned because VJ Day intervened and the men were not sent overseas.

Questionnaire

Date

May '45

Original Size

3,289

Location

US

Alternate Title

B-29 Officers and EM

Sample Description

This study has two main samples:

a. Flying Personnel – 2,155 fliers – both officers and enlisted men from one heavy bombardment group.

The Flying Personnel can be broken down into two sub-samples

  1. Officer fliers

  2. Enlisted fliers

b. Ground Personnel – 1,134 enlisted men from bomber squadrons. Base Unit and Service Groups.

The Ground Personnel sample can be broken down into three subsamples:

  1. Bomber squadrons.

  2. Base Unit

    * The F form was administered to fliers; the G form to ground personnel.

  3. Service Group

* Note

  1. The Flying Personnel can be broken down into two sub-samples: Officer fliers and enlisted fliers

  2. The Ground Personnel sample can be broken down into three subsamples: Bomber squadrons. Base Unit and Service Group. These can be separated by sorting on Col. 2 for l’s, 2’s and 3’s respectively.

Sample Method

The F form was administered to fliers; the G form to ground personnel.

Scales and Scores

a. Form 207 F (Fliers)

  1. Neuropsychiatric Inventory (15 items) (Qs 2a-2o in Part II) punched in Cols. 78-79
  2. Neuropsychiatric Inventory (8 items) punched in Cols. 75-76
  3. Job Satisfaction (Qs 18-19, 17) punched in Col. 73

b. Form 207 G (Ground Crews)

  1. Neuropsychiatric Inventory (15 items) (Qs 52a-52o) punched in Cols. 64-65.
  2. Neuropsychiatric Inventory (8 items) (Qs 52c, e, k, l, o, and 53a, b, c) punched in Cols. 62-63
  3. Job Satisfaction (Qs 14-15, 13) punched in Col. 61

Location Details

Pratt Army Airfield, KS

Field Personnel

Robert S. Wattles

Edward Suchman

Abram Jaffe

Study Analysts

Robert Ford

Reports

B-155 Morale Among Ground Troops at a B-28 Training Base

B-156 Morale, Combat Expectations and Training Problems of a B-29 Group Ready for Deployment

B-163 Morale and Training Problems of a B-29 Wing Ready for Deployment

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Part 1

1.1
How long have you been in the Army? E. If you have been in the Army before, then were out for a while, just check the length of time since you entered this last time. If you were in the National Guard, check the length of time since your outfit came into the Army.
2
How long have you been in your present group?
3.1
When were you born?
4.1
Are you:
5
What is your main flying duty?
6.1
What is your rank or grade?
7.1
How long have you held your present rank?
8A
So far as you know, what is the highest rank a man can hold for the job you are now doing in your present crew?
8B
What do you think the top rank really should be? (If you think the one you marked in the last question is O.K., check it again below. If you think it should be higher or lower, check what you think it should be.)
9
How do you feel about your present chances for promotion?
10
How do you think the men in your outfit are selected for promotion?
11
How do you feel about the importance of the work you are doing right now as compared with other jobs you might be doing in the Army?
12
Does the Army job you now have give you a chance to use your skill and experience?
13
Would you change to some other Army job if given a chance?
14
How do you feel about the amount of work you have to do?
15
In general, how well do you like working in your present Army job?
16
Have you ever served in the Army outside the United States in this war? (Don't count training trips like gypsy.)
17
Have you been in actual combat or under enemy fire in this war?
18
How do you feel about serving overseas?
19
If and when you get into combat how well do you think you will stand up under battle conditions?