The Operations Block was at the heart of everything. It housed the 381st’s operations personnel, intelligence section, and engineering staff. From the operations desk in this building, teletype messages arrived from 8th Air Force Headquarters at High Wycombe, advising how many aircraft were required and what was expected of the 381st on any given day. Every mission began here, with decisions made that shaped the course of the war — and still touch families today.

The Headquarters site was also the setting for the handover ceremony from the RAF to the USAAF in 1943, marking the beginning of Ridgewell’s role in the American air campaign. Medal ceremonies took place here too. Several photographs show senior leaders of the 8th Air Force — including Major General Carl Spaatz and Lieutenant General James “Jimmy” Doolittle — standing with Tilbury Green cottages in the background.

It was in this building, in the early hours of 7 May 1945, that a teletype message arrived announcing that the German High Command had surrendered. The 381st had the news before anyone else in the local area. The message sparked wild celebrations across the base — a full twenty‑four hours before VE Day.