Kellogg's Pep 471st Bombardment Squadron

Illustration of a black bear with a red missile above on a yellow circle on a white background

Bomby-the-Bear, the emblem of the 471st Bombardment Squadron, was one of the faces of the Pep button series. The 471st Bombardment Squadron operated as a North American B-25 Mitchell replacement training unit beginning in 1942 until its disbandment in 1944. It served as one of the four original squadrons of the 334th Bombardment Group at Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina where aircrews were trained prior to deployment to combat theaters during World War II. 

Bomby is one of a set of military insignia pins issued by Kellogg's with their PEP cereal in 1943. The set is known as the “Pep War Insignia Pins” and features 36 WWII military squadron emblems. It was created for Kellogg's by the legendary "Premium King" Sam Gold. The Kellogg's Pep cereal brand sponsored radio programs and was known for giving away premium items such as trading cards, badges, and pinback buttons.