The group was activated July 1943 with four essentially stand-alone bomb squadrons: 740th, 741st, 742nd, and 743rd. After a somewhat nomadic training regimen with dilapidated equipment, the pieces of the group came together at Langley, VA in October 1943. They were issued G and H models of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator.

They departed Langley in December 1943 and flew to Tunisia by way of Brazil, arriving in January 1944. They remained in Tunisia until completion of their airfield at San Giovanni, Italy, about five miles west of Cerignola and 20 miles southwest of Foggia. The group moved to San Giovanni in February 1944 and flew its first combat mission (Anzio) on 16 February 1943 as part of the 304th Bomb Wing, Fifteenth Air Force. The group flew its last mission (Linz, Austria) 15 months later on 25 April 1945. The mission scheduled for the following day was cancelled and the group began preparations to return home. Probably no one was sorry.

The group had only two commanders during combat operations. Col. Kenneth A. Cool commanded from July 1943-September 1944. Col. William I. Snowden then commanded until May 1945. Both survived the war but both are now deceased.

The 455th flew 252 combat missions over France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria, and the Balkans. They dropped 13, 249 tons of munitions with the following approximate targeting breakout

Authorized personnel strength was over 4,000 personnel. The group lost 118 aircraft, 31 directly to fighters, 36 directly to flak, and 51 from all other causes combined. The figure for combined causes includes causes such as collisions, ditchings, and crashes attributable to fighter or flak damage. As time passed, the fighter opposition decreased but the Germans concentrated their anti-aircraft guns around the fewer remaining targets, so the threat from flak remained intense. They suffered 147 KIA, 268 MIA, 179 POW, and 169 wounded in action. On the other hand, the group is credited with 119 enemy aircraft destroyed and another 78 probables. Only about 40% of the original crews returned.

Most members would probably agree on the two toughest missions. The Group hit the ball bearing plant at Steyer, Austria on 2 April 1944. They lost 4 of 40 aircraft—40 comrades. In addition to successful target damage, they were credited with 27 enemy aircraft destroyed and 17 probables. It was their first heavy loss in two months of combat. The other consensus mission was the Moosbierbaum oil refinery at Vienna, Austria on 26 June 1944. Thirty-six planes took off with only 26 returning. Six of the ten losses were from a single squadron. Several of those crews were on their 50th mission.

The 455th BG received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 2 April 1944 when the group contributed to Fifteenth AF’s campaign against enemy industry by attacking a ball-bearing plant at Steyr. They lost 4 of 40 aircraft—40 comrades. In addition to successful target damage, they were credited with 27 enemy aircraft destroyed and 17 probables. It was their first heavy loss in two months of combat.

Although meeting severe fighter opposition and losing several of its bombers on 26 June 1944, the group proceeded to attack an oil refinery at Moosbierbaum, receiving another DUC for this performance. Thirty-six planes took off with only 26 returning. Six of the ten losses were from a single squadron. Several of those crews were on their 50th mission.

Structure

Part of

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  15th Air Force

  
  The Fifteenth Air Force was one of two Strategic Air forces in Europe, along with the Eighth Air Force. ...

Encompassing

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  742nd Bomb Squadron

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  740th Bomb Squadron

  Squadron

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  741st Bomb Squadron

  Squadron
  Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment unit in mid-1943; assigned to II Bomber Command for training. Primarily trained in New Mexico and Utah received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in November 1943....

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  743rd Bomb Squadron

  Squadron
  Established as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment unit in mid-1943; assigned to II Bomber Command for training. Primarily trained in New Mexico and Utah received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in November 1943....

Previously was

Not yet known

Became

Not yet known

Stations

Station	Location	Date
Based	San Giovanni	15 January 1944 – 9 September 1945

Connections

People

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  Ernest Ackerman

  Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 455th Bomb Group

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  Arthur Amborski

  Military | Sergeant | 455th Bomb Group
  Arthur E. “Art” Amborski was born in Buffalo, New York. ...

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  Alfred Asch

  Military | Colonel | Pilot | 455th Bomb Group
  Flew in WW II, Korea. Served from Sept 1941 to April 1968. 18-November-1942, while serving as Pilot on B-24D 41-23745 "Katy Bug' sustained a collision with a tree when engine failure resulted in a crash landing at Little Stukeley, 4 crew members killed...

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  Tom Bell

  Military | First Lieutenant | bombardier | 455th Bomb Group

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  William Blanchard

  Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 455th Bomb Group
  Assigned to 742BS, 455th BG, 15AF USAAF. Meriwether Jones crew. 20+ combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Bucharest, Romania in B-24 41-28640 'Raunchy'; Crashed Draconesti, Romania 21-Apr-44 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 4387 ...

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  Richard Bodwell

  Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 455th Bomb Group
  Assigned to 742BS, 455th BG, 15AF USAAF. Meriwether Jones crew. 20+ combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Bucharest, Romania in B-24 41-28640 'Raunchy'; Crashed Draconesti, Romania 21-Apr-44 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 4387 ...

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  Victor Boffa

  Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 455th Bomb Group
  Assigned to 742BS, 455th BG, 15AF USAAF. 20+ combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Bucharest, Romania in B-24 41-28640 'Raunchy'; Crashed Draconesti, Romania 21-Apr-44 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 4387 Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.

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  Thomas Boyd

  Military | Tail Gunner | 455th Bomb Group
  Flew as a tail gunner with the 741st Bomb Squadron of the 445th Bomb Group. ...

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  Gilbert Cole

  Military | Captain | Pilot | 455th Bomb Group

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  Carroll Cooper

  Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Navigator | 455th Bomb Group

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Aircraft

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  42-94970 Tepee Time Gal

  B-24 Liberator

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  42-64500 Dazzlin' Dutchess and the Ten Dukes

  B-24 Liberator
  Assigned to 743BS, 455BG, 15AF USAAF. Departed the US for Italy on 22-Dec-43. Failed to Return (FTR) mission. Left formation en route to target on reciprocal heading after crew reported serious fuel leak. Crashed Piatra, Rumania 11-Jun-44. 9 POW 1 KIA....

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  44-50468

  B-24 Liberator

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  42-78435 Buzz Job

  B-24 Liberator

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  44-41199 Yo-Yo

  B-24 Liberator

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  44-10560

  B-24 Liberator

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  42-50395 Goona's Garbage Wagon

  B-24 Liberator

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  41-29407

  B-24 Liberator
  Aircraft was shot down by enemy fighters over Yugoslavia on a mission to Steyr Austria on 2 April, 1944

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  41-29264 Sky Wolf

  B-24 Liberator
  Assigned 740BS, 455BG, 15AF USAAF. Salvaged 17-Jul-44, after collision with B-24 42-78105 'Heaven Can Wait' on the Hardstand.

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  42-78105 Heaven Can Wait

  B-24 Liberator
  Renamed 'Heaven Can Wait' from 'Gremlin's Gripe II' after transferring from 741st BS to 742nd BS. Salvaged 17-Jul-44, after Collision with B-24 41-29264 'Sky Wolf'on the hardstand.

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Citations

Distinguished Unit Citation - 2 April 1944 - Steyr, Austria
Distinguished Unit Citation - 16 June 1944