458th Bomb Group

Group
Personnel of the 458th Bomb Group gather around a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-29303) nicknamed "Liberty Lib" in order to transfer a casualty into a waiting ambulance. Image via Harry Holmes. Written on slide casing: '458th BG.' media-395561.jpg FRE 6741 Personnel of the 458th Bomb Group gather around a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-29303) nicknamed "Liberty Lib" in order to transfer a casualty into a waiting ambulance. Image via Harry Holmes. Written on slide casing: '458th BG.' Roger Freeman Collection

Roger Freeman Collection image text.

Object Number - FRE 6741 - Personnel of the 458th Bomb Group gather around a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-29303) nicknamed "Liberty Lib" in order to transfer a casualty...

The 458th Bomb Group (H) entered combat with the 8th Air Force in February 1944. Based at Horsham St. Faith in England, the combat crews participated in the decisive Campaigns 'Big Week', 'Big B', D-Day and the assault on Germany's oil industry waged by the USAAF up to VE-Day. The group also tested the operational use of 'Azon' radio-controlled bombs. The 458th flew a total of 240 missions, during which over 13,000 tons of ordnance was dropped, and was achieved at the cost of sixty-five crews MIA or involved in operational accidents. In the fall of 1944 the Group ceased bombing missions during to haul petrol to airfields in France as the Allies supply lines could not keep up with the rate at which the armies were moving eastwards.

Browse 458th Bomb Group photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/44

Connections

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Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Horsham St Faith 29 January 1944 - 3 June 1945

Encompassing

People

Albert A Arthur

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group
  • Role/Job: Technical Sergeant

Alex C Bail

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant

Albert R Barnes

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group

Albert V Barney

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Bledsoe

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Aircraft

41-28666

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Dixie DuDrop
  • Unit: 445th Bomb Group 458th Bomb Group 703rd Bomb Squadron

41-28667

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Jayhawker
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron

41-28669

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Ginny
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
A B-24H Liberator (J3-M, serial number 41-28678) of the 755th Bomb Squadron, 458th Bomb Group lands at Horsham St. Faith , March 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-24H of 458th Bomb Group landing at Horsham St. Faith, Norfolk in late March 1944. 6 Foot Dix.' Second handwritten on reverse: '458 B.G., 8th Air Force.' Printed caption on reverse: '81779 AC - Consolidated B-24 of 458th Bomb Group arrives at air base somewhere in England after completing 200th mission, 1944. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

41-28678

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron

41-28705

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Ye Olde Hellgate
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron

Mission

Revisions

Date9 Mar 2018 15:29:46
Contributor2nd Air Division Memorial Library
ChangesChanges to description. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media. Changes to Media
Sources

2nd Air Division Memorial Library

Date22 Oct 2015 01:56:08
Contributor466thHistorian
ChangesChanges to mission associations
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date28 May 2015 13:28:54
ContributorDScorza458BG
ChangesChanges to description, unit part of associations and mission associations
Sources

This is a much more comprehensive history highlight of the 458th as a unit than what was previously printed. The prior text made it seem like the group came in on the heels of the 457th BG, and only flew diversion missions and gas hauls in late 1944. Please feel free to contact me [email protected].

Date13 Mar 2015 15:23:15
Contributorrossingtonj
ChangesChanges to type and mission associations
Sources

Type added.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:42:45
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

458th Bomb Group: Gallery (353 items)