458th Bomb Group
Group
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
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Unit stations
| Station | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
|
Based |
Horsham St Faith | 29 January 1944 - 3 June 1945 |
Encompassing
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12082020
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 0692876
- Highest Rank: Flight Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-928696
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: The Monster, Flak Magnet
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 467th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron 788th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron 856th Bomb Squadron 857th Bomb Squadron 858th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Satan's Mate
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Vale Oregan
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
Mission
- Date: 24 March 1944
- Date: 23 March 1944
![A B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Ruth L", flown by Lieutenant NL Young, of the 96th Bomb Group flies through a cascade of bombs released by another Fortress over Oranienburg, Germany. Strike camera photo. Handwritten caption on reverse: '22/3/44. Looks like JW code - 92BG? [sic]Supposedly Bremen raid but bombs look like M47.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-408680.jpg.webp?itok=47P7nfd_)
- Date: 22 March 1944
- Date: 21 March 1944
- Date: 16 March 1944
Revisions
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].
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)
