Beecher Bell
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 458th Bomb Group
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Military
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 458th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 458th Bomb Group
Group
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...
Group
The 466th Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators from Attlebridge, Norfolk, during the last year of the war in Europe. The Group flew 232 missions in the course of the year and celebrated the 100th one by inviting local people onto the base to mark the...
Group
The 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1 Mar 42 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15 May 42. the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, to continue advanced flight training and also to fly antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico. They...
Squadron
Squadron
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 752BS, 458BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Schonecken in B-24 42-109812, hit by flak, tail section departed A/C, A/C went into spin and crashed St Vith. 3 x POW, 6 x KIA 24-Dec-44 MACR 11121.
B-24 Liberator
Declared war weary in the Autumn of 1944 and salvaged by Base Air Depot 3 at Langford Lodge, Northern Ireland.
6 March 1944
The industrial areas of Berlin and Genshagen, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. A combined force of 730 heavy bombers are despatched from 1st, 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions. The despatch from 3rd Air Division bombs Targets of Opportunity in...
8 March 1944
The VKF ballbearing factory at Berlin/Erkner is the primary target for 623 heavy bombers despatched by all three Air Divisions. Fighter opposition and anti-aircraft fire are intense. There are so many formation attacking that some divert to other...
15 March 1944
The industrial areas of the secondary target of Brunswick, Germany. A combined force of 344 heavy bombers from 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions are despatched. Mission Summary follows:
...
21 March 1944
The V-Weapon site at Watten, France is the target for this mission. A combined force of 65 B-24s from: 44BG; 93BG; 392BG; and 458BG are despatched. 7 aircraft are damaged. There are no other losses, casualties or claims.
23 March 1944
The industrial areas of Brunswick, Munster, Osnabruck, and Achmer, Germany as well as the airfield at Handorf, Germany become the targets for a force of 768 heavy bombers despatched by all three Air Divisions. The bomber gunner claims on German...
26 March 1944
9 V-Weapon sites in the Pas-de-Calaise, France area and 7 V-Weapon sites in the Cherbourg, France area are the targets of this mission. A combined force of 573 heavy bombers from all three Air Divisions are despatched. Mission Summary follows:
...
9 April 1944
11 April 1944
10 June 1944
30 August 1944
End of Operation Overlord.
...
Military site : airfield
Attlebridge was constructed for RAF use and completed to that standard in 1942. However, with news that it was to be assigned to the American Air Force, the runways were extended and additional hardstandings and outbuildings constructed for the heavy...
Military site : airfield
Planned as an RAF bomber airfield, Hardwick was used first by the 310th Bomb Group, equipped with B-25 Mitchells. B-24 Liberators of the 93rd Bomb Group moved in briefly in March 1943, then returned in June 1943 remaining until the end of the war and...
Military site : airfield
Horsham St Faith was an RAF Bomber Command Station opened in June 1940. It was home to Bristol Blenheim medium-bombers, and was for a time occupied by fighters, including those of No. 19 Squadron and No. 264 Squadron. From September 1942 the airfield...
Event | Location | Date |
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Born | Dekalb, Illinois | 3 July 1922 |
Enlisted | Chicago, IL | 9 April 1942 |
458th BG Combat Tour | RAF Horsham St. Faith | 6 March 1944 – 11 April 1944 |
93rd BG Combat Tour | RAF Hardwick | 15 April 1944 – 15 August 1944 |
Dates are approximate |
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466th BG Combat Tour | RAF Attlebridge | 30 August 1944 – 26 October 1944 |
Died | Fresno County, CA | 20 April 2008 |
Col. Burton M. Bush passed away at the age of 85. Burton lived a full and interesting life. He enjoyed an exciting career as an Air Force pilot. It was a career he enjoyed. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Lucille; three children Duane, Tom, and Chris; three grandchildren Jason, Aaron and Meghan; and five great-grandchildren Kalea, Noah, Jonna-Lee, Emily, and Adisyn. He will be missed. Remembrances may be sent to the Alzheimer's Foundation of Central California, 4411 N. Cedar Ave., Suite 102, Fresno, Ca 93726. |
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Buried | Clovis, CA | 23 April 2008 |
Clovis Cemetery |
Date | Contributor | Update |
---|---|---|
12 April 2020 00:09:39 | 466thHistorian | Changes to middlename, service number, highest rank, role, awards, events, unit associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
Sources | ||
https://www.458bg.com/crew14bush.htm |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 September 2014 18:04:52 | AAM | AAM ingest |
Sources | ||
458bg.com / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia |