55th Bombardment Wing
Wing
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Group
Constituted as 460th Bombardment Group (Heavy) in May 1943. Activated on 1 July 1943. Activated as a B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment unit; 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 August 1943. Moved to Georgia and Virginia where the group flew coastal patrol missions over the Southeast, October 1943 – January 1944 while station in Italy was being constructed.
Deployed to Southern Italy in January 1944; entered combat in January 1944, being assigned to Fifteenth Air Force 55th Bombardment Wing. Engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia, bombing railroad marshalling yards, oil refineries, airdrome installations, heavy industry, and other strategic objectives.
The group flew its last World War II combat mission on 26 April 1945. After V-E Day, was assigned to Green Project which was the movement of troops from Europe to the United States via the South Atlantic Transport Route. B-24s were modified with sealed bomb bays, removal of all defensive armament and internal fuselage equipped with seating to carry approximately 30 personnel. Was assigned to Air Transport Command at Waller Field, Trinidad and to Natal, Brazil. Moved personnel from Dakar in French West Africa where personnel were transported across the South Atlantic to Brazil and eventually to Morrison Field, Florida via Trinadad. Provided air transport until the end of September when the unit was inactivated
Squadron
Activated as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron in mid-1943, it was assigned to the II Bomber Command for training. It trained primarily in New Mexico and Utah. The squadron received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations ...
Squadron
Activated as the 761st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in mid-1943;[1] assigned to II Bomber Command for training with B-24 Liberators. Primarily trained in New Mexico and Utah. Received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO)...
Squadron
Activated as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron in mid-1943, it was assigned to II Bomber Command for training. It trained primarily in New Mexico and Utah. It received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in August...
Squadron
Activated as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber squadron in mid-1943, it was assigned to II Bomber Command. It was primarily trained in New Mexico and Utah. The unit received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) in August 1943...
Station | Location | Date |
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Based | Spinazzola | January 1944 – July 1945 |
Military | Second Lieutenant | 460th Bomb Group
Cited as being the pilot of B-24 41-29320 "Alexander's Ragtime Band".
Air Medal - 1 OLC.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 460th Bomb Group
B-24 Pilot
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 460th Bomb Group
Military | Captain | pilot | 460th Bomb Group
Military | Sergeant | Engineer | 460th Bomb Group
KIA. Shot while trying to evade capture at/near Paling, Ger. US trial found no war crime and acquitted the soldier who shot him.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 460th Bomb Group
B.J. was a B-24 pilot, shot down and taken prisoner in March 1945
Military | First Sergeant (1st Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner and Assistant Flight Engineer | 460th Bomb Group
On April 26, 1945, he was an Assistant Engineer aboard the B-24 44-40495, named the “Seldom Available”, on a mid-day bombing mission from Spinnazola Air Field to Klagenfurt (Austria) Rail Marshalling Yards. The ship suffered mechanical failure, and...
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | 460th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 460th Bomb Group
Shot down in B-24J #42-50888 on 22/09/44, E of Tittmoning, Ger. and taken POW. Returned to Duty.
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
Shot down 22/09/1944 east of Tittmoning, Ger. MACR 8739
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
Shot down by Flak on May 10th, 1944 over Wiener Neustadt. 5 POW, 5 KIA.
The 460th Heavy Bombardment Group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for leading the 55th Bomb Wing through adverse weather and heavy enemy fire to attack an airfield and aircraft facilities in Zwolfaxing, Austria, on 26 July 1944. The group also flew some interdiction and support missions and supported the invasion of southern France in August 1944 by raiding submarine pens, marshalling yards and gun positions in the assault area. It struck bridges, viaducts, ammunition dumps, railroads and other targets to aid the advance of Allied forces in northern Italy.
Date | Contributor | Update |
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30 April 2019 03:52:02 | av8torrg | Changes to media associations |
Sources | ||
personal photos - Lt Robert Gardner, USAAF |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
11 November 2016 02:00:44 | 466thHistorian | Changes to stations |
Sources | ||
http://www.forgottenairfields.com/italy/apulia/barletta-andria-trani/spi... |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
11 November 2016 01:40:06 | 466thHistorian | Changes to stations |
Sources | ||
http://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/460th_Bombardment_Group.cfm |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
11 November 2016 01:38:50 | 466thHistorian | Created entry with type, category, name, nicknames, citations, description, air forces, aircraft types, unit encompassing associations and media associations |
Sources | ||
http://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/460th_Bombardment_Group.cfm |