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340th Bomb Group

Group

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Activated on 20 August 1942. The 340th. Bombardment Group trained with B-25's for duty overseas. They arrived in the Mediterranean theater in March 1943. Assigned first to the Ninth Air Force and later (in August 1943) to the Twelfth. Served in combat from April 1943 to April 1945. Engaged chiefly in support and introductory missions, but sometimes bombed strategic objectives. Targets included airfields, railroads, bridges, road junctions, supply depots, gun emplacements, troop concentrations, marshaling yards and factories in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, France, Austria, Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Also dropped propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines.
Participated in the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusa in June 1943, the bombing of German Evacuation beaches near Messina in July, the establishment of the Salerno beach head in September, the drive for Rome during Jan.- Jun. 1944, the invasion of southern France in Aug. and attacks on the Brenner Pass and other German lines of communication in Northern Italy from Sept. 1944 to Apr. 1945. Received a DUC for the period Apr. - Aug. 1943 when, although handicapped by difficult living conditions and unfavorable weather, the group supported British Eighth Army in Tunisia and Allied forces in Sicily.
Received a second DUC for the destruction of a cruiser in the heavily defended harbor of La Spezia on 23 Sept. 1944 before the ship could be used by the enemy to block the harbors entrance. Returned to the U.S., Jul. - Aug. 1945. Inactivated on 19 Aug. 1949.

US Air Force Combat Units of World War II Description

Constituted as 30th Bombardment Group (Medium) on 10 Aug 1942 and activated on 20 Aug. Trained with B-25’s for duty overseas. Arrived in the Mediterranean theatre in Mar 1943. Assigned first to Ninth AF and later (in Aug 1943) to Twelfth. Served in combat from Apr 1943 to Apr 1945.

Engaged chiefly in support and interdictory missions, but sometimes bombed strategic objectives. Targets included airfields, railroads, bridges, road junctions, supply depots, gun emplacements, troop concentrations, marshalling yards, and factories in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, France, Austria, Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Also dropped propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines. Participated in the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusa in Jun 1943, the bombing of German evacuation beaches near Messina in Jul, the establishment of the Salerno beachhead in Sep, the drive for Rome during Jan-Jun 1944, the invasion of Southern France in Aug, and attacks on the Brenner Pass and other German lines of communication in northern Italy from Sep 1941 to Apr 1945.

Received a DUC for the period Apr-Aug 1943 when, although handicapped by difficult living conditions and unfavourable weather, the group supported British Eighth Army in Tunisia and Allied forces in Sicily. Received second DUC for the destruction of a cruiser in the heavily defended harbour of La Spezia on 23 Sep 1944 before the ship could be used by the enemy to block the harbour's entrance. Returned to the US, Jul-Aug 1945. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945

Structure

Part of
Encompassing
Previously was
Not yet known
Became
Not yet known

Stations

Station Location Date
Based El Kabrit March 1943 – April 1943
Assigned 9th Air Force March 1943
Based Sfax April 1943 – 2 June 1943
Based Hergla 2 June 1943 – 2 August 1943
Assigned 12th Air Force August 1943
Based Comiso Airfield 2 August 1943 – 27 August 1943
Based Catania 27 August 1943 – 15 October 1943
Based San Pancrazio 15 October 1943 – 19 November 1943
Based Foggia 19 November 1943 – 2 January 1944
Based Pompeii Airfield 2 January 1944 – 23 March 1944
Based Paestrum 23 March 1944 – 14 April 1944
Based Alesani Airfield 14 April 1944 – 2 April 1945

Connections

People

  • Russell Ahlstrom

    Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Flight Engineer | 340th Bomb Group

  • William Brassfield

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 340th Bomb Group
    William Herbert Brassfield earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Michigan. He worked in the manned spaceflight program. He retired from the USAF with the rank of Colonel.

  • Thomas Casey

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 340th Bomb Group

  • Harry George

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 340th Bomb Group
    George wrote a book about his war time experience: “Georgio Italiano” ISBN 1-55212-538-6

  • Lawrence Kahl

    Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Tail Gunner | 340th Bomb Group

  • Paul Kaplan

    Military | Sergeant (Technician Fourth Grade) | Radio Operator | 340th Bomb Group

  • George Obrovatz

    Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Tail Gunner | 340th Bomb Group

  • William Pelton

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 340th Bomb Group

Aircraft

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Citations

Distinguished Unit Citation - North Africa and Sicily, Apr. 17 - Aug. 1943
Distinguished Unit Citation - Italy, 23 Sept. 1944

Air Force
9th
12th
Type
Combat
Type category
Bombardment
Nicknames
Not yet known
Motto
Not yet known
Insignia
Not yet known
Aircraft used
  • B-25 Mitchell

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
09 June 2021 09:49:27 Emily Changes to us air force combat units of world war ii description, unit encompassing associations and stations
Sources

Air Force Combat Units of World War II
Date Contributor Update
22 March 2021 03:13:54 466thHistorian Changes to stations
Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/340th_Flying_Training_Group
Date Contributor Update
22 March 2021 03:10:34 466thHistorian Changes to stations
Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/340th_Flying_Training_Group
Date Contributor Update
21 March 2021 01:30:38 466thHistorian Created entry with type, category, name, citations, description, air forces, aircraft types, unit encompassing associations and stations
Sources

http://www.reddog1944.com/487th_Squadron_Album_History%20of%20the%20340t...

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