William Mills
Military | Colonel | Group Commander/Pilot | 340th Bomb Group
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Group
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.
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
Military | Colonel | Group Commander/Pilot | 340th Bomb Group
Military | Colonel | Group Commander/Pilot (05/1943 - 12/1943), TBF (RAF) Air Liaison Officer 12/1943 - 01/1944, 57th Bomb Wing, Operations Officer 01/1944 - 05/1944 | 340th Bomb Group
During his distinguished 24-year military career, Col "Tik" Tokaz was an admired leader - from the battlefield to the Pentagon.
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Military | Colonel | Group Commander/Pilot | 340th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Brigadier General
Wing
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
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 | Alesan Airfield | 14 April 1944 – 2 April 1945 |
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Flight Engineer | 340th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Aerial Gunner | 340th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Aerial Gunner | 340th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Aerial Gunner | 340th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 340th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Aircraft Mechanic | 340th Bomb Group
Military | Major | Pilot/Group Operations Officer/Group Tactical Inspector | 340th Bomb Group
Military | Major | Pilot | 340th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Aerial Gunner | 340th Bomb Group
Military | Flight Officer | Pilot | 340th Bomb Group
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
Distinguished Unit Citation - North Africa and Sicily, Apr. 17 - Aug. 1943
Distinguished Unit Citation - Italy, 23 Sept. 1944
Date | Contributor | Update |
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17 February 2022 02:06:55 | 466thHistorian | Changes to description |
Sources | ||
http://57thbombwing.com/340th_History/340th_Diary/26_February1945.pdf |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 January 2022 02:33:30 | 466thHistorian | Changes to commanding officers associations |
Sources | ||
https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/340th_Bombardment_Group.cfm |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
04 January 2022 02:55:16 | 466thHistorian | Changes to commanding officers associations |
Sources | ||
https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/340th_Bombardment_Group.cfm |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
06 December 2021 02:54:58 | 466thHistorian | Changes to commanding officers associations |
Sources | ||
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 | ||
Date | Contributor | Update |
22 March 2021 03:13:54 | 466thHistorian | Changes to stations |
Sources | ||
Date | Contributor | Update |
22 March 2021 03:10:34 | 466thHistorian | Changes to stations |
Sources | ||
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... |