340th Bomb Group History

340th Bombardment Group History

340th BG Patch

340th BG Squadron Insignia
	486th B.S.	487th B.S.	488th B.S.	489th B.S.
	Click on the squadron insignia above for links to digitized squadron histories

January 21, 1945 Mission to San Michele Railroad Diversion

Squadron War Diary

340th HQ Diary 2nd Lt. William B. Pelton and his co-pilot, F/O Harry K. Shackelford, of the 488th squadron pulled an "aerodynamic miracle" this afternoon when they brought their B-25 back from a mission to the Ora-San Michele rail diversion without any right stabilizer or right elevator. How they landed the plane safely is still bewildering our operations officer and the hundreds of men who saw the damaged craft come in. The plane was battered in a collision with another 488th B-25 when one element of the formation was making a third run on the target, owning to a malfunction. The other plane, piloted by 1st Lt. William Simpson, went down over the target, and Pelton's plane also went into a spin, but the latter officer was able to recover. The tail gunner [S/Sgt. A. B. Porter] was lost however, when Simpson's aircraft scooped out the empennage of Pelton's plane. No trace of his body, clothing or parachute was found when Lt. Pelton landed. The target this formation was attacking was largely missed, but other 340th planes knocked down two spans of a road bridge nearby and the Pontetidone railroad bridge was also well hit.

486th Another day another mission. Aimed at the San Michele RR Fill and with great good luck two bombs hit the damn thing, and both boxes got a 100% with one good hit on yesterday's mission.

The boys have been getting awfully cold on these rides and their chief complaint is that their fingers freeze.

487th Not assigned to this mission.

488th Mission with twelve planes to San Michele rail diversion bridge, Italy. 100% bombing accuracy. 8U with Lt. Simpson, pilot, Lt. Greenig, co-pilot, S/Sgt. J.C. Rice, bombardier, Sgt. Shipley, radio-gunner, Sgt. Hicks, turret-gunner, and Sgt. Jackson, tail gunner crashed into 8P on the turn off the target knocking the tail-gunner, Sgt. A.B. Porter (on his second tour), out of the plane. No one knows exactly how it happened and everyone had to write out his interpretation for Ops to give to Group. Sgt. Tafoya was scheduled to fly on 8U but was taken off to go with the band to Ill Russe and even then the plane in which he was flying, 8Y, made a crash landing.

489th Not assigned to this mission

Target in 1945

Target Today

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Damage to 8P after Collision

Squadron	War Diary
340th HQ Diary	2nd Lt. William B. Pelton and his co-pilot, F/O Harry K. Shackelford, of the 488th squadron pulled an "aerodynamic miracle" this afternoon when they brought their B-25 back from a mission to the Ora-San Michele rail diversion without any right stabilizer or right elevator. How they landed the plane safely is still bewildering our operations officer and the hundreds of men who saw the damaged craft come in. The plane was battered in a collision with another 488th B-25 when one element of the formation was making a third run on the target, owning to a malfunction. The other plane, piloted by 1st Lt. William Simpson, went down over the target, and Pelton's plane also went into a spin, but the latter officer was able to recover. The tail gunner [S/Sgt. A. B. Porter] was lost however, when Simpson's aircraft scooped out the empennage of Pelton's plane. No trace of his body, clothing or parachute was found when Lt. Pelton landed. The target this formation was attacking was largely missed, but other 340th planes knocked down two spans of a road bridge nearby and the Pontetidone railroad bridge was also well hit.
486th	Another day another mission. Aimed at the San Michele RR Fill and with great good luck two bombs hit the damn thing, and both boxes got a 100% with one good hit on yesterday's mission. The boys have been getting awfully cold on these rides and their chief complaint is that their fingers freeze.
487th	Not assigned to this mission.
488th	Mission with twelve planes to San Michele rail diversion bridge, Italy. 100% bombing accuracy. 8U with Lt. Simpson, pilot, Lt. Greenig, co-pilot, S/Sgt. J.C. Rice, bombardier, Sgt. Shipley, radio-gunner, Sgt. Hicks, turret-gunner, and Sgt. Jackson, tail gunner crashed into 8P on the turn off the target knocking the tail-gunner, Sgt. A.B. Porter (on his second tour), out of the plane. No one knows exactly how it happened and everyone had to write out his interpretation for Ops to give to Group. Sgt. Tafoya was scheduled to fly on 8U but was taken off to go with the band to Ill Russe and even then the plane in which he was flying, 8Y, made a crash landing.
489th	Not assigned to this mission

Decorations Awarded

Recipient General Orders - Distinguished Flying Cross

Arthur J. Bertagna Arthur J. Bertagna, 16145320, T/Sgt, 488th Bomb Sq, 340th Bomb Gp. For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as bombardier in a B-25 type aircraft.

On 21 January 1945, T/Sgt. Bertagna flew in an attack upon a railroad bridge near San Michele, Italy. Upon the completion of the bomb run, a B-25 crashed into his aircraft severing nearly all of the tail assembly and causing the bomber to fall from the pilot's control. Courageously remaining at his post as his pilot regained control and manouvered the crippled plane into level flight, T/Sgt. Bertagna quickly charted an unbriefed course and guided his pilot around known enemy gun positions back to base. Then, skillfully manipulating the trim tabs, T/Sgt. Bertagna enabled his pilot and co-pilot to effect a perfect emergency landing without injury to the crew. On more than fifty combat missions his outstanding proficiency and steadfast devotion to duty have reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.

[This General Order is dated April 3, 1945 and was awarded posthumously to T/Sgt. Arthur Bertagna. See also the March 16, 1945 mission to Spilembergo Powder Plant]

Recipient	General Orders - Distinguished Flying Cross
Arthur J. Bertagna	Arthur J. Bertagna, 16145320, T/Sgt, 488th Bomb Sq, 340th Bomb Gp. For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as bombardier in a B-25 type aircraft. On 21 January 1945, T/Sgt. Bertagna flew in an attack upon a railroad bridge near San Michele, Italy. Upon the completion of the bomb run, a B-25 crashed into his aircraft severing nearly all of the tail assembly and causing the bomber to fall from the pilot's control. Courageously remaining at his post as his pilot regained control and manouvered the crippled plane into level flight, T/Sgt. Bertagna quickly charted an unbriefed course and guided his pilot around known enemy gun positions back to base. Then, skillfully manipulating the trim tabs, T/Sgt. Bertagna enabled his pilot and co-pilot to effect a perfect emergency landing without injury to the crew. On more than fifty combat missions his outstanding proficiency and steadfast devotion to duty have reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States. [This General Order is dated April 3, 1945 and was awarded posthumously to T/Sgt. Arthur Bertagna. See also the March 16, 1945 mission to Spilembergo Powder Plant]

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

Crew List 486th

Crew List 488th

340th BG Squadron Insignia
	486th B.S.	487th B.S.	488th B.S.	489th B.S.
	Click on the squadron insignia above for links to digitized squadron histories