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

March 16, 1945 Mission to Spilembergo Powder Plant

Squadron War Diary

340th HQ Diary Planes of the 486th and 487th squadrons flew to Austria today to attack a rail bridge at Brixlegg. It was the 340th's first invasion of Austria and the farthest B-25s have penetrated into that country from bases in this theater. 57th Wing started sending missions up there against rail installations on the route to the Brenner a few days ago. The group also hit San Ambrogio bridge and - more important - flew its first Shoran (radar technique bombing) mission, against Spilimbergo powder plant. It was a marked success, fires and explosions resulting.

486th Today was a gala occasion with the squadron flying it's first mission to Austria and it's first mission with special equipment (SHORAN). Both missions were highly successful. In Austria the bridge attacked was definitely hit, and the SHORAN blew the hell out of an ammo dump at Spillembergo. Smoke went up to 12,000 Feet. All in all a very satisfactory day.

487th Not assigned to this mission.

488th Spilembergo Ammo Dump (5 planes)
Losses in action:
1st Lt. William B. Pelton
F/O Arthur L. Allen
T/Sgt. Arthur J. Bertagna
T/Sgt. Walter F. Ziegler
S/Sgt. Robert G. Schlittler
S/Sgt. Lawrence W. Kahl

489th The squadron ran two six ship missions to Northern Italy. One box was dispatched to a powder filling plant. Using special equipment, highly secret and newly developed, the bombs were placed directly on the target. Huge fires were started, with smoke rising hundreds of feet into the air. The other box, using regular radio-release equipment, struck at a railroad bridge, but the missiion was not completely successful.
This Group sustained its first loss on take-off since we were stationed at Catania. A 488th Squadron plane, loaded with bombs, just got its wheels up when both engines failed. It nosed into the sea and exploded. All afternoon an Air-Sea Rescue plane patroled the waters adjacent to this area, but neither bodies nor survivors were found. The cause of this double engine failure is unknown, and will probably remain so. There is a possibility that the crash was due to pilot error.

Target in 1945

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
340th HQ Diary	Planes of the 486th and 487th squadrons flew to Austria today to attack a rail bridge at Brixlegg. It was the 340th's first invasion of Austria and the farthest B-25s have penetrated into that country from bases in this theater. 57th Wing started sending missions up there against rail installations on the route to the Brenner a few days ago. The group also hit San Ambrogio bridge and - more important - flew its first Shoran (radar technique bombing) mission, against Spilimbergo powder plant. It was a marked success, fires and explosions resulting.
486th	Today was a gala occasion with the squadron flying it's first mission to Austria and it's first mission with special equipment (SHORAN). Both missions were highly successful. In Austria the bridge attacked was definitely hit, and the SHORAN blew the hell out of an ammo dump at Spillembergo. Smoke went up to 12,000 Feet. All in all a very satisfactory day.
487th	Not assigned to this mission.
488th	Spilembergo Ammo Dump (5 planes) Losses in action: 1st Lt. William B. Pelton F/O Arthur L. Allen T/Sgt. Arthur J. Bertagna T/Sgt. Walter F. Ziegler S/Sgt. Robert G. Schlittler S/Sgt. Lawrence W. Kahl
489th	The squadron ran two six ship missions to Northern Italy. One box was dispatched to a powder filling plant. Using special equipment, highly secret and newly developed, the bombs were placed directly on the target. Huge fires were started, with smoke rising hundreds of feet into the air. The other box, using regular radio-release equipment, struck at a railroad bridge, but the missiion was not completely successful. This Group sustained its first loss on take-off since we were stationed at Catania. A 488th Squadron plane, loaded with bombs, just got its wheels up when both engines failed. It nosed into the sea and exploded. All afternoon an Air-Sea Rescue plane patroled the waters adjacent to this area, but neither bodies nor survivors were found. The cause of this double engine failure is unknown, and will probably remain so. There is a possibility that the crash was due to pilot error.

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

Crew List 486th

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