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

April 1, 1944 Mission to Railroad Bridge North of Orvieto

Squadron War Diary

486th Target for today's mission was the RR bridge 6 miles north of Orvieto. Briefing called for 0800. Importance of this target is that it carries the main Florence-Rome railroad over the Paglia River.....

The 488th squadron didn't obtain any photographs of the bombing and the earliest picture from the following squadron show the smoke well away from the bridge. There are many bomb craters near the bridge and the freshest of these bracket its south end....

The 486th laid a compact pattern 3000 feet north of the bridge. Another compact pattern was placed by the 489th 3000 feet south of the bridge - just west of the tracks, but the photos from the following squadrons show no hits on the tracks....

The 487th pattern started 1500 feet short of the bridge. The last bursts are within 450 feet of the bridge....

487th At 12:55 six B-25's of the 487th squadron took off to bomb a railroad bridge N.W. Of Orvieto. Scattered clouds covered the target which was responsible for the pattern falling approximately 1000' short of the bridge. Heavy, moderate but inaccurate anti-aircraft fire took no toll in the formation and all planes returned safely to the base.

488th Mission ot Orvieto R.R. Bridge. No buono.

489th The first day of another month has come and gone. Time follows its inexorable course and life here in the overseas service continues as usual in the same monotonous manner.

Target in 1944

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
486th	Target for today's mission was the RR bridge 6 miles north of Orvieto. Briefing called for 0800. Importance of this target is that it carries the main Florence-Rome railroad over the Paglia River..... The 488th squadron didn't obtain any photographs of the bombing and the earliest picture from the following squadron show the smoke well away from the bridge. There are many bomb craters near the bridge and the freshest of these bracket its south end.... The 486th laid a compact pattern 3000 feet north of the bridge. Another compact pattern was placed by the 489th 3000 feet south of the bridge - just west of the tracks, but the photos from the following squadrons show no hits on the tracks.... The 487th pattern started 1500 feet short of the bridge. The last bursts are within 450 feet of the bridge....
487th	At 12:55 six B-25's of the 487th squadron took off to bomb a railroad bridge N.W. Of Orvieto. Scattered clouds covered the target which was responsible for the pattern falling approximately 1000' short of the bridge. Heavy, moderate but inaccurate anti-aircraft fire took no toll in the formation and all planes returned safely to the base.
488th	Mission ot Orvieto R.R. Bridge. No buono.
489th	The first day of another month has come and gone. Time follows its inexorable course and life here in the overseas service continues as usual in the same monotonous manner.

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

488th Squadron

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