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 4, 1945 Mission to Rovereto Railroad Bridge

Squadron War Diary

340th HQ Diary (At Alesan) Another Shoran mission to Usiglio today repeated yesterday's failure. Twelve of our planes nickeled the Bologna area, and still more aircraft inflicted possible damage on the rail bridges at Calliano and Rovereto. 1st Lt. John L. Ellis of the 486th squadron, flying with the anti-flak planes, was shot down with his crew over the target. [Pilot and crew survived.]

486th Today was a sad day for the squadron. Nine planes hit Calliano #3 and six went to Rovereto with three chaff and phosphorous. The flak was heavy and accurate. The plane piloted by Lts. Ellis and Medus went down somewhere south of Lake Garda. We can only hope they got out of it all right.

Losses in Action:

1st Lt. John L. Ellis
2nd Lt. Glen J. Medus
T/Sgt. Joseph Kulynych
S/Sgt. Robert D. King
S/Sgt. Raleigh Mason
S/Sgt. Carl R. Nielson

487th Rovereto Railroad bridge and gun positions - 15 ships. First box did not bomb due to Bombardier failing to pick up target. Second box pattern was not fully observed because of flak hits just as bombs were away knocking out sight. Phosphorus bombs hit in area left of gun positions. Seven ships were holed and F/O Papiernik was slightly wounded as a result of intense flak.

488th Not assigned to this mission

489th Not assigned to this mission

Author Personal Account

Claudio Mischi The author has written an account of the crash-landing of 6J, "Ladies Delight," near his hometown of Rivalta, Italy. The account includes first-person interviews with two of the crewmen.

You may read his account online in either the original Italian, or in English translation.

Rivalta, 4 aprile 1945: Dalla sfortunata missione del B-25 "Ladies Delight" alla fine della guerra

Rivalta, 4 April 1945: The Crash of Ladies Delight

Target in 1945

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
340th HQ Diary	(At Alesan) Another Shoran mission to Usiglio today repeated yesterday's failure. Twelve of our planes nickeled the Bologna area, and still more aircraft inflicted possible damage on the rail bridges at Calliano and Rovereto. 1st Lt. John L. Ellis of the 486th squadron, flying with the anti-flak planes, was shot down with his crew over the target. [Pilot and crew survived.]
486th	Today was a sad day for the squadron. Nine planes hit Calliano #3 and six went to Rovereto with three chaff and phosphorous. The flak was heavy and accurate. The plane piloted by Lts. Ellis and Medus went down somewhere south of Lake Garda. We can only hope they got out of it all right. Losses in Action: 1st Lt. John L. Ellis 2nd Lt. Glen J. Medus T/Sgt. Joseph Kulynych S/Sgt. Robert D. King S/Sgt. Raleigh Mason S/Sgt. Carl R. Nielson
487th	Rovereto Railroad bridge and gun positions - 15 ships. First box did not bomb due to Bombardier failing to pick up target. Second box pattern was not fully observed because of flak hits just as bombs were away knocking out sight. Phosphorus bombs hit in area left of gun positions. Seven ships were holed and F/O Papiernik was slightly wounded as a result of intense flak.
488th	Not assigned to this mission
489th	Not assigned to this mission

Author	Personal Account
Claudio Mischi	The author has written an account of the crash-landing of 6J, "Ladies Delight," near his hometown of Rivalta, Italy. The account includes first-person interviews with two of the crewmen. You may read his account online in either the original Italian, or in English translation. Rivalta, 4 aprile 1945: Dalla sfortunata missione del B-25 "Ladies Delight" alla fine della guerra Rivalta, 4 April 1945: The Crash of Ladies Delight

Target in 1945

Target Today
View Larger Map

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

Crew Lists
Crew list 486th Squadron not available
487th 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