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 9, 1945 Mission to Imola Gun Positions

Squadron War Diary

340th HQ Diary A terrific air pounding of German positions northeast and east of Bologna by 600 bombers and hundreds of fighters starting shortly after one o'clock. 340th group put up 76 aircraft, almost half the B-25 wing effort. Our targets were two artillery concentration areas near Imola. Photo Interpreter says most of the 13 boxes of six aircraft each bombed very accurately. After the air attacks had ceased - about 1800 hours - the artillery got going and the Polish corps and the 10th British Corps, whom we were supporting, jumped off over the Senio river, bound for the banks of the Santerno river, the first pause point.
486th Not assigned to this mission

487th Not assigned to this mission.

488th Results: First box started 1/3 up target area and completely covered the remaining target area.
Third box started just inside area and completely covered target area.

489th In close support of the British Eighth Army, which constitutes this side of the Italian Front, we bombed artillery positions in the vicinity of Imola. This was a close support mission, our bombing being just forward of the front line. It is doubtful whether the mission was successful.

Target in 1945

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
340th HQ Diary	A terrific air pounding of German positions northeast and east of Bologna by 600 bombers and hundreds of fighters starting shortly after one o'clock. 340th group put up 76 aircraft, almost half the B-25 wing effort. Our targets were two artillery concentration areas near Imola. Photo Interpreter says most of the 13 boxes of six aircraft each bombed very accurately. After the air attacks had ceased - about 1800 hours - the artillery got going and the Polish corps and the 10th British Corps, whom we were supporting, jumped off over the Senio river, bound for the banks of the Santerno river, the first pause point.
486th	Not assigned to this mission
487th	Not assigned to this mission.
488th	Results: First box started 1/3 up target area and completely covered the remaining target area. Third box started just inside area and completely covered target area.
489th	In close support of the British Eighth Army, which constitutes this side of the Italian Front, we bombed artillery positions in the vicinity of Imola. This was a close support mission, our bombing being just forward of the front line. It is doubtful whether the mission was successful.

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

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