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 25, 1944 Mission to Ficulle Railroad Bridge (South)

Squadron War Diary

486th Target for today was Ficulle South RR bridge. Briefing called for 1320 hrs, take-off was at 1449. Each squadron furnished 9 ships. The 486th bombed northwest of the RR bridge north of Orvieto. The last box consisting of three 486th and three 488th ships bombed S of the east end of the bridge and is not complete on the photos. Three ships in this last box were holed.

In 6H the radio gunner, Sgt. Bills, was wounded. This ship had about 8 holes. Sgt. Dilbeck the 1st Sgt. was along as an observer for his first combat mission - rough.

Ship 6F piloted by Lt. Sellers, Co-pilot Hartsock, Bombardier Olson, tail gunner Burnette, turret gunner MacDonald, radio gunner Damaini, had 195 large holes in the wings and fuselage, right engine ut and right prop feathered, but Lt. Sellers and crew all arrived back at Alesan L/G safely.

Ship 6Y was also holed, but not as badly as 6H and 6F.

487th Crews were alerted this morning, but didn't take off until 14:30 at which time nine planes and crews of the 487th left the runway to bomb a railroad bridge south of Ficulle. They were over the target at 15:41 dropping their bombs with precision accuracy. Our full box reported bombs starting at the east approach of the bridge and extending beyond. Smoke and dust from previous flights obscured results of the composite box. Heavy, intense although inaccurate ack-ack was responsible for all ships returning undamaged.

488th Mission to bridge south of Ficulle.

489th This afternoon we ran our 193rd squadron combat mission. The R.R. bridge south of Ficulle, Italy, was the target. Sixteen and one half tons of bombs were dropped by nine of our planes, but the bridge remained unscathed.

Target in 1944

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
486th	Target for today was Ficulle South RR bridge. Briefing called for 1320 hrs, take-off was at 1449. Each squadron furnished 9 ships. The 486th bombed northwest of the RR bridge north of Orvieto. The last box consisting of three 486th and three 488th ships bombed S of the east end of the bridge and is not complete on the photos. Three ships in this last box were holed. In 6H the radio gunner, Sgt. Bills, was wounded. This ship had about 8 holes. Sgt. Dilbeck the 1st Sgt. was along as an observer for his first combat mission - rough. Ship 6F piloted by Lt. Sellers, Co-pilot Hartsock, Bombardier Olson, tail gunner Burnette, turret gunner MacDonald, radio gunner Damaini, had 195 large holes in the wings and fuselage, right engine ut and right prop feathered, but Lt. Sellers and crew all arrived back at Alesan L/G safely. Ship 6Y was also holed, but not as badly as 6H and 6F.
487th	Crews were alerted this morning, but didn't take off until 14:30 at which time nine planes and crews of the 487th left the runway to bomb a railroad bridge south of Ficulle. They were over the target at 15:41 dropping their bombs with precision accuracy. Our full box reported bombs starting at the east approach of the bridge and extending beyond. Smoke and dust from previous flights obscured results of the composite box. Heavy, intense although inaccurate ack-ack was responsible for all ships returning undamaged.
488th	Mission to bridge south of Ficulle.
489th	This afternoon we ran our 193rd squadron combat mission. The R.R. bridge south of Ficulle, Italy, was the target. Sixteen and one half tons of bombs were dropped by nine of our planes, but the bridge remained unscathed.

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