| 340th BG Squadron Insignia |
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| 489th B.S. | ||||
| Click on the squadron insignia above for links to digitized squadron histories | ||||
August 2, 1944 Mission to Var River Bridge #3 (Mission #245)
| Squadron | War Diary |
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| Group HQ | Today's target took us into the coastal fringe of southern France. What seems to be the first of the softening up activity preceding the long anticipated landing in that general area...... Flak over target ripped one wing of plane number 6E to bits, the plane went into a very steep dive. Lt. Hill, pilot, described the situation as four hands and four feet were pushing and pulling everything in the cockpit to bring the ship back to level. After a 4500 ft. drop the plane proceeded home, crippled but safely...... The target, Var River bridges #3 and #4 just west of Nice. No. 4 was well covered with bombs. No. 3 was missed.... |
| 486th | Mission to France! Conjectures are abundant; does this presage an early invasion? Bets were made and as the time unfolds its poignant episodes the players will have to cast their lot. The mission was confirmed by PI as having destroyed the bridge. The flak was heavy and a mojority of the planes were holed. One flak burst exploded within the right wing of Lt. Hill's ship and caused the ship to flip over. Lt. Hill quickly cut the left engine and flew home. Upon his arrival he again started the right engine and landed with a hole so big one could not reach across it with both arms outsretched. Lt. Hill deserves more than praise for such handling and we hope he gets the DFC [Distinguished Flying Cross] |
| 487th | The most encouraging and pleasing news of the day was our first raid on Southern France. Thirteen of our planes took off at 09:31 hours to bomb two railroad bridges – north and south near Nice. The frag and demolition bomb load fell short of the target and the Squadron scored a seventeen percent bombing efficiency record for the mission. Six planes were severely damaged as a result of the intense anti-aircraft fire. Many ships returned to the base on one engine although no planes were lost. France is not favored by combat crew members in spite of their former anxiety to raid the country |
| 488th | Not assigned to this mission. |
| 489th | Not assigned to this mission. |
| Target in 1944 |
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| Target in 1944 |
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Crew Lists and Mission Reports
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| 486th Squadron |
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| 487th Squadron |
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| 340th BG Squadron Insignia |
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| 489th B.S. | ||||
| Click on the squadron insignia above for links to digitized squadron histories | ||||
