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

August 2, 1944 Mission to Var River Bridge #3 (Mission #245)

Squadron War Diary

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

Target Today

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Target in 1944

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
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.

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

Operation Orders


486th Squadron

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