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 15, 1944 Mission to Avignon Railroad Bridges (Mission #288)

Squadron War Diary

486th The Group sent 72 ships into the air and over the S France coast by 0730 this morning. Very few boxes dropped their bombs because of the damned weather which blanketed the coast. This was very disappointing, however, because little or no flak was observed; everyone returned safely and grateful for that at least.

In the afternoon bridges at Avignon were selected as targets. This indicated the B-25s could be taken off ground support work and put back on semi-strategic work. A French Major General and his aide-de-cmap accompanied the invasion during the afternoon after being initiated about the Group by Col. Chapman.

The mission was rough - three ships did not return and most were holed. Two went down over the target and one over the sea. Our ship, piloted by Lt. Hoschar was struck in the right wing, flew apart and set the ship into a flat spin. No one was seen chuting out but chutes may have been overlooked because of the excited state of the crews due to the intense, and accurate flak. Some are inclined to believe several men may have gotten out safely and this writer is one who believes.

On the return trip, pilots J. D. Smith and Morrison spotted a 488th ship going down and when the crew landed in the water they each dropped spare dingies and radioed fixes for air-sea rescue.

The squadron was not happy and groups of men could be seen about the area in discussion, quiet and soberly talking about the mission. The Squadron's turn for stand-down will serve tomorrow and so to help forget about the mission. Quite a few boys drained their sorrow with some beer and whiskey - in fact singing could be heard during the small hours.

Losses in Action:

1st Lt. J.P. Hoschar
2nd Lt C.E. Arnold
1st Lt. V.J. Ottavio
T/Sgt A.D. Alldredge
Sgt. W.D. Koseski
Cpl. C.T. Henry

487th Second mission of the day took off at 14:27 hours in which twelve of our planes participated. The flight was over the designated area, a road bridge at Avignon, France at 16:27 and dropped their 48,000 lb. bomb load from 12000'. First box on the S.W. bridge crossed the tracks 1000' north of the bridge. 2nd box on South bridge crossed the bridge just to the north of center. Ack-ack this time was heavy, intense and accurate, holing five or our ships. However, all planes and crews returned safely to the base

488th Not assigned to this mission.

489th Not assigned to this mission.

Target in 1944

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
486th	The Group sent 72 ships into the air and over the S France coast by 0730 this morning. Very few boxes dropped their bombs because of the damned weather which blanketed the coast. This was very disappointing, however, because little or no flak was observed; everyone returned safely and grateful for that at least. In the afternoon bridges at Avignon were selected as targets. This indicated the B-25s could be taken off ground support work and put back on semi-strategic work. A French Major General and his aide-de-cmap accompanied the invasion during the afternoon after being initiated about the Group by Col. Chapman. The mission was rough - three ships did not return and most were holed. Two went down over the target and one over the sea. Our ship, piloted by Lt. Hoschar was struck in the right wing, flew apart and set the ship into a flat spin. No one was seen chuting out but chutes may have been overlooked because of the excited state of the crews due to the intense, and accurate flak. Some are inclined to believe several men may have gotten out safely and this writer is one who believes. On the return trip, pilots J. D. Smith and Morrison spotted a 488th ship going down and when the crew landed in the water they each dropped spare dingies and radioed fixes for air-sea rescue. The squadron was not happy and groups of men could be seen about the area in discussion, quiet and soberly talking about the mission. The Squadron's turn for stand-down will serve tomorrow and so to help forget about the mission. Quite a few boys drained their sorrow with some beer and whiskey - in fact singing could be heard during the small hours. Losses in Action: 1st Lt. J.P. Hoschar 2nd Lt C.E. Arnold 1st Lt. V.J. Ottavio T/Sgt A.D. Alldredge Sgt. W.D. Koseski Cpl. C.T. Henry
487th	Second mission of the day took off at 14:27 hours in which twelve of our planes participated. The flight was over the designated area, a road bridge at Avignon, France at 16:27 and dropped their 48,000 lb. bomb load from 12000'. First box on the S.W. bridge crossed the tracks 1000' north of the bridge. 2nd box on South bridge crossed the bridge just to the north of center. Ack-ack this time was heavy, intense and accurate, holing five or our ships. However, all planes and crews returned safely to the base
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