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 19, 1944 Mission to Orange Railroad Bridge

Squadron War Diary

486th Not assigned to this mission.

487th Twelve crews were alerted this morning at 05:00 and finally took off at 06:30 to bomb a rail bridge at Orange, France. The formation reached their objective at 08:50, but found the target completely obscured by clouds and returned to the base with their bomb load intact. A stand-down was then declared until 14:00 hours at which time the same twelve crews were alerted and took off at 15:45 with the same target as their goal. The formation reached the target at 18:00 hours and dropped their 48,000 lb. bomb load from 9000' with very good results. The first box had a long pattern extending across and covering the central portion of bridge. Second box pattern covered north portion of bridge as far as the north shoreline of the bridge. Heavy, moderate but inaccurate anti-aircraft fire was encountered over the target, but no damage was caused to our formation – all planes and crews returned safely to the base

488th Stand-down

489th Daily life continues along the same general pattern that has prevailed for a very long time. We continue to destroy bridges over which vital supplies, materials, and men arre fed into Southern France. Many of the bridges are fiercely defended by seasoned gunners who cause the missions to be anything but milk runs. But systematically and surely we are making Jerry's position on this new front more and more precarious.

Target in 1944

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
486th	Not assigned to this mission.
487th	Twelve crews were alerted this morning at 05:00 and finally took off at 06:30 to bomb a rail bridge at Orange, France. The formation reached their objective at 08:50, but found the target completely obscured by clouds and returned to the base with their bomb load intact. A stand-down was then declared until 14:00 hours at which time the same twelve crews were alerted and took off at 15:45 with the same target as their goal. The formation reached the target at 18:00 hours and dropped their 48,000 lb. bomb load from 9000' with very good results. The first box had a long pattern extending across and covering the central portion of bridge. Second box pattern covered north portion of bridge as far as the north shoreline of the bridge. Heavy, moderate but inaccurate anti-aircraft fire was encountered over the target, but no damage was caused to our formation – all planes and crews returned safely to the base
488th	Stand-down
489th	Daily life continues along the same general pattern that has prevailed for a very long time. We continue to destroy bridges over which vital supplies, materials, and men arre fed into Southern France. Many of the bridges are fiercely defended by seasoned gunners who cause the missions to be anything but milk runs. But systematically and surely we are making Jerry's position on this new front more and more precarious.

Target in 1944

Target Today
View Larger Map

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

No Crew Lists Available
Mission Reports




Second Mission

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