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 24, 1944 Mission to Rattenau Gun Positions (Mission #525)

Squadron War Diary

Group HQ Morning mission failed to drop its bombs. Baynaux RR bridge had a 10/10 cloud coverage protecting it. The afternoon mission was directed at gun positions on Ratenneau Isle, Corrigador of Marseilles. The port has been in our hands for a day or two but this heavily fortified island is still in enemy hands. Two of the gun emplacements were successfully hit....

486th Morning mission to S. France returned with bombs on account of weather. Early [after]noon mission with frags to assist the sqdns on Avignon was successful because the bridge bursting complement had no flak after the run by the frag and chaff ships.

487th The second mission of the day was at 13:46 hours at which time six more planes took off to bomb gun positions at a pinpoint target near Mar, France. They might just as well have brought back their bombs this time, because the pattern stretched across the water north of the target. Anti-aircraft fire was absent although three ME109's made an appearance, but failed to attack

488th From Mission Report: Pattern thru E. half of target area with probable hits on at least 2 guns

489th Not assigned to this mission

Squadron	War Diary
Group HQ	Morning mission failed to drop its bombs. Baynaux RR bridge had a 10/10 cloud coverage protecting it. The afternoon mission was directed at gun positions on Ratenneau Isle, Corrigador of Marseilles. The port has been in our hands for a day or two but this heavily fortified island is still in enemy hands. Two of the gun emplacements were successfully hit....
486th	Morning mission to S. France returned with bombs on account of weather. Early [after]noon mission with frags to assist the sqdns on Avignon was successful because the bridge bursting complement had no flak after the run by the frag and chaff ships.
487th	The second mission of the day was at 13:46 hours at which time six more planes took off to bomb gun positions at a pinpoint target near Mar, France. They might just as well have brought back their bombs this time, because the pattern stretched across the water north of the target. Anti-aircraft fire was absent although three ME109's made an appearance, but failed to attack
488th	From Mission Report: Pattern thru E. half of target area with probable hits on at least 2 guns
489th	Not assigned to this mission

Personal Accounts of the Mission:

Crewman Personal Account

Harvey Hyland (487th BS) Harvey Hyland's Log Book

Target in 1944

Target Today

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Crewman	Personal Account
Harvey Hyland (487th BS)	Harvey Hyland's Log Book

Target in 1944

Target Today
View Larger Map

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

Note to Crew Lists

On the crew list for the 488th Bomb Squadron below, the bombardier
in plane 8H is listed as 2nd Lt. J. Heller. This is Joseph Heller, the
author of the novel Catch-22.

Crew List 486th

Crew List 487th

Crew List 488th

Operations Order

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