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

November 4, 1944 Mission to Villafranca D'Asti Railroad Bridge

Squadron War Diary

340th HQ Diary Finally the monotony of doing nothing was broken as the group successfully attacked bridges at Casale Monferrato and Villafranca d'Asti. Two ships were lost when the lead navigator took the formation over Allessandria. One plane was shot down there [Lost were: Donald H. Rossler, James R. Gittings, Sidney L. Newman, Sgt. Mallicoat, Henry W. Harris, Chester E. Corle] and another was forced to ditch at sea. Of the crew in the latter plane the pilot was drowned, although his body was recovered, and the gunner is missing. [The lost men were 2nd Lt. Bryon D. King and Sgt. James A Burger] The other four crew members were rescued and brought back safely.

486th Morning mission today to Asti on which very good results were achieved. Broke a series of stand-downs from Oct. 13!! Unfortunately the 489th lost a ship, but chutes were seen.

487th Not assigned to this mission.

488th Not assigned to this mission

489th The important railroad bridge near Villafranca di Asti came in for a heavy pounding from the Group today. Thirty-four tons of thousand pounders were unloaded withn the vicinity of the target. It will not be necessary for us to return there. But we paid dearly for the success of this mission. One of our planes, 9E, was hit by flak a few minutes off the target and crashed into the city of Alessandria. The ill-fated crew consisted of:

Lt. Rossler, Pilot
Lt. Gittings, Co-pilot
Lt. Newman, Bombardier
Sgt. Harris, Radio Operator
Sgt. Corle, Turret Gunner
Sgt. Mallicoat, Tail Gunner

Target in 1945

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
340th HQ Diary	Finally the monotony of doing nothing was broken as the group successfully attacked bridges at Casale Monferrato and Villafranca d'Asti. Two ships were lost when the lead navigator took the formation over Allessandria. One plane was shot down there [Lost were: Donald H. Rossler, James R. Gittings, Sidney L. Newman, Sgt. Mallicoat, Henry W. Harris, Chester E. Corle] and another was forced to ditch at sea. Of the crew in the latter plane the pilot was drowned, although his body was recovered, and the gunner is missing. [The lost men were 2nd Lt. Bryon D. King and Sgt. James A Burger] The other four crew members were rescued and brought back safely.
486th	Morning mission today to Asti on which very good results were achieved. Broke a series of stand-downs from Oct. 13!! Unfortunately the 489th lost a ship, but chutes were seen.
487th	Not assigned to this mission.
488th	Not assigned to this mission
489th	The important railroad bridge near Villafranca di Asti came in for a heavy pounding from the Group today. Thirty-four tons of thousand pounders were unloaded withn the vicinity of the target. It will not be necessary for us to return there. But we paid dearly for the success of this mission. One of our planes, 9E, was hit by flak a few minutes off the target and crashed into the city of Alessandria. The ill-fated crew consisted of: Lt. Rossler, Pilot Lt. Gittings, Co-pilot Lt. Newman, Bombardier Sgt. Harris, Radio Operator Sgt. Corle, Turret Gunner Sgt. Mallicoat, Tail Gunner

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

486th Squadron

489th 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