Site Edited and maintained by  Doug Cook

Last Update  January 26, 2012

 

HOME

 

      

      12th AIR FORCE       340th BOMB GROUP

 

340th BOMB GROUP MISSIONS INDEX

 

340th BOMB GROUP SQUADRON PATCHES

 

A colorful daily accounting of 340th BG life and combat from 1943 to 1945 expanding and personalizing the mission documentation below:

487th  SQUADRON HISTORY and WAR DIARY

 

AUTHOR’S NOTES:  My father, Charles M. Cook, was a pilot in the 487th Squadron and flew combat bombing missions from Alesan base Corsica from April, 1944 to February, 1945.  Regrettably, I only took interest in his military service and his squadron’s role in history after he passed in 1994.  I began this website project in 2005.  It has connected me with veterans, their families, and historians in Corsica, Italy, and Austria.  The research on these mission documents culminated in a one day visit to the National Archives (NARA) in College Park, MD in June, 2010.  It has taken six months to cross reference and assemble these pages which are rintended to be an open shared resource.  It is by no means complete.  I will update it as I gather more information.  I am especially seeking 487th Squadron mission crew sheets and would appreciate help with that.  I have attempted to reference all document sources and will acknowledge here with sincere appreciation documents from Charles Cook, David Konigsberg, James Littlefield, Herman Voss (sent me a CD of crew sheets and mission photos back in 2005), Daniel Setzer, 57th Bomb Wing, Don Kaiser, and Dominique Taddei.

 

DATE

MISSION OBJECTIVE

NUMBER

SQUADRONS

PHOTO

REPORT

COMMENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8-Nov-42

Begin OPERATION TORCH:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liberate N. AFRICA

 

 

 

 

 

24-Mar-43

Begin OPERATION STRANGLE: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut German supply lines in Italy

 

 

 

 

 

13-May-43

N. AFRICA LIBERATED:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Axis forces surrender in Tunisia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14-Jan-44

Pontecorvu

2

486, 488, 489

x

 

 486th 2 ships downed

15-Jan-44

Foligno

3

487, 488, 489

x

 

 

16-Jan-44

Terni M/Y  (marshalling yard)

4

486, 488

x

 

 

17-Jan-44

Chiaravalle

5

487, 488, 489

x

 

 

19-Jan-44

Rieti Airdrome

7

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

23-Jan-44

Avezzano Rd and RR Jct.

12

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

27-Jan-44

Orte M/Y

16

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

7-Feb-44

Viterbo M/Y

27

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

7-Feb-44

Cisterna

26

487, 489

x

 

 

12-Feb-44

Campolone Area

33

487, 489

x

 

 

14-Feb-44

Perugia M/Y

36

487, 488, 489

x

 

 

7-Mar-44

Littorio M/Y

59

486,487,489

x

 

 

10-Mar-44

Littorio M/Y

63

486,487,489

x

 

Vesuvius erupting; 3/22 base destroyed

13-Mar-44

Perugia M/Y

66

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

14-Mar-44

Terni M/Y

68

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

15-Mar-44

Cassino NW

69

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

15-Mar-44

Cassino

70

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

18-Mar-44

Foligno M/Y

74

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

27-Mar-44

Perugia RR Br

79

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

28-Mar-44

Perugia RR Br

80

487, 488, 489

x

 

 

2-Apr-44

Orvieto RR Br N  

84

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

6-Apr-44

Perugia A/D (Aerodrome)

88

486,487,489

x

 

7K and 7T downed

7-Apr-44

Ficculle RR Br S

89

486,487,488,489

x

x

9N Crew wounded and returned to base

8-Apr-44

Orte RR Br N

90

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

10-Apr-44

Orte RR Br N

91

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

12-Apr-44

Todi RR Br N

92

486,488,489

x

 

 

14-Apr-44

Vitterbo A/D

94

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

16-Apr-44

Todi RR Br N

97

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

19-Apr-44

 

 

340th BG

 

 

Moved to Alesan Air Base, Corsica

24-Apr-44

Orvieto RR Br N

103

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

25-Apr-44

Ficculle RR Br S

104?

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

28-Apr-44

Orvieto S. RR Br

105

488?

x

 

 

28-Apr-44

Attigliano Br

106

486,487,489

x

 

 

29-Apr-44

Terni Viaduct

109

487, 489

x

 

 

30-Apr-44

Marciana RR Br

110

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

3-May-44

Todi RR Br N

114

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

11-May-44

Porto Farrajo

117

486,487,488,489

x

 

 

13-May-44

 

 

340th BG

 

 

Alesan Air Base bombed by Germans

26-May-44

Cortona RR Br

143

486, 488

x

 

 

27-May-44

Castiglione RR

145

486, 488

x

 

 

27-May-44

Brat Rd and RR Br

147

487

x

 

 

27-May-44

Bucine N Viaduct

151

486, 489

x

 

 

28-May-44

Pisa Albavola Rd and RR Br

149

487, 489

x

 

 

29-May-44

Bucine S Viaduct

152

487, 489

x

 

 

30-May-44

Lagara N Br

154

486, 488

x

x

 

31-May-44

Troop concentration at F919497

155

487, 489

x

 

 

31-May-44

Grottaferrata Rd Br

156

486, 488

x

x

 

31-May-44

May Bombing Summary

 

340th BG

 

x

 

1-Jun-44

Orte Rd Br

157

486, 489

x

x

 

1-Jun-44

Narni Rd Br

158

488, 489

x

 

 

1-Jun-44

Fossato viaduct

159

487

x

x

 

2-Jun-44

Foligno N Rd Br

160

486,488

x

x

 

2-Jun-44

Civita Castellana Rd Br

163

486, 487, 488

x

x

 

3-Jun-44

Lagaro RR Br

164

486

x

x

 

3-Jun-44

Civita Castellana Rd Br

166

488, 489

x

 

 

3-Jun-44

Vernio RR Br

 

487

 

x

 

4-Jun-44

Vernio N RR Br

167?

487, 488

x

x

 

4-Jun-44

Gricigliana N RR Br

168

489

x

 

 

5-Jun-44

ROME LIBERATED

 

 

 

 

 ROME LIBERATED

5-Jun-44

Narni Rd Brs

169-170

486,487,488,489

x

x

 

5-Jun-44

Orte  Rd Br AM

171

487, 489

x

x

 

5-Jun-44

Orte Rd Br PM

173?

486, 487

x

 

 

6-Jun-44

Orvieto Rd Br

174

486, 487

x

x

 

6-Jun-44

Montefiascone Rd block

175

487, 488

x

x

 

6-Jun-44

Vitralla Rd block

176

489

x

 

 

7-Jun-44

Cecina Rd Br

177-178

486,487,489

x

x

 

8-Jun-44

Bucine N Viaduct

179

486, 487,489

x

x

 

9-Jun-44

Orvieto Rd Brs

181

486, 488

x

x

 

9-Jun-44

Casetta Rd Brs

182

487, 489

x

x

 

10-Jun-44

Fano M/Y

184

486, 487, 488

x

x

7D holed: Nosed at Alesan (Littlefield)

10-Jun-44

Bucine S Viaduct

185

486, 489

x

 

 

12-Jun-44

Bucine S Viaduct

186

488, 489

x

 

 

12-Jun-44

Arezzo Viaduct

187

486, 487

x

x

 

13-Jun-44

Perugia Rd Br

188-189

486,487,488,489

x

x

 

14-Jun-44

Pietrasanta Br / Savaiona Via

190-191

486,487,488,489

x

x

Bandits shot down

15-Jun-44

Fabrica-Pitteccio RR Viaducts

192-193

486,487,488,489

x

x

 

16-Jun-44

Pietrasanta Rd and RR Brs

194-195

486,487,488,489

x

x

 

21-Jun-44

Piteccio Castagno Viaduct  

198

486,487

x

 

 

21-Jun-44

Savaiona RR Br

196?

488,489

x

 

 

21-Jun-44

Pietrasanta RR Br

197-198

486,487,488,489

x

x

 

22-Jun-44

Griciliana RR Br

199-200

486,487,488,489

x

x

7C downed (Lt. Harry George)

29-Jun-44

Imperia RR Br

202

486,487

 

x

 

30-Jun-44

Pietrasanta RR Br

203-204

486,487,488

 

x

 

30-Jun-44

June Bombing Summary

 

340th BG

 

x

 

1-Jul-44

Prato RR Br and tunnel

206-207

486,487,488,489

x

x

 

2-Jul-44

Borgo San Lorenzo Viaduct

208-209

486,487,488,489

x

x

3  487th ships holed; Ryerson wounded

3-Jul-44

Ferrara Fuel Dump AM and PM

210

486, 487

 

x

4 plus 7 ships holed; wounded

5-Jul-44

Ostiglia Fuel Dump

211

486, 487

x

x

Attacked by bandit ME-109s

6-Jul-44

Pianora RR Br; Parma E Br

 

486,487,488,489

x

x

9 ships holed; Lt B. Bloomberg wounded

8-Jul-44

Ostiglia Fuel Dump

217

486, 488, 489

x

x

 

10-Jul-44

Rovigo M/Y

218

487, 488, 489

x

x

 

11-Jul-44

Ceva S, N RR Br

219-220

486,487, 489

x

x

 

12-Jul-44

Chiavari Rd Br

221-222

486, 487,489

x

x

10 FW-190 bandits; 1 ship holed

13-Jul-44

Ferrara RR Br  AM, PM

223-224

486,487,488,489

x

x

5 ships holed;  wounded; 2 engines out

14-Jul-44

Carbola RR Br

225?

486,487,488,489

x

x

10 ME-109 and FW-190 bandits

15-Jul-44

Ferrara / Villa Franca RR Brs

226?-227

486,487,488,489

x

x

1 ship holed; Lt Frazier wounded

17-Jul-44

Alessandria RR Br

228

486,487,488,489

x

x

 

19-Jul-44

Sassuolo Br

229

486, 487, 488

x

x

 

20-Jul-44

Mantua (Mantova) RR Br

 

487,488,489

 

x

 

21-Jul-44

Ronco Scrivia RR Br

232

486, 487, 489

x

x

 

22-Jul-44

Ronco Scrivia RR Br

 

486,487,489

 

x

 

23-Jul-44

Chiavasso W RR Br

 

486, 487, 488

 

x

 

23-Jul-44

Borgo Forte RR Br

234

486,488, 489

x

x

 

24-Jul-44

Chivasso RR Br

235

486, 487, 488

x

x

 

25-Jul-44

Cervo RR Br

236

487,488,489

x

x

 

25-Jul-44

Chivasso RR Br

237

487,488,489

x

 

 

26-Jul-44

Ostiglia RR Br

238

486,487,489

x

x

5 ships holed

27-Jul-44

Carisasca Rd Br

239

486,488,489

x

x

 

30-Jul-44

Ferrara Rd Br

241

486,487,488

x

x

6 ships holed; Lt B. Bloomberg wounded

31-Jul-44

July Bombing Summary

 

340th BG

 

x