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John
F. Koplitz, Pilot, RCAF, RAF and AAF
Quentin C. Kaiser - 489th. Bombardment
Squadron
Images
from the 488th. Bombardment Group.
Egypt
William
Fray Livesey, Fighter Pilot
Charles
R. Franklin, USN.
History
of the 57th. Bomb Wing
Nose Art
From the 57th. Bomb Wing
Flak
Guns in the Brenner Pass
The
Air World
May
13 1944, Alensa Airfield, Corsica
Captain
Benjamin Marino, M.D.
More Pictures
from Dr. Marino
S/Sgt. Jack
Washleski, Tail Gunner
S/Sgt.
Brendon J. Murphy, ROM Gunner
Military Research
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(B-25's forming up over Mt. Vesuvius)
Activated on 20 August 1942.
The 340th. Bombardment Group trained with B-25's for duty overseas. They arrived in the
Mediterranean theater in March 1943. Assigned first to the Ninth Air Force and later (in
August 1943) to the Twelfth. Served in combat from April 1943 to April 1945. Engaged
chiefly in support and introductory missions, but sometimes bombed strategic objectives.
Targets included airfields, railroads, bridges, road junctions, supply depots, gun
emplacements, troop concentrations, marshaling yards and factories in Tunisia, Sicily,
Italy, France, Austria, Bulgaria, Albania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Also dropped propaganda
leaflets behind enemy lines.
Participated in the reduction
of Pantelleria and Lampedusa in June 1943, the bombing of German Evacuation beaches near Messina in July, the
establishment of the Salerno beach head in September, the drive for Rome during Jan.- Jun.
1944, the invasion of southern France in Aug. and attacks on the Brenner Pass and other German
lines of communication in Northern Italy from Sept. 1944 to Apr. 1945. Received a DUC for
the period Apr. - Aug. 1943 when, although handicapped by difficult living conditions and
unfavorable weather, the group supported British Eighth Army in Tunisia and Allied forces
in Sicily.
Received a second DUC for the destruction of a cruiser
in the heavily defended harbor of La Spezia on 23 Sept. 1944 before the ship could be used
by the enemy to block the harbors entrance. Returned to the U.S., Jul. - Aug. 1945.
Inactivated on 19 Aug. 1949.
Squadrons
486th: 1942-1945; 1947-1949
487th: 1942-1945; 1947-1949
488th: 1942-1945; 1947-1949
489th: 1942-1945; 1947-1949
Stations
Columbia AAB, SC, 20 Aug. 1942
Walterboro, SC, 30 Nov. 1942 - 30 Jan.1943
El Kabrit, Egypt, March 1943
Medenine, Tunisia, March 1943
Sfax, Tunisia, Apr. 1943
Hergla, Tunisia, 2 June 1943
Comiso, Sicily, 2 August 1943
Catania, Sicily, 27 August 1943
San Pancrazio, Italy, 15 October 1943
Foggia, Italy, 19 November 1943
Pompeii, Italy, 2 Jan. 1944
Paestum, Italy, 23 March 1944
Corsica, 14 April 1944
Rimini, Italy, Apr. - 27 July 1945
Seymour Johnson Field, NC, 9 Aug. 1945
Columbia AAB, SC, 2 Oct. - 7 Nov. 1945
Tulsa Mun Airport. Okla, 31 Oct. 1947 - 19 Aug. 1949
Commanders
Lt. Col. Adolph E. Tokaz, 3 Sept. 1942
Col. William C. Mills, 21 Sept. 1942
Lt. Col. Adolph E. Tokaz, 7 May 1943
Col. Charles D. Jones, 8 Jan. 1944
Col. Willis F. Chapman, 16 Mar. 1944 - 7 Nov. 1945
Campaigns
Air Combat, EAME Theater: Tunisia; Sicily;
Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Southern France; North Apennines; Central Europe; Po
Valley.
Decorations
Distinguished Unit Citations: North Africa and Sicily,
Apr. 17 - Aug. 1943, Italy, 23 Sept. 1944.
Insignia
Shield: Per fess nubuly, azure and argent, in chief two
cloud formations proper, one issuing from the dexter and one issuing from the sinister, in
the base three stars of five points, of the first, two and one, all surmounted in fess,
with an ear of wheat proper and a lightning flash, gules in saltire, an edge around the
shield sable.
Motto
ANYWHERE - ANYTIME (approved 12 Sept. 1955)
Aerial photographs;
Cupello
Berat
Kalamaki
Pantelleria (321st
Bomb Group)
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