Air Force Combat Units of WWII

330 AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR I1455th BOMBARDMENT GROUPConstituted as 455th BombardmentGroup (Heavy) on 14 May 1943. Activatedon I Jun 1943. Trained with B-24’s.Moved to Italy, arriving in Jan and Feb1944. Served in combat with FifteenthAF from Feb 194 to Apr 1945. Engagedprimarily in bombardment of strategictargets such as factories, marshalling yards,oil refineries, storage areas, harbors, andairdromes in Italy, France, Germany, Poland,Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria,and the Balkans. Received a DUC for amission on 2 Apr 1944 when the groupcontributed to Fifteenth AF’s campaignagainst enemy industry by attacking aball-bearing plant at Steyr. Althoughmeeting severe fighter opposition and losingseveral of its bombers on 26 Jun 1944,the group proceeded to attack an oilrefinery at Moosbierbaum, receiving anotherDUC for this performance. Inaddition to strategic missions in the Balkans,the group bombed troop concentrations,bridges, marshalling yards, andairdromes during the fall of 1944 to hamperthe enemy’s withdrawal from theregion. The group also supported groundforces at Anzio and Cassino in Mar 1944;knocked out gun positions in preparationfor the invasion of Southern France inAug 1944; and assisted the final Allieddrive through Italy in Apr 1945 by hittingsuch targets as bridges, gun positions, andtroop concentrations. Inactivated in Italyon 9 SeP 1945.Redesignated 455th BombardmentGroup (Very Heavy). Allotted to thereserve. Activated in the US on 25 Mar1947. llzactivated on 27 Jun 1949.Redesignated 455th Fighter-Day Group.Activated on 25 Jul 1956. Assigned toTactical Air Command.SQUADRONS. 740th: 1943-1945; 1947-1949; 1956. 74’st: 1943-1945; 1947-1949;1956. 742d: 1943-1945 ; 1947-1949 ;1956. 743d: 1943-1945; 1947-1949-STATIONS. Alamogordo AAFld, NM, IJun 194.3; Kearns, Utah, c. 6 Sep 1943;Langley Field, Va, c. 5 Oct-2 Dec 1943;San Giovanni, Italy, Ij Jan 1944-g Sep1945. Hensley Field, Tex, 25 Mar 1947-27 Jun 1949. Myrtle Beach AFB, SC, 25Jul 1956.COMMANDERS. Col Kenneth A Cool, c.Jul 1943; Col William L Snowden, c. 26Sep 1944; Lt Col William R Boutz, May1945; Maj Jerome HOSS, Jul 1945-unkn.Maj John C Smith, 25 JulIgj6.CAMPAIGNS. Air Combat, EAME Theater;Air Offensive, Europe; Anzio;Rome-Arno; Normandy; N o r t h e r nFrance; Scuthern France; North Apennines;Rhineland; Central Europe; PoValley.DECORATIONS. Distinguished Unit Citations:Steyr, Austria, 2 Apr 1944; Austria,26 Jun 1944.INSIGNE. None.456th BOMBARDMENT GROUPConstituted as 456th BombardmentGroup (Heavy) on 14 May 1943. Acti-