Air Force Combat Units of WWII

AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS-GROUPS 357Europe; Rome-Arno; Normandy; NorthernFrance; Southern France; NorthApennines; Rhineland; Central Europe;Po Valley.DECORATIONS. Distinguished Unit Citation:Vienna, Austria, 26 Jun 1944.INSIGNE. None.486th BOMBARDMENT GROUPConstituted as 486th BombardmentGroup (Heavy) on 14 Sep 1943 and aduatedon 20 Sep. Moved to England in Mar1944 and assigned to Eighth AF. Enteredcombat in May 1944 with B-24 aircraftbut soon converted to B-17’s. Operatedchiefly against strategic objectives in Germanyuntil May 1945. Targets includedmarshalling yards in Stuttgart, Cologne,and Mainz; airfields in Kassel and Munster;oil refineries and storage plants inMerseburg, Dollbergen, and Hamburg;harbors in Bremen and Kiel; and factoriesin Mannheim and Weimar. Other missionsincluded bombing airfields, gun positions,V-weapon sites, and railroad bridgesin France in preparation for or in supportof the invasion of Normandy in Jun 1944;striking road junctions and troop concentrationsin support of ground forces pushingacross France, Jul-Aug 1944; hittinggun emplacements near Arnheim to minimizetransport and glider losses during theairborne invasion of Holland in Sep 1944;and bombing enemy installations in supportof ground troops during the Battle ofthe Bulge (Dec 1944-Jan 1945) and theassault across the Rhine (Mar-Apr 1945).Returned to the US in Aug 1945. Inactivatedon 7 Nov 1945.SQUADRONS. 832d: 1943-1945. 833d:I 943- 1945. 834th: I 943- I 945. 835th:1943-1945-STATIONS. McCook AAFld, Neb, 20 Sep1943; Davis-Monthan Field, Ariz, g Nov1943-Mar 1944; Sudbury, England, Mar1g44-Aug 1945; Drew Field, Fla, 3 Sep?NOV 1945.COMMANDERS. Col Glendon P Overing,20 Sep 1943; Col William B Kieffer, c. 13Apr 1945; Lt Col James J Grater, Jul1945-unkn.CAMPAIGNS. Air Offensive, Europe ;Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland;Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.DECORATIONS. None.INSIGNE. None.487th BOMBARDMENT GROUPConstituted as 487th BombardmentGroup (Heavy) on 14 Sep 1943 and mtivatedon 20 Sep. Prepared for overseasduty with B-24’s. Moved to England,Mar-Apr 1944, and assigned to Eighth AF.Began combat in May 1944, bombing airfieldsin France in preparation for the in-vasion of Normandy; then poundedcoastal defenses, road junctions, bridges,and locomotives during the invasion. AttackedGerman troops and artillery positionsto assist British forces near Caen inJul; struck gun emplacements to supportthe Allied effort at Brest in Aug and tocover the airborne attack on Holland inSep 1944. Flew a few missions against