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

April 2, 1944 Mission to Railroad Bridge North of Orvieto

Squadron War Diary

486th 0800 hours in the briefing room, and today the target was the same as yesterday - RR bridge 6 miles NW of Orvieto. The mission from yesterday, according to the photos taken, did not reveal any definite damage. The lead ship of the 488th squadron, due to malfunction, dropped 3 bombs as soon as the bomb-bay doors were opened. Their pattern started more than a mile east of the bridge and the bomb struck within 800 feet.

Our bomb pattern started 1600 feet short and to the left and ended within 800 feet of the bridge. Other craters wre made farther to the south and still another was west of the tracks....

The 489th pattern started 1800 feet west of the south end of the bridge.

One element of the 487th squadron bombed east and the other west of it. Two bombs, one from each element were within 280 feet of it. Part of this pattern, particularly east of the bridge, was obscured by smoke.

487th Another attempt was made today to destroy the railroad bridge N.W. of Orvieto. At 11:02 hours six B-25's of the 487th squadron were over the target to drop their 24x1000 lb bomb load. Bombs from the first element landed beyond the target with the second element possibly scoring hits on the bridge. Moderate, heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire damaged four ships. However, there were no hits scored on crew members and all returned safely to the base.

488th Same target as yesterday.

489th The target for today was the same one that we had yesterday; namely, a R.R. bridge a few miles outside of Orvieto, Italy. Because of intervalometer malfunction, we completely missed the target.

For the past five or six missions we have been using the highly secret Norden Sight, a precision instrument made famous by the "heavies" in raids over Germany and Occupied Europe. Practically all of our bombing recently has been strategic rather than tactical. Thus the Norden Sight is the logical one to use.

Target in 1944

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
486th	0800 hours in the briefing room, and today the target was the same as yesterday - RR bridge 6 miles NW of Orvieto. The mission from yesterday, according to the photos taken, did not reveal any definite damage. The lead ship of the 488th squadron, due to malfunction, dropped 3 bombs as soon as the bomb-bay doors were opened. Their pattern started more than a mile east of the bridge and the bomb struck within 800 feet. Our bomb pattern started 1600 feet short and to the left and ended within 800 feet of the bridge. Other craters wre made farther to the south and still another was west of the tracks.... The 489th pattern started 1800 feet west of the south end of the bridge. One element of the 487th squadron bombed east and the other west of it. Two bombs, one from each element were within 280 feet of it. Part of this pattern, particularly east of the bridge, was obscured by smoke.
487th	Another attempt was made today to destroy the railroad bridge N.W. of Orvieto. At 11:02 hours six B-25's of the 487th squadron were over the target to drop their 24x1000 lb bomb load. Bombs from the first element landed beyond the target with the second element possibly scoring hits on the bridge. Moderate, heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire damaged four ships. However, there were no hits scored on crew members and all returned safely to the base.
488th	Same target as yesterday.
489th	The target for today was the same one that we had yesterday; namely, a R.R. bridge a few miles outside of Orvieto, Italy. Because of intervalometer malfunction, we completely missed the target. For the past five or six missions we have been using the highly secret Norden Sight, a precision instrument made famous by the "heavies" in raids over Germany and Occupied Europe. Practically all of our bombing recently has been strategic rather than tactical. Thus the Norden Sight is the logical one to use.

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

488th 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