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

August 2, 1944 Mission to Var River Bridge #4(Mission #246)

Squadron War Diary

486th Not assigned to this mission.

487th The most encouraging and pleasing news of the day was our first raid on Southern France. Thirteen of our planes took off at 09:31 hours to bomb two railroad bridges – north and south near Nice. The frag and demolition bomb load fell short of the target and the Squadron scored a seventeen percent bombing efficiency record for the mission. Six planes were severely damaged as a result of the intense anti-aircraft fire. Many ships returned to the base on one engine although no planes were lost. France is not favored by combat crew members in spite of their former anxiety to raid the country.

488th Not assigned to this mission.

489th A railroad bridge east of Nice, France, was our target for today. This, our first mission over France, turned out to be an unsuccessful one. TBF will probably send us back there tomorrow.
This morning about two hundred heavy bombers of the 15th Strategic Air Force passed high over head on their way to France. It is a thrilling sight to see scores and scores of bombers, the formations stringing out for miles, as they drone by with their slick and silvery bodies flashing in the sky.

Target in 1944

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
486th	Not assigned to this mission.
487th	The most encouraging and pleasing news of the day was our first raid on Southern France. Thirteen of our planes took off at 09:31 hours to bomb two railroad bridges – north and south near Nice. The frag and demolition bomb load fell short of the target and the Squadron scored a seventeen percent bombing efficiency record for the mission. Six planes were severely damaged as a result of the intense anti-aircraft fire. Many ships returned to the base on one engine although no planes were lost. France is not favored by combat crew members in spite of their former anxiety to raid the country.
488th	Not assigned to this mission.
489th	A railroad bridge east of Nice, France, was our target for today. This, our first mission over France, turned out to be an unsuccessful one. TBF will probably send us back there tomorrow. This morning about two hundred heavy bombers of the 15th Strategic Air Force passed high over head on their way to France. It is a thrilling sight to see scores and scores of bombers, the formations stringing out for miles, as they drone by with their slick and silvery bodies flashing in the sky.

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

Operation Orders


487th Squadron

489th 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