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 15, 1944 Mission to Antheor Beach (Missions #283 & #285)

Squadron War Diary

486th The Group sent 72 ships into the air and over the S France coast by 0730 this morning. Very few boxes dropped their bombs because of the damned weather which blanketed the coast. This was very disappointing, however, because little or no flak was observed; everyone returned safely and grateful for that at least.

487th A big day for the 487th Squadron and the 340th Group in particular. The Group celebrated its 500th combat mission with our own squadron leading the Group formation of seventy-two planes in a flight to prepare the way for the great Allied landing in Southern France. It was a long day and a tense one as all combat crew members were out of their sacks at 02:30 in preparation for the big event.

The first six planes took off at 05:17 loaded with 500 lb. bombs to destroy gun positions near St. Raphael. The formation reached their objective at 06:50, but due to a complete cloud coverage no bombs ere dropped.

The second formation in which twelve of our planes participated took off at 06:03 hours to bomb the beach at Antheor. The flight reached the target area at 07:26 and released their bomb load from 7300'. The first box pattern started short of beach in central portion of target and extended across railroad tracks well inland to the top of a large hill. Beach believed to be well covered. 2nd box pattern due to cloud coverage in target area was not observed, but some crew members believed pattern hit probably 1500' south of target area along beach while others thought pattern may have hit approximately 3000' north of target area along the beach. No ack-ack or other enemy opposition was encountered bringing all our ships and crews safely home.

488th From Mission #2 Report: Bomb pattern started at water's edge and walked up to and over viaduct.

From Mission #3 Report: Bomb pattern started short and went across the target.

489th H hour of D day was at 0800. At 0528 hours the first of eighteen planes of the squadron took off. One hour and twenty-five minutes later they were on the bomb run dropping high explosives and incendaries on gun positions where the invading forces were to land at 0800 hours.

This mission fitted in as an intricate part of the huge invasion plan.

In the afternoon we sent out eighteen more planes to blast at a road bridge in the Avignon area.

Target in 1944

Target Today

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Squadron	War Diary
486th	The Group sent 72 ships into the air and over the S France coast by 0730 this morning. Very few boxes dropped their bombs because of the damned weather which blanketed the coast. This was very disappointing, however, because little or no flak was observed; everyone returned safely and grateful for that at least.
487th	A big day for the 487th Squadron and the 340th Group in particular. The Group celebrated its 500th combat mission with our own squadron leading the Group formation of seventy-two planes in a flight to prepare the way for the great Allied landing in Southern France. It was a long day and a tense one as all combat crew members were out of their sacks at 02:30 in preparation for the big event. The first six planes took off at 05:17 loaded with 500 lb. bombs to destroy gun positions near St. Raphael. The formation reached their objective at 06:50, but due to a complete cloud coverage no bombs ere dropped. The second formation in which twelve of our planes participated took off at 06:03 hours to bomb the beach at Antheor. The flight reached the target area at 07:26 and released their bomb load from 7300'. The first box pattern started short of beach in central portion of target and extended across railroad tracks well inland to the top of a large hill. Beach believed to be well covered. 2nd box pattern due to cloud coverage in target area was not observed, but some crew members believed pattern hit probably 1500' south of target area along beach while others thought pattern may have hit approximately 3000' north of target area along the beach. No ack-ack or other enemy opposition was encountered bringing all our ships and crews safely home.
488th	From Mission #2 Report: Bomb pattern started at water's edge and walked up to and over viaduct. From Mission #3 Report: Bomb pattern started short and went across the target.
489th	H hour of D day was at 0800. At 0528 hours the first of eighteen planes of the squadron took off. One hour and twenty-five minutes later they were on the bomb run dropping high explosives and incendaries on gun positions where the invading forces were to land at 0800 hours. This mission fitted in as an intricate part of the huge invasion plan. In the afternoon we sent out eighteen more planes to blast at a road bridge in the Avignon area.

Crew Lists and Mission Reports

Operation Orders


486th Squadron


487th Squadron

488th 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