th BOMBARDMENT GROUP (VERY HEAVY)

1 489th BOMBARDMENT GROUP ( very heavy ) LINEAGE 489th BOMBARDMENT GROUP ( heavy ) constituted, 14 Sep 1943 Activated, 1 Oct 1943 Redesignated 489th BOMBARDMENT GROUP ( very heavy ), Mar 1945 Inactivated, 17 Oct 1945 STATIONS Wendover Field, UT, 1 Oct 1943-3 Apr 1944 Halesworth, England, 1 May-Nov 1944 Bradley Field, CT, 12 Dec 1944 Lincoln AAFld, NE, 17 Dec 1944 Great Bend AAFld, KS, 28 Feb 1945 Davis-Monthan Field, AZ, 3 Apr 1945 Fairmont AAFld, NE, 13 Jul 1945 Ft Lawton, WA, 23 Aug 1945 March Field, CA, 2 Sep-17 Oct 1945 ASSIGNMENTS Eighth AF WEAPON SYSTEMS B-24 B-29 COMMANDERS Col Ezekiel W. Napier, 20 Oct 1943 LTC Robert E. Kollimer, 5 Feb 1945 Col Paul C. Ashworth, 11 Apr 1945-unkn HONORS Service Streamers Campaign Streamers American Theater Air Offensive, Europe Normandy Northern France Rhineland Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers Decorations EMBLEM EMBLEM SIGNIFICANCE MOTTO NICKNAME OPERATIONS Entered combat on 30 May 1944, and during the next few days concentrated on targets in France in preparation for the Normandy invasion.

2 In an attack against coastal defenses near Wimereaux on 5 Jun 1944, the GROUP 's lead plane was seriously crippled by enemy fire, its pilot was killed, and the deputy- GROUP commander, Lt Col Leon R Vance Jr, who was commanding the formation, was severely wounded; although his right foot was practically severed, Vance took control of the plane, led the GROUP to a successful bombing of the target, and managed to fly the damaged aircraft to the coast of England, where he ordered the crew to bail out; believing a wounded man had been unable to jump, he ditched the plane in the Channel and was rescued. For his' action during this mission, Vance was awarded the Medal of Honor. The GROUP supported the landings in Normandy on 6 Jun 1944, and afterward bombed coastal defenses, airfields, bridges, railroads, and V-weapon sites in the campaign for France.

3 Began flying missions into Germany in Jul, and engaged primarily in bombing strategic targets such as factories, oil refineries and storage plants, marshalling yards, and airfields in Ludwigshafen, Magdeburg, Brunswick, Saarbrucken, and other cities until Nov 1944. Other operations included participating in the saturation bombing of German lines just before the breakthrough at St Lo in Jul, dropping food to the liberated French and to Allied forces in France during Aug and Sep, and carrying food and ammunition to Holland later in Sep. Returned to the US, Nov-Dec 1944, to prepare for redeployment to the Pacifictheater. Redesignated 489^ BOMBARDMENT GROUP ( very heavy ) in Mar 1945. Equipped with B-29's. Alerted for movement overseas in the summer of 1945, but war with Japan ended before the GROUP left the US.

4 489th BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H) Assigned Eighth AF: Apr 44-29 Nov. 44 Wing & Command Assignments 2 BD, 95 CBW: c. 5 May 44. 2 BD, 20 CBW: 14 Aug. 44. Component Squadrons 844th, 845th, 846th and 847th BOMBARDMENT Squadron (H). Combat Aircraft B-24H (from block 15-FO) and B-24J. Station HALESWORTH 22 Apr. 44-29 Nov. 44. GROUP CO Col Ezekiel W. Napier. 20 Oct. 43-c. 29 Nov, 44. First Mission: 30 May 44. Last Mission: 10 Nov. 44. Total Missions: 106 Total Credit Sorties. 2,998 Total Bomb Tonnage. 6,951 tons A/c MIA: 29 Other Op. Losses: 12 E/a Claims: 1-0- 0. Major Awards Medal of Honor. Lt Col Leon R. Vance: 5 Jun. 44 Claims to Fame Only Medal of Honor awarded to a B-24 crewman for an action flown from UK. First 8AF GROUP redeployed USA. Early History Activated 1 Oct.

5 43 at Wendover Fd, Utah. Complete formation and training of GROUP took place at this base (apart from special detachments). Left Wendover 3 April 44, air echelon flying to UK via southern ferry route. Gnd. ech. sailed Boston on USS Wakefield 13 Apr. 44. Subsequent History Selected for redeployment to Pacific theatre and became non-operational 14 Nov. 44. Relieved of assignment 29 Nov. 44 and returned USA. A/c and high proportion personnel reassigned to depots or other units in UK. GROUP established Bradley Fd, Conn. 12 Dec. 44, and was shortly thereafter transferred to Lincoln AFB, Neb. to train as B-29 unit. Equipped with this a/c at Great Bend AAFd, Kan. from Mar. 45. Alerted for movement to 8AF in Pacific late summer of 1945 but with termination of hostilities remained in USA and was inactivated 17 Oct.

6 45 at March Fd, Cal. 489th BG B-24H& Jin olive and grey factory finish, and natural metal. Squadron codes: 844BS 4R, 845BS T4, 846BS 8R, 847BS S4; in grey on rear fuselage. GROUP markings: W in circle on wing only. Outer side vertical tail bright green with vertical white band and a/c letter on band in black. From August 1944 (when 489 BG assigned 20 CBW) outer sides vertical tail painted all yellow with a/c letters on fin in black. Bar and plus signs adjacent a/c letter from May 1944: 844BS none, 845BS bar before or below a/c letter, 846BS plus before letter, 847BS bar above or after letter. Assembly Ship Li/' Cookie B-24H (ex 44BG) camouflaged with yellow polka dots COLUMBIA, S. C. On 3 September, 1942, during the darkest days of the war, a Major and four new 2d Lieutenants gathered in a corner of Colonel (later Brigadier General) Robert D.

7 Knapp's office at Columbia Air Base, Columbia, South Carolina. The corner was separated from the rest of the office by waisthigh partitions. In the partitioned corner were a desk, a field table, a typewriter and some paper. On the desk at which the Major sat, and around which the four Lieutenants gathered, was a mimeographed sheet inscribed "Headquarters, Columbia Army Air Base, Columbia, South Carolina, General Orders No. 19, August' 20, 1942." This order proclaimed that the "following units are activated": Headquarters, 340th Bomb Gp (m) 486th Bomb Sq (m) 487th Bomb Sq (m) 488th Bomb Sq (m) 489th Bomb Sq (m) The five officers present, one other 2d Lieutenant, then on leave, the desk, table, typewriter and paper comprised the entire 340th Bomb GROUP . The Major seated at the table studied the paper awhile, then pointing to the line reading "489th Bomb Sq (m) ,'' turned to 2d Lieutenant Dewitt F.

8 Fields and said, "Lieutenant, that is your Squadron." Thus, VOCO, the first person was assigned to the 489th Bomb Squadron. After the conference, Lt. Fields hurried to the station Quartermaster and drew a field table, a typewriter, some typing paper, carbon paper, and blank forms for requisitioning supplies. When the Quartermaster officer refused a request for a field desk, Lt. Fields b'orrowed a hammer and saw, and proceeding to a scrap lumber pile built a box with shelves and pigeon holes. That afternoon, the 489th Bomb Squadron was set up in a corner of Colonel Knapp's office. On 5 September, five Privates reported to the 489th Bomb Squadron. They were De Lisa, De Mia, Della Pietro, Dodge and Creeden. On 9 September, the Morning Report of the 489th Bomb Squadron began with the entry, "The 489th Bomb Sq (m) was activated on 20 August 1942 by SO.

9 No. 19, Hq. CAAF, Columbia, S. C. with no personnel assigned or attached." The entry might well have added, "and with no equipment." The first hectic days were spent in bel ping form a cadre of personnel from the 3 76th Bomb Squadron, 3 0 9th Bomb GROUP (m), and requisitioning, begging and borrowing supplies and equipment. By the time the cadre was ready to move in, the 489th Bomb Squadron possessed one whole row of pyramidal tents in "Tent City," complete with cots and mattresses. A make-shift orderly room had also been established. About 12 September, the cadre moved into the squadron area. S/Sgt. McAvoy vJas designated First Sergeant, Cpl. Eldridge was made supply sergeant, T /Sgt. Johnson became line chief, Sgt. Burkholder became communications chief. Others were designated to appropriate sections, most of which were not in existence.

10 For several days after the arrival of the cadre the chief duties were still "scrounging" for equipment, doing , policing the squadron area, flooring tents, and basic training. when a new unit is activated, the unit is not left entirely to its own devices in securing personnel and equipment. All the way up and down the chain of command, certain actions are initiated automatically to furnish necessary supplies and personnel whenever a new unit is activated. By the middle of September personnel began reporting from. replacement centers and other organizations, and a trickle of supplies started. The squadron area expanded to two rows of tents, and building space was set aside on the flight line for the squadron. Then the squadron got a Commanding Officer. 1st Lt. Fred M. Hampton reported and assumed command.