2nd Air Division Memorial Library

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466th 466th Bombardment Group The focus of this scrapbook is the 466th Bombardment Group, stationed at Attlebridge, Norfolk. The 466th ( known as the "Flying Deck")was organized as part of the Second Air Division of the 8th Air Force, flying B-24 Liberators as part of the Strategic Air Offensive against Germany. The bulk of the 466th's training was carried out in Alamogordo, New Mexico. In February 1944, they moved to their base near the village of Weston Longville. The group's first mission was 22 March 1944 to Berlin. In a letter welcoming the 466th to the 8th Air Force, Lieutenant General James Doolittle noted that mission was the longest first mission flown by any group in the European Theater of Operations. During the course of the war, the 466th flew over 5,600 sorties in 231 missions over France, Germany, and Belgium. 333 men lost their lives during those missions, with an additional 171 taken prisoner, 8 evading capture, and 27 interned in neutral countries. Almost 100 B-24 Liberators were lost during the missions. In addition, the 466th participated in the "Gas Missions", flying gasoline to the US Army in France and Germany, which had moved so quickly it had outdistanced its supply lines. Colonel Pierce presenting a Distinguished Flying Cross medal on Sergeant Thomas. From the collection of Wayne Tabor (MC371/456 720x9), Norfolk Record Office. B24s marshalling for takeoff. From the collection of Wayne Tabor (MC371/456 720x9), Norfolk Record Office The crew of Jim Lorenz, 785 Bomber Squadron. Last names of those pictured are Coon, Smolka, Lorenz, Crawford, and Perone in the back row, and Van Winkle, Moushin, Crute, and Dietz in the front row. From the collection of Jim Lorenz (MC731/435 720x9), Norfolk Record Office All photographs supplied by the Second Air Division Memorial Library through its archival collections on deposit at the Norfolk Record Office. There are several good histories of the 466th Bomb Group available for use in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library, in addition to the standard histories of the 2nd Air Division and the 8th Air Force. Among those histories are: Woolnough, Lt Col John H: The Attlebridge Diaries Wassom, Earl and Brassfield, Chris: Attlebridge Arsenal Copyright © 2001-2007 2nd Air Division Memorial Library All rights reserved. Usage Policy. Created 10 August 2007 2nd Air Division Memorial Library Home Page