For a number of months the personnel of the 450th Bombardment Group under the direction of its Staff Officers in Headquarters and Squadrons, had been carrying on a plan to provide living quarters, comfortable day rooms, mess halls, and recreation centers for their respective organizations. The month of July saw these plans brought to completion. Squadrons vied with each other in an effort to put up better mess hall facilities and day rooms that would provide ground and combat personnel with places wherein to enjoy meals sheltered from the elements and where they could write letters, amuse themselves, and enjoy a few drinks. Every E.M. day room put up a bar and furnished its lounge with comfortable furniture. Walls were decorated, fireplaces were built and even curtains were secured with which to create a homey atmosphere.

The officers in the various squadrons also put forth every effort to prepare suitable dining rooms with all the facilities and comforts that the combat theater could provide. As a result of this building program, the group is now able to enjoy a maximum of comfort, and all with the gratifying satisfaction that it was achieved through personal effort and cooperative spirit. It is certainly a far cry from the mud, slush, and dirt through which we dragged our mess-gear in the unrelenting winter rain of last January.

The operating offices and quarters were not neglected in this overall improvement. What few dinghy buildings were available went through a face lifting process inside and out. Walls were plastered, exteriors were calcimined and partitions were put up. Windows to provide light and ventilation were opened wherever necessary, and new structures were built from Italian "Tufi" rock when no housing space was available. The securing of building materials and marshalling of labor were the two major problems that department heads, executive officers, commanders and all first sergeants coped with and succeeded in implementing with admirable results.

Concurrently with the process of erecting day-rooms, officers quarters and private dwellings, the improvement of the area received great impetus. Holes that were once known as "Lake Manduria," during the rainy season, were filled up; roads were graded, and the approaches to the headquarters in group and squadrons were cemented and walled.These entrances in headquarters areas are now so marked and arranged that no visitor can mistake his where-abouts. An outdoor theater for stage shows completed and put into operation with great success.

As summer approached, the medics took precautionary measures to prevent infection and guard against Malaria. All stagnant water was treated weekly to destroy mosquito larva, pools were drained and low places filled to prevent accumulation and stagnation. As a result of the strict observance of health discipline not a single Malaria case occurred during the month of July.

In addition to the usual routine activities of the group, there was an intensified sports program under the sponsorship of special services. Intra-mural baseball, volleyball, and softball games were the order of the day during July for those who craved outdoor exercise. With the facilities afforded by group and squadron day rooms, all sorts of indoor sports were encouraged. A ping-pong tournament was played off with the final contenders appearing in a public contest. Even checkers and chess tournaments were held for the sedentary contenders who wished to exercise their brain. Not content with inta-group games, the baseball team challenged outsiders and defeated all comers. In fact, the only field in which the 450th did not excell was in boxing. All these activities in addition to the excellent outdoor theater provided entertainment and amusement to the group and helped immeasurably to kill the leisure hours around camp. "Molto Buono" the group weekly has expanded to six pages and is now being published by special services. The paper has proved of great interest to all personnel. It provides an outlet for ideas, information, entertainment and griping.

Special services, in conference with the educational program set out by the 15th AAF undertook the organization of classes in camp. Several enlisted men and officers with proper qualifications in their respective fields answered the call for instructors and helped to set up the instructional program. Classes in psychology under T/Sgt. Micek, business management under Lt. Schmidt, and algebra under Lt. Williams opened during July. Other courses are in preparation for the month of August.

With the activities and facilities now at hand, it was not suprising to find the morale of the group at its highest during this month. This was further enhanced by the trips to Rome begun during July. Those returning from the "Eternal City" brought back glowing reports about Rome's historical riches, its magnificent public buildings and no end of encouraging tales about the pulchritudinous ladies who welcomed American soldiers. Those interested in historical sites took time to visit the ruins of Pompeii and Vasuvius. Give a soldier some work to do, a few of the comforts of life, good shelter, a place to spend his leisure hours, and the anticipation of an occasional trip tp a large city, and the problem of morale is solved. The problem has been solved for the 450th thus far, but there are many months ahead yet.

Nineteen missions were flown during the month of July against such important targets as Roumanian Oil Fields, Austrian Air Dromes, and communications lines in Northern Italy. The big targets for the month continued to be Ploiesti! In all, 459 effective sorties were flown as against 66 non-effective giving a total of 560 with 88.2% effective for the month. The strength at the end of July was 2118. Our losses were not as great as had been during the early spring. Fourteen officers and men were killed in action and seventy-three are missing, making a total of 87 casualties. A large number of these will turn up later in prisoner of war camps while it is hoped others will make their way safely out of enemy territory.

As a reward for gallantry, extra-ordinary achievements, and sustained operations against the enemy, numerous awards and decorations went to a large number of deserving officers and men. A total of 290 Air Medals and 512 clusters were awarded during the month of July to combat crew members, The painfully earned, but unwished for, Purple Heart Medal was presented to 40 officers and men who were wounded during former raids. Two soldier's medals were awarded for heroism to the group surgeon, Major George L. Thorpe, and M/Sgt. Steve Radkoff. Twenty-six D.F.C.'s were awarded to flying personnel and 13 Silver Stars topped the list.

To sum up:

          Silver Stars                     13
          D.F.C.                               26
          Soldier's Medal                2
          Purple Heart                     40
          Air Medal                         90
          Clusters                          512

Colonel John S. Mills organizer and commanding officer of the 450th from June 12, 1943 to July 7, 1944 was succeeded by Lt. Col. Robert R. Gideon, Jr. Col. Mills was promoted to A-3 section in MAAF. The popular "Uncle Jack" took leave of the organization with a farewell party given to him by his staff. Lt. Col. Gideon, affectionately known as "Fearless Red" assumed command of the group under the aegis of his well earned popularity.