A Message From The Group Commander

The conclusion of one of the war's most important and difficult fronts brings to a climactic close the combat operations of the 450th Bombardment Group in Italy. I am deeply gratified to have participated with you in the brilliant strategy conceived by our leaders. The successes that we have achieved have been the result of concerted effort, made possible through the sustained cooperation of air and ground echelons. The brief survey that follows points out some of the highlights of our overseas activities, and marks another milestone in the history of our organization.

I take this opportunity to express my sincerest appreciation to all officers and enlisted personnel for their fine work as we enter another chapter in the history of this struggle.

Historical Resume

General Order No. 68, 22 April 1943, Hq 2nd AF, Ft. George Wright, Washington, officially activated a new group to be known as the 450th Bombardment Group (H) on 1 May 1943 at AAB, Gowan Field, Boise Idaho. Twenty-one days later a paper transaction transferred the 450th to the AAB in Clovis, New Mexico. The key personnel was assigned on this base, and Captain William G. Snaith issued Order No. 1 assuming command until 12 June when Colonel John Stuart Mills arrived to take formal command of the group.

School of Applied Tactics:

On 16 June 1943 the key personnel, together with four model crews, were sent to the School of Applied Tactics in Orlando, Florida where they spent a month learning some of the more practical aspects of heavy bombardment. At the conclusion of their schooling, they returned to the AAB in Alamogordo, New Mexico, where other members of the 450th complement has already begun to arrive from all parts of the United States. Another sister group, the 449th, was to train on the same field, and they too had arrived simultaneously.

Setting up Camp:

The first thing done upon arrival was to set up camp for the four squadrons, known as the 720th, 721st, 722nd, and 723rd respectively. Banging hammers and rasping saws gave every indication that the young group would become one of the most building minded out-fits in the Army Air Forces. In record time they had school rooms, breifing rooms, orderly rooms, offices, shops set up to begin their ground training. Maps were put up, benches were made, and all sorts of visual aides and training devices were invented by the ingenious department members. By the first of August they were ready to start their ground training.

Ground School and Flying:

The Schools Officers prepared a complete schedule for all three phases of ground school, ranging from Intelligence to Armament. All effort and time was devoted to training for overseas duty with the result that by the middle of September, 24 crews were well on their way to third phase. On that date, the B-24 Mobile unit of the TTC arrived to prepare the combat and ground crews in their respective line of work. A continuous schedule running from 0700 and through 1800 was put into effect with a telescoped program that put the personnel through third phase as well by the end of October. Leaves and furloughs were given to all in anticipation of an overseas movement, and physical fitness was brought up to 100%.

Dispite the stepped up program, most everyone found time to run to El Paso for a bit of diversion during which they managed to cross the Mexican border into Juarez for a few bottles of "Carta Blanca" and a steak dinner. Anything else outside of this purely exaggeration.

Preparation for Overseas Movement:

The moth of October saw the end of Ground Training Program and by November the first practice formation flights were flown to the nearby cities in western Texas and Oklahoma. On 10 November 1943 the POM arrived in Alamagordo and gave the word that sent the 450th air echelon on its way to the staging area in Herrington, Kansas on the 20th of November.
The processing in Herrington took around ten days, at the conclusion of which the echelon flew to West Palm Beach, the last stop in continental United States. There were poker games, dice and mixed drinks in addition to a bit of sight seeing all along the way, but the crews were eager to keep moving in anticipation of their new assignment.

On to Brazil:

From Florida, the Liberators fanned out over the Lesser Antiles, some going directly to Atkinson Field in British Guiana, others to Trinidad's Waller Field, but the majority stopped at Borinqnan Field in Puerto Rico. The latter was the highlight of the trip insofar as accomodations and beauty was concerned. The South American coast was next with its teeming jungle and the wide Amazon. Belem and Fartaleza were the next stops followed by Natal on the Brazilian litorral. The smell of strong coffee, toasted Brazil nuts, and fresh pineapple were in abundance as well as Swiss watches and the now famous Brazilian leather boot.

The Hop to Africa:

The hop across the southern Atlantic was without incident, except for the surprise visit of President Roosevelt on his way back from a conference in northern Africa. When the weather lifted in Algeria, the crews left the Senegal and arrived in Marrakech. This was the first interesting foreign city in Algeria. Those who spoke French were able to bargain with the french speaking Arabs, and the rest were content with looking at women who displayed only their eyes over their veiled faces.

General Arnold Speaks:

By now everyone knew that the destination of the 450th was Chateaudun de Romel near Tulergma, but Captains Quinn and Campa happend on the airport just as General Arnold arrived, and in the conversation that ensued, the General informed the officers that they would spend two days in Chateandun and proceed to Italy. The General seemed to know what he was talking about, for after two days stay in the little village those who were there started to Manduria but were forced down in Tunis. By now the air echelon has scattered all over Africa. Some were in Casa Blanca, others in Agadir, but all knew their destination.

Excusez Moi!

Lt. Wagner was a very surprised pilot when a Frenchmen landed his plane on top of his Liberator. No one was hurt, but later in the day an Arab darted across the path of Lt. King's plane as it taxied out and a prop sent him to Allah. In due time, beginning with the 20th of December, the 61 planes and 70 crews arrived in Manduria with the exception of Lt. Cordage and his crew who failed to make up the mountain pass and are now buried in Constantine.

"Sunny Italy"

Down in the heel, both literally and figuratively, of Italy where Hannibal once watered his elephants, stands the ancient city of Manduria. Ten kilometers to the north on a solid rock promontory, the city of Oria with its high-walled castle of Roman days overlooks the countryside were the 450th was to spend a year and a half.
Six inches of mud for a runway, a few dilapidated, vermin-infested barracks of the defunct Italian Air Force and a two century old olive grove was the airport from which the 450th would soon begin operations. The first plane landed on December 20th in a heavy drizzle, and the rain continued almost daily for several months.

Ground Echelon Arrives:

The ground echelon left Alamogordo the day after Thanksgiving and travelled by train to Newport News, where it embarked on the 4th of December. They split into three parties. The 720th Squadron and Headquarters left on the "Stanley Baldwin," and after an uninteresting and crowed trip, punctuated by their introduction to "C" rations, they arrived at the port of Bari on New Year's Eve. The 721st and the 722nd reached Italy on the "Bret Harte" and disembarked in Naples two days after Christmas. The battle-scarred University of Naples was their first stopping place. Seven days later they arrived by convoy into Manduria. The 723rd took a longer route via Sicily where they learned early the art of trading with the Italian peasants. By the time they arrived, on January 15, 1944, the group had already flown six missions.

Lake Manduria:

With the arrival of the entire complement, the squadron areas were promptly set up. So many square yards of olive trees and a share of the mud and quagmire was the location allocted to each squadron. The accumulation of water augumented by the incessant rains came to be known as "Lake Manduria" and many a brave jeep stalled in an attempt to cross it. High ground for pup tents was at a premium, but the ingenius soldiers lost no time in discovering the building virtues of Italian tufi rock blocke.

Vini, Bambiui and Fichi:

Signs in the nearby villages announced the one unlimited commodity: vino, dark red wine of dubious vintage. Ragged urchins crowded around the Americans with the characteristic greeting of: "Allo, Joe, sigaretta?" Figs or fichi were also in season, but the dried fruits name soon developed into a less edible but more marketable product.

Building Room:

The four squadrons assigned to their repective areas proceeded toput up their installations and private quarters. Lumber, nails, and roofing were the most difficult items to procure in southern Italy. The German Luftwaffe had sunk 18 supply ships to Bari Harbor, destroying most of the supplies which would have been available to units of the 15th Air Force.

Early in January it was discovered that the Italian Admiral in Taranto was able to release Italian stores to the American Army. Requisitions and chits were put through channels and in a week's time the building boom was on. Thousands of feet of lumber, tin, nails, light bulbs, wire and seven Diesel generators were brought to camp. Other supplies were acquired from English Army and Navy sources. By the end of the year, several tons of materials, including cement, were safely stored in the 450th warehouses.

The construction of officers's clubs, day rooms, mess-halls and office buildings was given priority, and before long the original quagmire referred to as "Lake Manduria" had been transformed into an area which the I.G. declared to be a "model for the entire Air Force."

The furnishings secured from the Italian Air Force was a nucleus around which grew the comfortable furnishings to be found later in the clubs or the 450th. Nothing was spared by the Commanding Officers that could improve the living conditions in the otherwise dreary flats of southern Italy. Each club boasted a bar, railing and all, and some of the areas went so far in their dressing up program that the First Combat Camera Unit made several movies of them.

When it came time to build a Base Aid Station, the specifications were made to conform to other buildings on the base. As a result, the station turned out to be a two-wing hospital with wards, dispensaries, operating room, X-ray room , and private offices. Instead of a wood structure it was a neatly plastered, cement floored, tufi building with all modern plumbing facilities.

"Cottontails"

Early in combat the 450th earned the name by which it became known in the Mediterranean Theater and in the United States. The white rudders of the big tailed Liberators were spotted by the German Luftwaffe when the 450th led the devastating attack against the Prufening Aircraft Factory in Regensburg, Germany on 25 February 1944. Smarting under the blows of the 450th bombing, "Axis Sally," better known to the airmen as the "Berlin Bitch," came on the air that night with a threat and a warning to "The White-Tailed Liberators." On subsequent bombings over Germany, hundreds of ME-109's and FW-190's ,supported rocket firing JU-88's, attacked aggressively, knocking down several 450th bombers. From Berlin came the gloating voice of Sally: "How did you like it, white-tailed Liberators?" From 'white-tails' the obvious nickname of "Cottontails" developed in Disneyian fashion and under that battle name the 450th helped to change the mellifluous voice of Sally into a dying groan.

Winging Across the Yugoslavian Mountains on the way to "Big P"



Operation Digest

"Breaking the Back of the Luftwaffe"

The week beginning February 20, 1944, has been described by General Arnold as one which broke the back of the Luftwaffe. The 450th participated in three major attacks during this historic week, smashing at the ME-109 Aircraft Factories at Regensburg, Germany and the Aero-Engine Works at Steyr, Austria. Other high priority aircraft factories were hit several months later by the 450th, including those at Wiener Neustadt and Schwechat, Austria, Budapest, Hungary, Munich and Friedrichshafen, Germany.

"Operations Strangle"

During the Winter of '44 rail yards in Northern Italy were bombed with regularity. Hitting Ferrara and other key transportation centers, the group helped to keep from the German forces the necessary supplies for a counter-attack against our troops fighting in the bitter mountains north of Naples.
When the daring landing at Anzio was conceived, heavies were given a vital role to play and the 450th severed its share of railroad lines leading into Rome and neutralized airfields from which the Luftwaffe might have interfered with the landing operations.

"The Battle of Ploesti"

Early in April, rail hubs servicing the Germans in the east assumed top importance, as the Soviet armies prepared to launch the drive that swept them through the Balkans. On successive days, the 450th took part in assaults on the Budapest, Bucharest and Ploesti Marshalling Yards, leading the entire 15th Air Force on the latter mission, which was the opening round in the Battle of Ploesti.

Pisa 18 Jan. 1944

Budapest Marshalling Yard
3 April 1944.

Through the spring and summer, strategic bombing concentrated on the number one resource for the Wehrmacht war machine - Oil! Again and again, the Ploesti fields and refineries were hit, despite the heaviest flak barrages encountered anywhere and despite skillfull smoke screening. The 450th contributed materially to the depletion of Ploesti's productive capacities, which presented more than one-third of the oil available to the Nazis.
Many other important oil targets were attacked by the 450th, including the refineries at Bratislava, Czechoslavakia; Vienna and Moosbierbaum, Austria and Blechhammer, Germany.
In July, the group hammered the Manfred-Weiss Armament Works, the largest industrial installiation in Hungary.



Operation Uppercut

When the Southern France invation was launched, the 450th assisted with very effective pin-point bombing that knocked out gun installations along the shore, cut supply lines. Earlier, the submarine pens at Toulon had been severely damaged and harbor installations in Southern France successfully bombed.

All-Out on Communications

In September, the grou pbegan in earnest its pounding of communications facilities, the object of which was to cut off the German lines of retreat from Italy, Roumania, Hungary, and Yugoslavia.
The "Brenner Blitz" reached a climax at Christmas time, with incessant blows leveled at the Verona and Innsbruck terminases, and tactically important railroad bridges along the Brenner Line.
After a record year of operations, the 450th entered its second year in combat by resuming all out attacks on the main Nazi communications system in southeastern Europe, an effort co-ordinated with the grand Soviet offensive through Hungary and Austria. Such vital and highly defended targets as Linz, Graz, Munich and Vienna were blasted by the 450th.
The "Cottontails" rounded out extensive service in the Mediterranean Theater in support of the final Allied offensive in Italy. When the 5th and 8th Armies launched their push into the Po Valley in April of 1945, the 450th lent 100% support, dispatching every aircraft in commission to strike at gun emplacements and trooper concentrations, and achieving 100% bombing accuracy in destroying the Legnago Railroad Bridge. It was a fitting climax to an operational career that had been marked by many outstanding combat achievements.

Bomb Tonnage

The 450th has dropped nearly 15,000 tons of bombs on German-held targets since January 1944. Its highest montly total was 1415 tons, dropped in May 1944. The group's highest total tonnage for a single mission was on the 15th of April 1945, when Cottontail Libs blasted gun emplacements and troop concentrations in the Bologna area with 115 3/4 tons.

Bombing Accuracy

From the point of view of bombing accuracy, that is, percentage of bombs dropped on or within 1000ft of the aiming point, the 450th has achieved an enviable record

For the past year of operations, the 450th was the outstanding group in the 15th Air Force in bombing. Figures released by higher headquarters indicate that it has been continually at or near the top since commencing combat service. The group performed the number one job in the Air Force for the following months:
August 1944 - 59.5%
November 1944 - 47.0%
December 1944 - 48.0%
February 1945 - 59.8%
Measured over six-month periods, the 450th achieved the following bombing accuracy percentages:
As of - November 1944 - 47.0% - 3rd in the 15th Air Force
December 1944 - 48.0% - 1st in the 15th Air Force
February 1945 - 59.3% - 1st in the 15th Air Force
March 1945 - 56.0% - 2nd in the 15th Air Force

On two occasions, the "Cottontails" attained 100% excellence in bombing accuracy.
A perfect pattern of bombs was laid on the Brenner Pass, Italy, December 27th, 1944, and the Legnago Railroad Bridge in Italy was knocked into the Adige River April 16th 1945.

Dwelling columns of smoke cover the Bratislava Oil Refineries after an attack by 450th bombers. The mission was one of the most outstanding conducted against a high priority target.

Since October 1944, the bombing accuracy record of the 450th for any one month has been higher than the average of the 15th Air Force

Maintenance:

The 450th, in the field of maintenance, has also ranked at the head of the Air Force. Its cumulative average percentage of aircraft operational throughout the entire period of combat is 81.8%, which is higher than the Air Force average at any time. The group's highest monthly average was 90.9%
In the month of April 1945, 450th maintenance was exceptionally high caliber. On six seperate missions, every aircraft assigned to the group was in commission. The group was 100% operational for the mission of April 15, which called for maximum support of the Allied ground forces in opening the final offensive in Italy. This all out effort was in large measure responsible for the special commendation of the Wing by Gernal Spaatz, Commanding General of all Strategic Air Forces in Europe.

Victories:

The skies over Ploesti, Steyr, Regensburg, Wiener Neustadt, and other high priority targets will always be remembered by 450th air crews as the scenes of fierce air battles with Goering's once formidable Luftwaffe.
The offically credited victory total of 450th gunners since the beginning of the group's combat operations far outnumber losses directly attributable to enemy fighters. 194 Nazi aircraft were destroyed by the 450th; 38 probable and 27 damaged.

Awards and Decorations:

In addition to hundreds of decorations presented to 450th personnel, the group itself has been awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations for outstanding performance of duty in armed conflict with the enemy
The first citation was granted in recognition of the group's heroic achievements in an attack on the Regensburg Prufening Aircraft Factory, Germany, April 25th, 1944.
For superior leadership of the entire 15th Air Force in striking the initial blow against Ploesti, April 5, 1944, the "Cottontails" won a cluster to the D.U.C.
The following awards have been made to individual members of the 450th since the beginning of combat operations: Distinguished Service Cross -1
Legion of Merit - 1
Silver Star - 65
Distinguished Flying Cross - 574
OLC to Distinguished Flying Cross - 28
Soldier's Medal - 18
Purple Hearts - 373
Bronze Star Medal - 50
Air Medal - 3023
Oak Leaf Clusters to Air Medal - 6469
Good Conduct Medal - 2417



Accomplishments of the 450th

The history of the 450th in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations has been punctuated by a series of accomplishments which have placed the "Cottontails" in a unique position in the 15th Air Force.
In many fields of activity it has led the rest of the Air Force. It initiated many innovations and improvements in housing and training; established records in maintenance and bombing.
The 450th pioneered, and many of it's ingenious practices later became S.O.P. for the Air Force.
The Group holds many "firsts" in the Air Force. The 450th was:

FIRST - To score 100% bombing accuracy; Brenner Pass, Dec. 27, 1944
FIRST - In bombing accuracy in the 15th AAF for the months of November and December 1944 and February 1945.
FIRST - In bombing accuracy in the 15th AAF for six-month periods as of December 1944 and February 1945.
FIRST - To make a high-level attack on the Ploesti, Rumania Oil Refineries.
FIRST - Among the groups in the 15th AAF to make a daylight attack on Budapest, Hungary.
FIRST - To make full use of Italian rock "tufi" in the housing program, wih the result that great number of personnel were in permenant buildings
than that of any other group in the 15th AAF. The fine upkeep of these installiations is attested by the last two wing inspections.
FIRST - Group in the 15th Air Force to build completely equiped Base Aid Station.
FIRST - And only group in the 15th Air Force to build a radio transmitting station.
FIRST - Group in the 15th Air Force to install underground telephone and power lines.
FIRST - To devise a new supply for transmitting equipment SCR 274N when used as ground installiation for airdrome control purposes.
FIRST - To equip its ambulances with a two-way radio communication system with planes.
FIRST - To introduce an elongated metal handle to facilitate the use and operation of the engine control throttles in a B-24.
FIRST - Group in the 15th Air Force to take oblique photographs witha K-22 aerial camera, of possible future targets.
FIRST - Group in the 15th Air Force to install a K-22 aerial camera in the bombsight position of a B-24, which enabled photographers to take
front oblique photos of targets.
FIRST - To use balopticon projector in showing target photos, in co-ordination with A-2A bomb trainers. Bombardiers made simulated runs on
actual target photos.
FIRST - Group in the 15th Air Force to give wing navigators pin points for checkpoints by radar.
FIRST - To teach gunners position firing in Gunnery School.
FIRST - To set up mock turrets to train its gunners.
FIRST - To build and install a skeet range.
FIRST - To use electrical solenoids on training machine guns.
FIRST - To employ "glide bombing" under actual combat conditions.
FIRST - To fly last ship in the formation to train potential lead crews under actual combat conditions.
FIRST - Place in the 1944 15th Air Force Basketball Campionship.

These outstanding accomplishments of the 450th were given official recognition in the report of I.G. According to the report, "the overall operational techniques of this group were, as such, being pursued in a highly effective manner... Training facilities showe evidence of much initiative and labor... The 450th has the best equipped and the best maintained bombsite shop in the 15th Air Force... The 450th Group Headquarters is a model for the 15th Air Force."