461st Bombardment Group

Constituted as 461st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943. They were activated on 1 Jul 1943. The 461st moved to the Mediterranean theater, January-February 1944, the air echelon flying B-24's via the South Atlantic and stopping in North Africa before joining the ground echelon in Italy. Began combat with Fifteenth Air Force in April 1944.

Engaged chiefly in bombardment of communications, industries, and other strategic objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, Rumania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Supported the 15th AF's counter-air operations by bombing enemy airdromes and aircraft centers, receiving a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for a mission on 13 April 1944 when the group battled its way through enemy defenses to attack an aircraft components plant in Budapest. Participated in the effort against the enemy's oil supply by flying missions to such oil centers as Brux, Blechhammer, Moosbierbaum, Vienna, and Ploesti.

Received second DUC for a mission against oil facilities at Ploesti in Jul 1944 when, despite flak, clouds, smoke, and fighter attacks, the group bombed its objective. Also operated in support of ground forces and flew some interdictory missions. The men hit artillery positions in support of the invasion of Southern France in August 1944 and flew supply missions to France in Sep. Aided the Allied offensive in Italy in April 1945 by attacking gun emplacements and troop concentrations. Dropped supplies to prisoner-of-war camps in Austria during May 1945 following V-E Day, the end of World War II in Europe.

WW2 Commanders

Lt. Col. Willis G. Carter, 12 Aug 1944
Col. Frederic E. Glantzberg, c. 25 Oct 1943
Col. Philip R. Hawes, 22 Sep 1944
Col. Brooks A. Lawhon, 20 Dec 1944
Col. Craven C. Rogers, 16 Apr 1945

Stations

Wendover Field, Utah, 1 Jul 1943
Gowen Field, Idaho, 29 Jul 1943
Kearns, Utah, 11 Sep 1943
Wendover Field, Utah, 30 Sep 1943
Hammer Field, Calif, 30 Oct 1943-Jan 1944
Torretto Airfield, Italy, c. 20 Feb 1944-Jul 1945

Squadrons

764th: 1943-1945.
765th: 1943-1945.
766th: 1942-1945.
767th: 1943-1945.

Missing Air Crew Reports

Missing Air Crew Reports also known as MACRs are reports of US aircraft that went down, via enemy action or mechanical issues, behind enemy lines. These reports detailed the aircraft and crew along with their disposition; there were statements and eyewitness reports if available describing what they saw. The majority of these reports were completed in the years following the conclusion of World War II. This was so that the survivors who had become prisoners of war could provide statements of the events of that day. These reports differ from accident reports in that those documented aircraft that crashed on take off or landing; these events happened on allied lines.

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