486th Bomb Group

Group
A diagrammatic layout of AAF Station 174 - the USAAF codename for Sudbury airfield - while the 486th Bomb Group were stationed at the airbase as of the 22 June 1944. media-414515.jpg FRE 8501 A diagrammatic layout of AAF Station 174 - the USAAF codename for Sudbury airfield - while the 486th Bomb Group were stationed at the airbase as of the 22 June 1944. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 8501 - A diagrammatic layout of AAF Station 174 - the USAAF codename for Sudbury airfield - while the 486th Bomb Group were stationed at the airbase as of...

The 486th Bomb Group flew both B-24s and B-17s, swapping from the former aircraft to the latter in late July 1944 after 49 missions. In total the Group flew 292 missions during the war and remarkably the 834th Bomb Squadron lost no aircraft or personnel on its first 100 missions. The Group bombed strategic sites in Germany and in northern France before D-Day, and after 6 June 1944, the Group undertook a greater number of missions in direct support of ground forces in France, Holland and on the Rhine.

Commanding Officers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Commanding Officer

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Unit stations

Station Location Date

Based

Sudbury 7 May 1944 - 21 April 1945

Encompassing

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35503123
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33671062
  • Role/Job: Nose Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 834th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33617915
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 834th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39924253

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: The Bold Sea Rover
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 486th Bomb Group 733rd Bomb Squadron 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Misery Agent / Tommy Thumper
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 486th Bomb Group
Personnel of the 305th Bomb Group undertake training infront of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-3181) nicknamed "Flak Alley Lil'". Written on slide casing: 'Flak Alley Lil'.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Flak Alley Lil / Limited Service
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron 486th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Swingtime in the Rockies, Gin Mill Jill
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron

Mission

Revisions

Date
Contributorhansvonmaltzahn
Changes
Sources

See the article and mission details (1944-1945) of the 486th Bombardment Group called, "Prologue: THE STORIES BEHIND THE NUMBERS," by John C. Albanese, bombardier, 833rd, at the official website of the 486th Bomb. Group: https://486th.org/Mssn/Prologue.htm

The site's official address is: https://486th.org/#

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Removed insignia field text pertaining to associated media

Date
ContributorPaulN
Changes
Sources

Freeman Collection photo/s and various publications. Importance is that the photo of a Square O B-17 is rare and illustrates that the Group, even for a short time retained the B-24 tail marking.

Date
Contributorrossingtonj
Changes
Sources

Type added.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)

486th Bomb Group: Gallery (174 items)