Monte Cassino Air Raid OOB

[Michael Turner]

Hello:

I am trying to make up an OOB and the type of medium bombers that were used for the air raids on Monte Cassino. So far, I have come up with a list and I wanted to confirm if this is an accurate list or not of medium bomber units from the USAAF and the RAF DAF that took part in the bombing raids. Also, am I missing any other squadron and their types of aircraft?

RAF DAF: RAF No. 232 Wing: ( RAF's No 55, 18, 114,) Aircraft assigned were the Baltimore Mk IV and Mk V for No. 55 and Boston Mk III for 18 and 114 sqn's.

SAAF No. 3 Wing: (SAAF No. 12, 21, and RAF No. 223). Aircraft assigned were No 12 ?, No 21 with Baltimore Mk ? and No. 223 with Baltimore IV.

USAAF 12th Air Force: Medium bomber units that took part in it I have been told were B25's from the 321st and 340th B.G. and B26's from the 319th B.G.

Thank you for any assistance.

Michael

[shooshoobaby]

Michael -
The 47th BG (L) also attacked Monte Cassino.
A - 20 Havocs.
Mike

[Nick Beale]

I've seen film of B-25s attacking too (in an Italian TV programme), but I don't know the unit.

[stefaan]

12 SAAF used Marauders, at that stage probably all Mk III's,
and 21 SAAF Baltimore IV and V's.
Stefaan

[Michael Turner]

Thank you to those that replied to my posting, the information was most helpful to me.

Michael

[dsetzer]

I am pretty sure that it was the B-25 Bombers of the 340th Bombardment Group that led the attack on Monte Cassino on February 15, 1944.


The 340th BG was made up of four squadrons: 486th, 487th, 488th and 489th.


Here is what the war diaries had to say about the mission:


486th


Crews knew at breakfast their target for the day – the already publicized monastery at Monte Cassino. Twelve ships of the 486th took off at 1006 hours and were over the abbey at 1059. They dropped 36 1000 lb bombs, with a majority of them landing in or near the buildings, causing fires and explosions. The buildings were obscured by smoke, and photographs do not reveal much. Crews felt the abbey was finito. A/A was negligible and all planes returned safely.


487th

The Abbey on Monte Cassino, which the Germans were shrewdly using as a Fortress was the target for
six of our ships today. The formation was over the target at 1059 hours, forming a good pattern and
dropped their 23x1000 bombs with excellent results, although several bombs fell short of the target and
landed on the slopes of the monastery. Several explosions and large fires were observed emitting from
the building. Ack-ack was heavy, slight and inaccurate. All ships and crews returned safely to the

base


488th


Mission to Cassino Abbey which the Germans had converted into a fortress. Allies have been threatening for days to blast it if the Germans didn't move out “because it was costing the lives of so many Americans!” Finally went at it today with B-17's, B-26's and '25s'. We had word later that the 321st and us working together had stolen the show from the '17s'.


[The History, as opposed to the Diary, also has the mission report and the flight manifest showing all 488th crew who were on the mission.]


489th


The Diary of the 489th only notes six planes sent on a mission to “Benedictine Monastery, Italy.”




Of course we know today that the German's were being true to their word and were not using the Monastery for military purposes. Once the Army Air Force reduced the building to rubble,however, the rubble produced an ideal cover for artillery observers and snipers.


The original War Diaries of the 340th BG can be found here:


http://57thbombwing.com/340th_History/340thHistory.php

[Michael Turner]

Thank you Dan for the great posting, its just what I needed!

Thank you again.

Michael