460th Bomb Group

• Formation: The 460th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 1 July 1943 at Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, as part of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. • Aircraft: The group was equipped with B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, known for their long range and heavy payload capacity. • Overseas Deployment: After training, the group deployed to Italy in early 1944, becoming part of the Fifteenth Air Force and stationed at Spinazzola Airfield. • Combat Missions: The 460th Bomb Group flew over 200 combat missions, targeting strategic enemy locations such as oil refineries, rail yards, and factories across Italy, Germany, Austria, and the Balkans. • Distinguished Unit Citation: The group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for its daring and effective attack on oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, on 15 July 1944, despite heavy enemy opposition. • Humanitarian Missions: In addition to combat, the group participated in Operation Chowhound, dropping food supplies to starving Dutch civilians in German-occupied territory in May 1945. • Casualties and Sacrifice: The group suffered significant losses, with many airmen killed or taken prisoner during dangerous missions over heavily defended enemy targets. • Legacy: The group was inactivated in August 1945 after the end of the war, but its lineage continues as the 460th Space Wing in the modern United States Air Force. • Notable Members: Several members of the 460th went on to distinguished post-war careers, including Brigadier General John L. Martin Jr., who later became a prominent figure in missile and space programs. • Commemoration: Veterans and historians continue to honor the 460th Bomb Group through reunions, publications, and preservation of its history in museums and memorials, keeping its legacy alive for future generations.