US Army Air Force

Two Distinguished Unit Citations

U.S.Air Force Historical Research Agency

The B-17s Flying Fortress of 463d Bombardment Group in flight 17 February 1945 during a mission. The aircraft visibile from the left side of the cockpit is the B-17G-60-DL tail number 44-46700 built by Douglas/Long Beach. This plane is bare metal while the others, perhaps precedent-built, are again olive drab. The air base of 463d BG was, 9 March 1944-25 September 1945, Celone Airfield, an abandoned German fighter base, located approximately 1 km W-NW of Foggia, rebuilt in Foggia Airfield Complex by United States Army Corps of Engineers (COE) in early 1944 like semi-permanent heavy bomber airfield used by Fifteenth Air Force. Opened 15 February 1944, last combat operations in late April 1945, closed October 1945. Constituted as 463d Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943, activated on 1 August 1943, trained with B-17 for duty overseas, this BG oved to Italy, February–March 1944, and assigned to 15th Air Force with 772d, 773d, 774th and 775th Bombardment Squadrons. The 463d BG entered in combat on 30 March 1944 operating chiefly against strategic objectives and striking targets as marshaling yards, oil refineries, and aircraft factories in Italy, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Distinguished Unit Citation (DCU) for bombing oil refineries in Ploesti on 18 May 1944: when clouds limited visibility to such an extent that other groups turned back, the 463d proceeded to Ploesti and, though crippled by opposition from interceptors and flak, rendered destructive blows to both the target and the enemy fighters. Second DCU for leading the wing through three damaging enemy attacks to bomb tank factories in Berlin on 24 March 1945. Also engaged interdiction and support missions and bombed bridges during May and June 1944 in the campaign for the liberation of Rome, The 463d BG also participated in the invasion of Southern France in August 1944 by striking bridges, gun positions, and other targets. Hit communications such as railroad bridges, marshalling yards, and airdromes in the Balkans. During March and April 1945 the 463d BG operated primarily against communications in Northern Italy . After V-E Day, transported personnel from Italy to Casablanca for return to the US. Inactivated in Italy on 25 September 1945. Flew 222 combat missions; 91 aircraft lost. Victor Sierra