450th Bombardment Group

Constituted as 450th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 Apr 1943. Activated on 1 May 1943. Trained with B-14's. Moved to Italy, arriving in Dec 1943. Began operations with Fifteenth AF in Jan 1944 and engaged chiefly in missions against strategic targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and the Balkans until Apr 1945. Bombed aircraft factories, assembly plants, oil refineries, storage areas, marshalling yards, airdromes, and other objectives. Contributed to the intensive Allied campaign against the enemy aircraft industry during Big Week (20-25 Feb 1944) by attacking factories at Steyr and Regensburg, being awarded a DUC for braving the hazards of bad weather, enemy fighters, and flak to bombard a Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg on 25 Feb. Received second DUC for a mission on 5 Apr 1944 when the group fought its way through relentless attacks by enemy aircraft to bomb marshalling yards at Ploesti. Also struck such objectives as enemy defenses, troop concentrations, bridges, and marshalling yards in support of the invasion of Southern France, the advance of Russian troops in the Balkans, and the Allied effort in Italy. Returned to the US in May 1945. Redesignated 45th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). Trained with B-29's. Inactivated on 15 Oct 1945.

Redesignated 450th Fighter-Bomber Group. Activated on 1 Jul 1954. Assigned to Tactical Air Command. Used F-86 aircraft. Redesignated 450th Fighter-Day Group in Mar 1955. Converted to F-100's.

Squadrons. 720th: 1943-1945. 721st: 1943-1945; 1954-. 722d: 1943-1945; 1954-. 723d: 1943-1945; 1954-.

Stations. Gowen Field, Idaho, 1 May 1943; Clovis AAB, NM, c. 21 May 1943; Alamogordo AAFld, NM, c. 8 Jul-20 Nov 1943; Manduria, Italy, 20 Dec 1943-12 May 1945; Harvard AAFld, Neb, c. 26 Jul-15 Oct 1945. Foster AFB, Tex, Jul 1954-.

Commanders. Col John S Mills, 12 Jun 1943; Col Robert R Gideon, 7 Jul 1944; Col Ellsworth R Jacoby, 17 Nov 1944 1945. Col Wallace E Hopkins, Jul 1954; Lt Col James P Hagerstrom, c. 17 May 1955-.

Campaigns. Air Combat, EAME Theater; Air Offensive, Europe; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Normandy; Northern France; Southern France; North Apennines; Rhineland; Po Valley.

Decorations. Distinguished Unit Citations: Regensburg, Germany, [25] Feb 1944; Ploesti, Rumania, 5 Apr 1944.

Insigne. Shield: Per bend sinister, argent and azure, a silhouetted eagle, displayed wings inverted gules, fimbriated argent on the azure, debruised by a ribbon bend sinisterwise charged with a diamond all or. (Approved 14 Sep 1955.)

Data from Air Force Combat Units of World War II By Maurer, Maurer, Published 1986

Museum Collection     Lamar Good Servicemen of the 450th Bombardment Group  ABBOTT, WILLIAM SGT  AHLSCHLAGER, WILLIAM SSGT  AITKEN, CHARLES F/O  ALDRICH, ORRIS TSGT  ALLINGER, WALTON CPL  AMDUR, HARRY 1LT  AMOS, ANTHONY SSGT  AMTHOR, FRANKLIN 1LT  ANDERSON, THOMAS CPL  ANDREWS, GEORGE CPT  ATTIX, WILBUR 2LT  AUCHTER, DONALD 2LT  AUGUST, JOHN 2LT  BAINBRIDGE, RALPH CPL  BALDWIN, NORMAN SSGT  BARDROFF, CHARLES SSGT  BARLETTA, SOL SSGT  BARR, DAVID SSGT  BARR, WILLIAM 1LT  BASTIAN, LLOYD TSGT  BAUER, KENNETH SGT  BAUGHAN, JOHN TSGT  BEBEE, CARL MSGT  BECK, EMIL 2LT  BECKETT, BEN 2LT  BENNETT, ALBERT F/O  BENTEL, CHARLES SGT  BENTLEY, ROBERT 2LT  BENTZLIN, CARL 2LT  BEST, MARVEL CPL  BIGBEE, JOHN 2LT  BLAND, RAY 2LT  BLUMEL, HERMAN 2LT  BOARD, WILLIAM MSGT  BODZIAK, LOUIS SSGT  BOETTCHER, ALLEN 2LT  BOLIN, OWEN SSGT  BOLLINGER, JAMES 1LT  BRANIN, HARRY CPL  BROWN, GORDON TSGT  BROWN, IRWIN SGT  BROWN, LEWIS SGT  BROWN, WALTER 2LT  BROXSON, RICHARD CPL  BRUDER, JOHN 2LT  BURGESS, RALPH 2LT  BUSHNELL, KENNETH MAJ  BUTTS, BEN SGT  CADIS, CLIFFORD 2LT  CAMPBELL, ALEXANDER CPL  CAMPBELL, FRANCIS 2LT  CAREY, MICHAEL CPL  CARR, HARRY SSGT  CARTER, ELDON SSGT  CARTER, RANKIN SSGT  CERBIN, WILLIAM SSGT  CHADIMA, JACK F/O  CHESTER, HERBERT MSGT  CHIVERS, THOMAS 1LT  CHOFFIN, WILLIAM SSGT  CHRISTOPHERSON, JOHN CPL  CILESTIO, LAWRENCE CPL  CLAUS, LOUIS SGT  COHEN, LAWRENCE CPL  COLE, ROBERT SGT  COLLINS, ROBERT 2LT  CONLEY, BYRON 2LT  CONLON, PAUL SSGT  COOK, CHARLES CPL  COPE, MART CPT  CREGO, CLYDE CPL  CROGHAN, CHARLES SSGT  CROSS, GRANT CPL  CROSTA, GEORGE 2LT  CRUM, PAUL SSGT  CULLEN, JAMES TSGT  CUSHMAN, GEORGE 2LT  DANIEL, RAD SSGT  DAVIS, HAROLD 2LT  DAVIS, REECE F/O  DE GROFF, IRVIN CPL  DE MATTIE, WILLIAM SGT  DEITRICH, ROBERT 2LT  DEMERS, JOSEPH SSGT  DERDEYN, ROBERT 2LT  DEVLIN, RICHARD SGT  DONNELLY, JAMES 1LT  DORSON, CHARLES SSGT  DOUGLASS, JOHN SGT  DOXEY, WILLIAM 2LT  DRANSMAN, FREDERICK SGT  DREISBACH, GEORGE SGT  DUCH, STANLEY SGT  DUNDON, JOHN F/O  DUNKLE, ARNOLD CPL  DYE, WILLIAM CPL  EFFINGER, HARVEY SSGT  EISENBERG, HARRY 2LT  ELLIS, JAMES CPL  ELLIS, R F/O  ENNIS, LOUIS SSGT  ESTEY, DONALD 2LT  EVANS, JOHN SGT  EVANS, ROBERT 1LT  FAHRENBACH, ELROY SGT  FARR, HOMER 2LT  FELD, MONROE CPL  FIRME, THEODORE 1LT  FISH, BYRON 1LT  FISHER, LAWRENCE SSGT  FISHER, WILLIAM 1LT  FITZSIMMONS, JOHN 2LT  FLAHERTY, JOHN SSGT  FLORCZAK, MATTHEW CPL  FORTUNE, JOHN 2LT  FRANKS, WILLIAM 1LT  FREDRICKSON, MARTIN 1LT  FRENETTE, JOHN CPL  FRINGS, DONALD SGT  FULLER, RAY 2LT  FURTADO, MANUEL 1LT  GALLAGHER, EDWIN 1LT  GARD, RUSSEL SGT  GEARY, JOSEPH 2LT  GEILINGER, EDGAR SGT  GELLMAN, JOSEPH SGT  GENNONE, LEWIS 2LT  GEORGE, MARVIN SGT  GIBSON, EDWARD 2LT  GIDEON, JOE SGT  GIFFORD, RICHARD CPL  GINTER, ELMER 2LT  GOFFRIER, WILLIAM 2LT  GOLDIE, DARRELL SSGT  GOODMAN, LAWRENCE 1LT  GORDON, SEYMOUR 2LT  GORRELL, RAY 2LT  GOWLAND, FREDERICK TSGT  GRAHAM, JACK CPT  GRAHAM, JAMES SGT  GRASSO, RAYMOND SGT  GREENE, LLOYD SGT  GREENWALD?, ROBERT SSGT  GRESH, WILLIAM F/O  GRESOCK, JOHN CPL  GRIFFITH, BRUCE TSGT  GRIFFITH, GRADY SSGT  GUIDA, FRANK SGT  GULAS, STEVE SGT  GUZAN, THADDEUS SGT  HAINES, WILLIAM 2LT  HALL, HAROLD SSGT  HAMM, HUEL 2LT  HANNEMAN, ROBERT SSGT  HANNIBALL, AUGUST 2LT  HANRAHAN, EDWARD CPL  HARRIS, DANIEL CPL  HASCHKER, ERWIN SGT  HAUCK, WILLIAM SGT  HAY, WILBERT SGT  HEALEY, HERBERT CPL  HEARTSNER, ERVIN 2LT  HERYLA, MICHAEL 1LT  HESSE, GEORGE 1LT  HIGGINS, WILLIAM SGT  HIGGINSBOTHAM, ROBERT SSGT  HILL, CHARLES SGT  HILL, HOWARD SGT  HILLEBERT, HAROLD 1LT  HITZEL, JOHN SGT  HOBBS, JAMES TSGT  HOLMES, RICHARD CPL  HOMISH, MICHAEL CPL  HOOPER, CARLTON CPL  HOUCK, RAYMOND SGT  HOUSEMAN, WAYNE CPL  HOWARD, JESSE SSGT  HUDSON, JOHN CPT  HUNDLEY, GROVER CPL  HUNTER, DONALD CPL  ICENHOUR, CLEVE SSGT  IRWIN, RUSSELL SSGT  ISRAEL, ROBERT 2LT  JENKINS, DONALD 2LT  JOHNSON, JOHN CPL  JOHNSTON, EARL 2LT  JOHNSTONE, FRANK 2LT  JONES, CHARLES 2LT  JONES, RICHARD TSGT  JONES, ROBERT 2LT  JULIA, CHARLES CPL  KANEL, NORMAN 1LT  KARPAC, JOHN 2LT  KARSONOVICH, JOSEPH 2LT  KASDORF, WILLIAM 1LT  KEIL, JOHN 2LT  KELLEY, RICHARD 2LT  KENT, JOSEPH 2LT  KETT, JOHN 2LT  KIELEK, STANLEY TSGT  KINCADE, GEORGE 1LT  KING, RALEIGH 2LT  KINNEY, ANDREW SGT  KIRKWOOD, HARRY 2LT  KITZ, JOHN SGT  KITZMAN, RICHARD 2LT  KLEINHENZ, CHARLES CPL  KLEMENS, MAX TSGT  KLEMP, RUDOLPH CPL  KLOTZ, GLENN 2LT  KOEHLER, JAMES SGT  KOLE, WALTER SGT  KONRATH, JAMES TSGT  KRABACHER, ELMER 2LT  LAIRD, PAUL CPL  LANDRY, LAMAR 2LT  LARETTI, CARMINE CPL  LE BLANC, ARTHUR CPL  LEAVENS, FRANCIS SSGT  LEIS, RUDOLPH 2LT  LENHART, FRANCIS 2LT  LEWIS, CHARLES SGT  LINE, ROBERT F/O  LISHIN, WILLIAM CPL  LLEWELLYN, PAUL 1LT  LONG, RICHARD CPL  LUGHI, LOUIS 2LT  LUNN, RAYMOND SGT  MAAS, ALBERT SSGT  MAC DONALD, NORMAN SSGT  MACIANA, ALBERT CPL  MACKANIN, MICHAEL 2LT  MANDELLA, NICHOLAS TSGT  MARCUS, GEORGE 1LT  MARSH, JAMES SGT  MARTIN, WAYNE SSGT  MARTUS, GEORGE 1LT  MAUERMANN, WILLARD 2LT  MAUSHART, AMBROSE 1LT  MC CARTHY, ROBERT 1LT  MC CLANANHAN, ERNEST SGT  MC COY, JAMES CPL  MC FADDEN, EDWARD SSGT  MC GEORGE, ROBERT 2LT  MC GIVERN, ROBERT SGT  MC GRADY, ROY CPL  MC GRAW, HARRY 2LT  MC GREEVY, JOSEPH SSGT  MC KENNA, RAYMOND CPT  MC KNIGHT, DAVID 2LT  MC LAUGHLIN, JOHN SSGT  MEDVILLE, BERNARD SGT  MENTZEL, GLENN 2LT  MERRIMAN, BLAINE SGT  METTS, DAN SGT  MEYER, OSCAR 2LT  MIDDLETON, ALTON SSGT  MILLER, FRANK SGT  MILLER, LESTER SSGT  MILLER, PHILIP 2LT  MILLER, ROBERT CPL  MILLUNZI, PETER F/O  MOLEPSKE, HENRY CPL  MORAMARCO, MICHAEL CPL  MUCKS, GEORGE 2LT  MURPHY, JAMES SSGT  MYERS, ARTHUR 1LT  MYERS, GUY SSGT  NARRAMORE, AUBREY 1LT  NASE, HOWARD SGT  NIELL, ORAN CPL  NOBLES, BRUCE 2LT  NOLEN, EARL 1LT  NORRIS, CHARLES TSGT  OFFERMAN, FRANK SGT  OGDEN, ZIBA 2LT  OLSON, MERYL SGT  O'NEAL, JOHN SSGT  ORDROP, EMIL SGT  O'SULLIVAN, JEREMIAH 1LT  OTT, GEORGE 2LT  OWEN, CHESTER SSGT  PARIS, WILLIAM SGT  PARROW, ARTHUR SGT  PATTERSON, THOMAS SSGT  PEARSON, CHARLES CPL  PEARSON, NILS SSGT  PECKINPAUGH, ALBERT CPL  PEEL, HERBERT SGT  PEKIN, SEYMOUR 1LT  PENDERGAST, JAMES SGT  PICKERING, FRED 2LT  POLAKOFF, WILLIAM SSGT  POOLE, CURTIS SGT  PRATER, LINCOLN 2LT  PRATT, CARL SGT  PRIMES, SEYMORE SGT  PRITCHARD, MILFORD 2LT  RAFFKIN, SIDNEY TSGT  RAINBERGER, DICK TSGT  RAMALEY, STEPHEN 2LT  RECKLEY, CALVIN SGT  REID, FRANCIS SGT  RICHMOND, HENRY CPL  RIPPY, PAUL TSGT  RIVET, RALPH SGT  ROACH, ARCHIE 1LT  ROGERS, PAUL CPL  ROMNEY, DONALD CPL  ROSE, ANTHONY CPL  ROSENFIELD, HAROLD TSGT  ROTH, FRED CPL  ROWAN, MICHAEL F/O  ROZSA, ALLEN 2LT  RUCKER, DALE SGT  RUMMEL, HAROLD 1LT  RUSSELL, MURRAY SSGT  RYAN, GEORGE 2LT  SAGE, WILLIAM CPL  SANDERS, HENRY CPL  SAPULA, EDWARD CPL  SCHIEBEL, JEAN CPL  SCHLUDT, JOSEPH SSGT  SCHMIDT, ROBERT 2LT  SCHOLL, DAVID TSGT  SCHULZ, CARROL 1LT  SCHUTT, ARNOLD 2LT  SCHWAB, CHARLES 2LT  SCHWED, FRED TSGT  SCHWEIGHART, NORBERT SGT  SEARLE, ALBERT SGT  SECATOR, LOUIS TSGT  SEELY, JOSEPH CPL  SEEMAN, RICHARD 2LT  SEIGEL, SHELDON 2LT  SEMANS, EDWARD SSGT  SENTERMAN, WALTER SGT  SFORZA, JOHN SSGT  SHADEL, DONALD CPL  SHAHOOD, THOMAS SGT  SHEEHAN, JAMES SSGT  SHIELDS, JOHN SSGT  SHILLITO, EDWARD 2LT  SHULTZ, LEON 2LT  SIEGERT, CHESTER 2LT  SILVER, ABE SSGT  SIMMONS, CARL TSGT  SINCLAIR, CHARLES CPL  SKINNER, JOHN CPL  SKUBY, VLADIMIR 2LT  SMERIN, NORMAN 2LT  SMITH, ALLEN 2LT  SMITH, CHARLES 2LT  SMITH, MALCOLM SGT  SNYDER, KENNETH CPL  SOEHNER, JOHN CPL  SOLESBEE, HOWIT SGT  SPIEGEL, NORMAN CPL  SPRINGER, WALTER CPL  SPUDA, GEORGE TSGT  SPYCHALSKI, PAUL SGT  SROMOVSKI, FRANK CPL  STARR, BRUCE SGT  STAUGAITIS, CHARLES SGT  STAUTER, JOSEPH SGT  STEARNS, JAMES SGT  STEEL, MERLIN CPL  STELCK, VIRGIL SGT  STEPHENSON, CARROLL SSGT  STIEDE, CHARLES 2LT  STIERS, JAMES SGT  STONAGE, RICHARD SGT  STRIPLING, GLYNN SSGT  SUMMERS, CLAUDE 1LT  SUMMERS, FABIAN 2LT  SUSALLA, EDWARD CPL  SYPOLT, ROBERT SGT  TAGAN, JOHN CPL  TAYLOR, DAYTON CPT  THARP, JAMES SSGT  THOMPSON, JACK SSGT  THURMAN, ERNEST TSGT  TIERNAN, LAWRENCE 1LT  TOMAN, WILLIAM 2LT  TRUEMAN, DELBERT CPL  TUFFORD, CHARLES CPL  TULLIS, RALPH CPL  TYHURST, LOWIE SSGT  VARTANIAN, DIRAN 2LT  VODARICK, FRANK CPL  WADE, DOYCE 2LT  WAHL, OWEN 2LT  WALDHOFF, ROBERT SGT  WALTER, ROBERT SGT  WARD, BILLY 2LT  WARD, CHARLIE SGT  WEBB, HAROLD SGT  WEGLINSKI, JOSEPH CPL  WELCH, GEORGE 1LT  WENZKA, THADDEUS SSGT  WHALEN, WILLIAM 1LT  WHITE, DONALD 2LT  WHITE, JOHN SGT  WHITE, NORMAN SSGT  WHITE, OLIVER 2LT  WHITELAM, HARRY 2LT  WHITNEY, ARTHUR 2LT  WICKLUND, CARL SGT  WIEDUWILT, JAMES SGT  WILKERSON, TIMOTHY TSGT  WILKINS, NELSON TSGT  WILLIAMS, JOE 2LT  WILLIAMS, MOBLE SGT  WILSON, LLOYD 1LT  WINN, LA VERN SGT  WINOKER, ALBERT 2LT  WIRTANEN, TOIVO SGT  WIUFF, RICHARD SSGT  WNUKOWSKI, RAYMOND 2LT  WOOD, WILLIAM SSGT  WRAM?EL, EUGENE SGT  YANNUZZI, ANGELO F/O  ZARUBA, FRANK CPL  ZUCHOWSKI, STANLEY TSGT