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HQ 96TH COMBAT BOMBARDMENT WING (H)
Office of the Intelligence Officer
AAF 123, APO 558
7 May 1945
History of the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing in the European Theater of Operations
1. Organization
a. The 96th Combat Bombardment Wing was activated in the 2nd Bombardment Division on January 8, 1944. Brigadier General Walter R. Peck assumed command of the Wing on January 11, 1944. The Consolidated B-24 “Liberator” heavy bomber was the type of aircraft flown by this Wing during its entire period of operations in the European Theater of Operations. Three bombardment groups were assigned to the Wing. The advance echelon of the 458th Group arrived in England 6 January 1944, the advance echelon of the 466th Group arrived 1 February 1944, and the advance echelon of the 467th Group arrived 10 February 1944.
2. Initial Operations
a. The 458th Group flew its first mission on 2 March 1944, attacking Frankfurt, Germany. This was the first mission flown by the 96th
Wing.
b. The 466th Group flew its first mission on 22 March 1944, attacking Berlin, Germany.
c. The 467th Group flew its first mission on 10 April 1944, attacking Bourges, France.
3. Statistics
a. During its period of operations, the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing flew 263 combat missions over Germany and enemy-occupied Europe and dropped a total of 39461.65 tons of bombs on enemy targets.
b. A total of 63 enemy aircraft were destroyed by the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing during its period of operations.
4. List of Missions by Campaigns
a. The following is a list of missions flown by the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, broken down under the four campaigns of the war with Germany.
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