The Vulgar Vultures · Fifteenth Air Force
455th Bombardment Group (H)
Explore the people, B‑24 Liberators, and combat missions of the 455th through original records, photographs, and firsthand accounts.
Explore the 455th
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The 455th in World War II
Activated in July 1943, the 455th brought together the 740th, 741st, 742nd, and 743rd Bomb Squadrons. After training in the United States, the group flew its B‑24 Liberators overseas via Brazil and Tunisia, then moved to San Giovanni, Italy, in February 1944.
As part of the 304th Bomb Wing of the Fifteenth Air Force, the group flew its first combat mission to Anzio on February 16, 1944. Its final mission took it to Linz, Austria, on April 25, 1945.
Read the full group history →- 252
- Combat missions
- 4
- Bomb squadrons
- San Giovanni, Italy
- Wartime combat base
Website Updates
Older updates
- 6/14/2026: 558th Service Squadron Diary added
- 5/25/2026: 1944 Bombing Report added and Reunion updated
- 3/5/2025: Escape and Evasion Reports added
- 2/8/2025: Accident Reports added
- 2/4/2025: General Orders (1944–1945) added
- 2/3/2025: Missing Air Crew Reports added
Help preserve the record
If you have photographs, documents, or a family story connected to the 455th, we’d like to hear from you.
