World War Photos

Liberators of the 467th BG. B-24H 42-94910 4Z-E+

The 467th Bomb Group (H), known as the “Rackheath Aggies,” was a distinguished unit of the Eighth Air Force during World War II. It was recognized for its exceptional bombing accuracy and operational achievements.

Overview and Command Assignments

• Assigned to Eighth Air Force: 11 March 1944 – July 1945
• Wing & Command Assignments:
  • 2nd Bombardment Division (BD), 96th Combat Bomb Wing (CBW): 11 March 1944
  • 2nd Air Division (AD), 96th CBW: 1 January 1945

Component Squadrons

• 788th Bombardment Squadron (H) (transferred to 801st BG(P) on 11 May 1945; reformed in the 467th BG on 12 August 1944)
• 789th Bombardment Squadron (H)
• 790th Bombardment Squadron (H)
• 791st Bombardment Squadron (H)

Combat Aircraft

• B-24H Liberator: From blocks 15-CF, DT, and FO
• B-24J, B-24L, and B-24M Liberator

Station

• Rackheath Airfield, England: 12 March 1944 – approximately 5 July 1945
  • Air echelon arrived in the UK on the same day.

Group Commanding Officer (CO)

• Col Albert J. Shower: 25 October 1943 – approximately 12 June 1945

Mission Details

• First Mission: 10 April 1944
• Last Mission: 25 April 1945
• Total Missions: 212
• Total Credit Sorties: 5,538
• Total Bomb Tonnage: 13,333 tons
• Aircraft Missing in Action (MIA): 29
• Other Operational Losses: 19
• Enemy Aircraft Claims: 6 destroyed, 5 probably destroyed, 2 damaged

Claims to Fame

• Set an unsurpassed record for bombing accuracy on 15 April 1945.
• Achieved the best overall bombing accuracy standing in the Eighth Air Force.
• Col Albert J. Shower was the only group CO in the Eighth Air Force to bring a group to the UK and remain in command until the end of hostilities.
• The B-24 “Witchcraft” held the Eighth Air Force record for B-24s with 130 missions and no turnbacks.

History

• Activated: 1 August 1943 at Wendover Field, Utah.

• Training:

  • Assembled at Mountain Home Army Air Field, Idaho, from 8 September 1943 to mid-October 1943.
  • Temporarily based at Kearns Field, Utah, before detailed training at Wendover Field starting 1 November 1943. The group remained at Wendover for fifteen weeks.
  • Ground echelon traveled by train to Camp Shanks, New York, on 12 February 1944. They sailed on USAT Frederick Lykes on 28 February 1944, arriving in the Clyde on 10 March 1944.
  • Air echelon left Wendover on 12 February 1944 and flew to the UK by the south Atlantic ferry route. One B-24 was lost with all crew in the Atlas Mountains.

• Redeployment to the USA:

  • Majority of aircraft left Rackheath around 12 June 1945.
  • Ground echelon sailed from Greenock on the Queen Mary, 6 July 1945, arriving in New York on 11 July 1945.
  • Personnel were given 30 days R&R.
  • The group was selected for training as a B-29 unit, first at Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico, then Harvard Army Air Field, Nebraska.
  • Established at Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, in December 1945 and remained there until inactivated on 4 August 1946. The 467th Bomb Group and its squadrons were redesignated as the 301st Bomb Group and appropriate squadrons.

Aircraft Markings and Color Schemes

B-24 Liberators (March 1944 – July 1945)

• Original Paint Scheme:

  • Dark Olive Drab and Neutral Gray factory finish.
  • Circle P Group Insignia:
    • Vertical Tail: 69-inch diameter white disc with a 36-inch Insignia Blue letter “P.”
    • Wing: 78-inch diameter white disc with a 48-inch letter “P.”
    • Tail Number: Repainted in yellow below the Circle P.
    • Call-Letter: 24-inch high, painted in yellow below the tail number. Each squadron used letters from A in alphabetical order, with no exclusions.

• Squadron Codes:

  • Before operational status, squadron codes were painted in 36-inch high light grey characters on the rear fuselage aft of the waist gun positions.
    • 788th Bomb Squadron: X7
    • 789th Bomb Squadron: 6A
    • 790th Bomb Squadron: Q2
    • 791st Bomb Squadron: 42

• Tail Markings (Early May 1944):

  • Replaced existing markings with an all-red outward-facing fin and rudder with a 36-inch wide white diagonal stripe.
  • A 24-inch high call-letter and symbol were painted on the white band in red.
    • 789th Bomb Squadron: Bar above the letter.
    • 790th Bomb Squadron: Bar below the letter.
    • 788th Bomb Squadron: Did not use additional symbols.

• Nose Serial Numbers (October 1944):

  • Last three digits of the serial number painted on both sides of the nose in black on silver and in white on olive drab.
  • On 791st Bomb Squadron aircraft, numerals were 24 inches high; on other squadrons, they were mostly 30 inches high. Numbers were sometimes omitted or reduced in size if large decorative motifs or insignia were present.