384th Bombardment Group, 8th AF, USAAF

More than sixty years ago, America was involved in another fight against the enemies of freedom. The Eighth Air Force brought the battle to the enemy long before D-Day. Their B-17 bombers flew more than 290,000 sorties and dropped 640,000 tons of bombs while losing 4688 aircraft. More than 10,500 aircraft of all types were lost. The 384th Bombing Group flew 9348 sorties in 216 missions with the loss of 159 aircraft and 1625 men.

Total USAAF losses in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) were 30,000 killed, 14,000 wounded, and 28,000 captured as POWs. More than 27,000 aircraft were lost in combat.

Brief History from Hill AFB Museum.

Summary from 8th AF site.

384th Bombardment Group web site.

Another 384th Bombardment Group web site.

My father, Aldo J. Rovero, during those trying times. He and three brothers served concurrently in the war, one each in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Army Air Corps.

Lead Group 41st C Combat Wing -- 18 June 1944 -- Laon/Athies, France.

Standing, left to right: Lt. Col. Thomas Beckett, air commander; Capt. Anthony Nilo, GH Operator; 1st Lt Dewayne Bennett, lead pilot; F/O Martin F. Rosenblum, bombadier; 2nd Lt Aldo Rovero, navigator.

Kneeling, left to right: S/Sgt James Trumbo, waist gunner; S/Sgt Verin Gale, waist gunner; T/Sgt Michael Perrone, radio operator; F/O Howard W. Morton, tail gunner observer; T/Sgt James Holland, top turret engineer; S/Sgt Bernard Zelazoski, ball turret gunner.

May they never be forgotten.

Official U.S. Army crew photo courtesy Dewayne "Ben" Bennett.

Print by Heinz Krebs memorializing the April 13, 1944 Schweinfurt mission.

IL2 computer generated movie of April 13, 1944 Schweinfurt Mission. 100MB, requires Xvid codec.

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