489th Bombardment Group - RAF Halesworth

The 489th Bombardment Group (H) was a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber unit assigned to the 8th Air Force's 2nd Air Division. It flew from RAF Halesworth, England, against German industrial, military, and transportation targets from May 1944 to November 1944.

The group arrived in England in May 1944 and flew its first combat mission on 30 May 1944 initially targeted airfields and coastal defenses in France in preparation for the D-Day landings at Normandy. In an attack against coastal defenses near Wimereaux on 5 June 1944, the group's lead plane was seriously crippled by enemy fire, its pilot was killed, and the deputy group commander, Lt Col Leon R. Vance Jr, who was commanding the formation, was severely wounded. Although his right foot was practically severed, Col Vance took control of the plane, led the group to a successful bombing of the target, and managed to fly the damaged aircraft back to the coast of England, where he ordered the crew to bail out. Being wounded, Col Vance didn't believe he was able to jump so he ditched the plane in the English Channel and was rescued. For his action during this mission, Col Vance was awarded the Medal of Honor.

The group supported the landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944, and afterward bombed coastal defenses, airfields, bridges, railroads, and V-weapon sites in the campaign for France. Missions to Germany were initiated in July 1944 and engaged primarily in bombing strategic targets such as factories, oil refineries and storage plants, marshaling yards, and airfields in Ludwigshafen, Magdeburg, Brunswick, Saarbrucken, and other cities until November 1944. Other operations included participating in the saturation bombing of German lines just before the breakthrough at St Lo in July 1944, dropping food to the liberated French and to Allied forces in France during Aug and Sep, and transporting food and ammunition to Holland later in September 1944. The group returned to the US in November - December 1944 to prepare for redeployment to the Pacific theater.

By the end of their short tour of duty in England, the group had flown a total of 106 combat missions and destroyed 1 enemy aircraft. The group lost 41 aircraft in combat and non-combat operations.

Campaigns
The 489th Bombardment Group participated in the following campaigns: American Theater, Air Offensive - Europe, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland

Decorations
Leon R. Vance, Jr., was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on 5 June 1944 where he was severely wounded on the way to the target, but took control of his crippled B-24, successfully completed the mission and saved his crew.

Oversea Burials   489th Bomb Group Oversea Burials

Group Web Site   http://489th-bomb-group-museum.org/