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The 461st Bomb Group was formed in May 1943 in Wendover Utah. After several months of training on the west coast the 461st shipped off for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations in February of 1944. As part of the 15th Air Force the 461st was comprised of 4 squadrons, the 764th, 765th, 766th, and 767th, and flew from Torretto Airfield in Eastern Italy. The group began combat operations in April of 1944 and flew missions against targets ranging from France to Greece. The 461st was also part of the campaign to destroy the oil fields that fueled Nazi Germany. Most notably, the 461st earned its second Distinguished Unit Citation in July of 1944 for their attack on the oil fields of Ploiesti. In all the 461st flew 46,000 hours of combat with the loss of 108 aircraft and dropped 13,000 tons of bombs.

After VE Day the 461st was slated to redeploy to the south Pacific as a B-29 group. The war with Japan fortunately came to a close before the 461st was sent back in to combat.

Today Torretto Airfield has reverted back to agriculture. Very few reminders of the base still exist. Some of the building seen in wartime photos are still there. It is hard to imagine a hundred or so B-24's and hundreds of service men dotting this now, peaceful bit of farmland. From Google Earth you can still see the haunting shadow of the former air base.

Click to Download .kmz to view in Google Earth

461st Bomb Group Official Website

461st Bomb Group 15th Air Force

461st Bomb Group
on Spirit of 44

767th Bomb Squadron

461st Bomb Group

766th Bomb Squadron

765th Bomb Squadron