Capt. Olson's crew flew the following day after Hugh crash-landed and was given the next day off...I think that was when their plane was hit and didn't make it back.
Hugh Hollis Sheetz
Sheetz Ret. Major Hugh Hollis, 84, suddenly and unexpectedly, 04/07/02. Survived by beloved wife of 33 years, Norma, Maple Grove; sister, Troas Sheetz Benson, Bremen, IN; step-daughter & son-in-law, Barb and Don Bownik, Champlin; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Life Member, Cascade Lodge No 34, A.F. & A.M. Graduate of Purdue. Retired, Air Force. Retired, Montana Air National Guard. Celebration of Life, Sunday, April 21, 2002, 2-3 PM, 10900 West River Road, Champlin, MN 55316, 763-433-8926.
In October 1943, General William Brewer Keese supervised the forming of the 484th Bomb Group, which he commanded and took overseas to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. The 484th Bomb Group, flying B-24s, was declared operational as part of the Fifteenth AF on 29 April 1944. Source: http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/agency/484bw.htm
Constituted as 484th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on September 14, 1943
Activated on September 20
Inactivated on July 25, 1945
Assignments
Second Air Force, September 20, 1943 – March 11, 1944Fifteenth Air Force, March 11, 1944 – May 25, 1945 49th Bombardment Wing, April 6, 1944 – May 25, 1945
Air Transport Command, May 25, 1945 – July 25, 1945
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/484th_Air_Expeditionary_WingStations
Harvard AAF, Nebraska, September 20, 1943 – March 2, 1944Torretto Airfield, Italy, April 1944Casablanca Airfield, Frenc...
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484th Bombardment Group (Heavy) insignia
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World War II Victory Medal ribbon
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European-Africa-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon
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484th Insignia The 484th combat color was insignia red painted on the upper half of the rudder and a red bowtie painted on the lower half of the rudder. The insignia was originally an hourglass but had to be turned on its side to fit on the bottom of the rudder. The original hourglass signified that time was running out for the Axis Powers. Some cowl rings were painted in primary colors but the practice was not maintained. There were four squadrons assigned to the 484th BG. They are the 824th, 825th, 826th and, 827th. Squadron identification was by a two digit number painted at the nose and rear waist section. On olive drab painted aircraft the ID number was painted in white, and red on neutral silver airplanes. Numbers from 1 to 99 were divided into four parts: 1 to 24 were assigned to the 824 squadron 26 to 49 were assigned to the 825 squadron 50 to 72 were assigned to the 826 squadron 73 to 99 were assigned to the 827 squadron
Total Missions Flown by the 484th Bomb Group
April 29, 1944 to April 26, 1945
No Date Target A/C ER Tons Lost Casualties
1 4-29-44 Drnis, Yugoslavia 40 1 74.0 0 0
2 4-30-44 Alessandria, Italy 35 1 66.0 0 0
3 5-2-44 La Spezia Harbor, Italy 38 2 70.0 0 0
4 5-5-44 Podgorica, Yugoslavia 39 2 82.5 0 0
5 5-6-44 Pitesti, Romania 39 2 82.5 0 0
6 5-7-44 Bucharest, Romania 38 2 78.75 0 1
7 5-10-44 Weiner Neustadt, Austria 40 4 64.75 2 21
8 5-12-44 Via Reggio, Italy 36 0 75.00 0 0
9 5-13-44 Casena, Italy 40 1 85.5 0 0
10 5-14-44 Padau, Italy 40 2 95.5 0 0
11 5-17-44 Porto Ferrajo 39 0 92.0 0 1
12 5-18-44 Belgrade, Yugoslavia 37 0 90.0 0 0
13 5-19-44 Recco Viaduct, Italy 34 34 Bad Weather 0 0
14 5-22-44 Piombino, Italy 39 1 76.0 0 0
15 5-23-44 Subiaco, Italy 39 0 97.5 0 0
16 5-24-44 Zagreb, Yugoslavia 40 0 88.0 0 0
17 5-25-44 Carmoules, France 39 1 85.5 0 0
18 5-26-44 L...
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http://www.15thaf.org/49th%20BW/484th%20BG/
About the 484th
The 484th Bombardment Group (H) was trained in Harvard, Nebraska in 1943 with B-24s and deployed to Italy in March 1944. The group arrived in Cerignola, Italy where the gently rolling mounds of the Foggia plain awaited them. In pre-war days the Italian Air force trained near Foggia, too. The 484th BG took over farmland where wheat was once grown. Dual North and South runways were laid out and paved with crushed gravel, and later improved with pierced steel planking, a dubious improvement especially when it rained.
The group brought 60 new olive drab B-24s to the airfield at the Torretta crossroads about 12 K southwest of Cerignola, itself 35K south of Foggia. The group started out with about 3 trained crews of 10 men for every B-24. This would vary depending on losses and availability of replacements. In the one year of combat operations over 5,000 soldiers and airmen passed through the group. Replacements were brought in to fill in the Table of Organization (...
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History of The Torretta Flyer
Bud Markel wrote the history of the 484th Bomb Group and preserved it in The Torretta Flyer.
He and his wife Bea organized the first reunion of the 484th and 461st Bomb Groups in May of 1981. In December of 1981 the 461st and 484th Bomb Groups Association was incorporated in the state of California as a non-profit corporation. Starting with a newsletter bulletin to keep early members up to date on the fledgling organization, the name Torretta Flyer was first applied to newsletter number 4.
In 1992 the 484th and 461st Bomb Groups formed their own separate associations. Bud was the president of the 484th BG Association and the editor of The Torretta Flyer until the association was disbanded in 2001. An excellent writer, photographer, aviation historian, and organizer, Bud published The Torretta Flyer twice yearly for 20 years. With the help of Bea he also organized and hosted fantastic annual reunions for the association.
The Torretta Flyer evolved f...
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