The number of crews assigned to the Group at any one time is extremely hard to determine.  Already cited is 69 for movement to Rackheath, 68 at the beginning of combat missions.  At departure of the 788th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) in May 1944, there were 22 in 789th, 21 in 790th, and 16 in the 791st, a total of 59 crews.  At the return of the 788th (2nd Organization) on 1 0 August 1944, there were 20 crews in the 788th, 19 in the 789th, 23 in the 790th, and 24 in the 791st, a total of 86 in the Group. 

       The days immediately before Christmas Day, 1944 is another positive crew numbers marker.  The 788th had 25 crews, the 789th had 24, the 790th had 23 and the 791 st had 22, a total of 94 air crews in the Group. 

       At Victory in Europe, there were 21 crews in the 788th, 21 crews in the 789th, 23 in the 790th, and 19 in the 791st, a total of 83. 

       The highest crew number assigned was No. 99 on 10 August 1944.  There were 86 crews in the Group at that time. 

       The total number of ground personnel assigned to the Group has not been found.  Estimated from available records, primarily in orders returning the Group to the Zone of the Interior in June 45 are the following: 
        Group Headquarters     115                375th Air Service Group        227 
        788th BS(H)                305                812th Air Engineers                238 
        789th BS(H)                309                636th Air Material Sqd.         130 
        790th BS(H)                306                862nd Chemical Co.              67 
        791st BS (H)               295                Total                                     1992 

       Transfers in and out of the Group are known to have occurred but such orders have not been available.  A major transfer, probably not replaced, were 126 ground echelon transferred in January/February 1945 to infantry training to replace ground force losses in the Battle of Ardennes-Alsace of December 44 and January 45.  Enlisted personnel quarters would be another indicator.  The maximum number reported as quartered was 2,464.  Air Echelon enlisted would have been maximum approximately 560 for 94 aircrews, leaving 1,900 in enlisted ground echelon.  Ground echelon units officers numbered 106 in June 45. 

       There has been made a compilation of the names of all who were assigned or attached to the 467th from overseas movement to return to the United States, in number nearly 5,200.  It is believed this listing is possibly 200 to 300 short of completion and probably will never be complete. 

       The last Table of Organization Roster of Officer Personnel for Group Headquarters Detachment and the four Bombardment Squadrons shows as follows: 

                                                     Authorized............... Actual............... Rated* 
 Headquarters                                     32......................... 43......................9 
 788th                                              107.........................118..................104 
 789th                                              114.........................111....................98 
 790th                                              113.........................119..................105 
 791st                                              113.........................114..................102 
 Total                                               481.........................487..................399 

       *Rated-Pilot, Navigator or Bombardier 

       This T/O was prior to the reorganization of Squadrons on or about 17 May 45 in preparation for return to the Zone of the Interior and is probably typical for the months October 1944 through April 1945. 

       In the fifteen months the Group was at Rackheath, principal personnel assignments had very little change.  Key positions and assigned officers were: 

       Group Commander…………………...Col. Albert J. Shower………………….Aug. 43 - Aug. 45 
       Air Executive Officer………………….Lt. Col. Allen F. Herzberg……………..Oct. 43 - Dec. 44  (note 2) 
       Air Executive Officer………………….Lt. Col. James J. Mahoney……………..Dec. 44 - Aug. 45 
       Operations Officer……………………Lt. Col. Waiter R. Smith Jr. 
       Ground Executive…………………….Lt. Col. Ion S. Walker 
       Group Bombardier…………………...1/Lt. John L. Low Jr……………………to 29 April 44 
       Group Bombardier…………………...1/Lt. Robert E. Dolan 
       Group Bombardier…………………...Capt. William C. Evans 
       Group Navigator……………………..Maj. Capers A. Holmes Jr. 
       Intelligence…………………………...Maj. Edward M. Ogden 
       Adjutant……………………………...Maj. George W. Darnell 
       Engineering…………………………...Maj. Walter R. Giesecke 
       470th Sub-Depot……………………..Lt. Col. Frank F. Creager 

       Other Group Headquarters T/O officers were Aerial Gunnery, Aerial Photo, Air Inspector, Air Sea Rescue, Chaplain, Communications, Dental, Enlisted Mess, Legal, Ordinance, Personal Equipment, Officers Mess, Photo, Public Relations, Radar, Special Services, Statistical, Supply, Surgeon, Transportation and Weather. 

       The Squadron T/Os mirrored that of the Group to an extent but where the Group had 30 T/O positions, the Squadrons had only 13.  The Squadrons, like the Group, had little change in key personnel in the preparation for and the overseas period.  Key Squadron personnel were: 

  788th (First Organization) 
       Maj. Robert L. Salzarulo…………………….to 29 April 44 
       Maj. Leonard M. McManus…………………to 10 May 44 
  788th (Second Organization) 
       Lt. Col. James J. Mahoney…………………..12 Aug. 44 to Dec. 44 
       Maj. John J. Taylor…………………………..Dec. 44 to Aug. 45 
  789th 
       Maj. Garnet B. Palmer……………………….to Mar. 45 
       Maj. Robert S. Sieler…………………………Mar. 45 to Aug. 45 
  790th 
       Maj. Fred E. Holdrege……………………….to April 45 
       Maj. Eugene W. Veverka…………………….April 45 to Aug. 45 
  791st 
       Lt. Col. Albert L. Wallace Jr…………………to Aug. 45 

NOTE (2): Lt.  Col.  Herzberg was transferred to the 96th Combat Wing as Operations Officer.  On January 1945 he became Commanding Officer of the 458th Bombardment Group (Heavy). 

       Aircraft assigned to the Group, not including those temporarily transferred in for the September 44 gasoline trucking operation, are estimated as high as 194, positively identified are 183.  As previously stated, the Group was assigned 59 aircraft for overseas deployment, reduced to 57 with one loss en route and a second on landing at Rackheath.  Transferred from the Group on arrival were 6 aircraft leaving 51 to begin combat operations.  Of these 17 failed to return from combat missions, 10 were salvaged after crashes or accidents in England, 2 were salvaged on 29 May 45 as not suitable to fly back to the Zone of the Interior, 5 survived the missions and were RZI, 4 were earlier declared "war-weary" and returned to the States to be used for training.  One became the Group's second assembly ship.  No disposition has been found for the remainder 12. 

       New aircraft began being assigned to the Group soon after its arrival at Station 145 from depots where modifications to ETO standards had been performed and during the course of operations 37 from other Groups including 12 from the 492nd BG(H) with the arrival of the 788th BS(H), second organization, on 10 Aug 44. 

       One of the first aircraft acquired was a "war-weary" B-24D from the 44 BG(H) to be used as an .'assemble on" ship for combat and practice missions.  Painted distinctively with large yellow circles surrounded by red borders, the tail white with a large, black, block letter Group identifier P on it and with a large illuminated P on each side of the fuselage, this ship was usually first off on missions to fly to the assembly point and there to fly the race track assembly pattern while the Group assembled on it.  It also fired pyrotechnic flares in the Group identification colors while in its role.  With the Group assembled the ship would return to base, except in one instance.  On 24 December 44, when the Group mounted a maximum effort of 62 aircraft (all that were flyable at that time), "Pete the POM Inspector,' the name given the aircraft, with a skeleton crew, armed only with 30 caliber carbines, went with the Group to the target.  The first assembly ship was destroyed in a crash on 28 October 44, and was replaced, in color scheme and markings by a Group "war-weary." The Commanding, Air Executive and Operations Officers also, at times, used a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft to aid the assembly process.  The first, 'Little Pete' was lost in a training flight assembly accident to be replaced by "Little Pete II." These aircraft also carried Group color identification. 

       It was probably the intention that each heavy bombardment squadron would have 16 aircraft as the Table of Organization provided for sixteen crew chiefs.  The squadrons of the 467th were each similar in aircraft line maintenance personnel.  There was a Group Engineering Officer over the whole aircraft maintenance operation working through Engineering Officers in each squadron.  Each squadron, in turn, had a Line Chief who had under him three Flight Chiefs.  There were sixteen Crew Chiefs with three or four Aircraft and Engine Mechanics assigned to him, one an Assistant Crew Chief.  Specialists in Armament, Inspection, Instruments, Propellers and Sheet Metal, generally two of each and a welder worked at the direction of the Line Chief with the aircraft ground crews as needed.  The Squadron Tech Center provided support for Auto Pilot, Bomb Sight and Radio problems.  Routinely each aircraft received a preflight and daily inspection by the crew who also performed the 25, 50 and 100 hour inspections.  Engine changes at 250 to 300 hours were performed on the hardstand and repairs, except major structural damage which was done at the Sub Depot, were also done on the line.  Engine changes and repairs required were done by the crews with help of the specialists as required without regard to hour or hours required, the aircraft were brought back to flying condition as soon as possible in all cases.  Because the squadrons had generally more than sixteen aircraft, several crews in each squadron had two aircraft to maintain.  The work was hard, the hours long.  Only through the dedication of these maintenance crews was the Group able to consistently have the best maintenance record in the Second Air Division and for several periods the best in the whole Eighth Air Force. 

       After the initial aircraft, all H models, the Group began receiving J models which required the maintenance crews to learn of them and their variations from the H models on the line.  Later L and M models were received and following hostilities many aircraft were assigned to the Group, some new, some castoffs from other Groups and each had to be prepared for the flight back to the United States.  The aircraft maintenance crews received a deserved honor in that the majority of the passengers on these flights were from their ranks. 

       The 467th had no one hero but did have a "hero' aircraft and crew that maintained it.  "Witchcraft," a B-24H, Serial No. 42-52534 of the 790th BS(H) flew on the first Group mission and on the next to last, a total of 130 missions without once failing to reach its assigned target, the record for 8th Air Force Liberators. Her ground crew consisted of Crew Chief Joe Rameriz, Assistant George Dong, Mechanics Ray Betcher, Wait Elliott and Joe Vetter, a real 'League of Nations" representation.  Much credit has to be given the crews who flew "Witchcraft" to the record, they never turned back before reaching the target for mechanical or personnel reasons.  "Witchcraft" received over 300 flak holes, had thirteen engine changes, had to go to the Sub Depot twice for repairs.  But in her remarkable career not a man was injured or killed in her.  "Witchcraft" returned to the United States in June 45, one of five original Group aircraft that did so.  Following the war, example Allied aircraft were displayed in Paris at the base of the Eiffel Tower.  Representing the B-24 was one painted in the 467th and 790th colors carrying on its nose the "Witchcraft" caricature and named "Witchcraft II." 

       The 467th from constitution was destined to become a B-24 Liberator Heavy Bombardment Group slated for operations in the European or Mediterranean Theater of Operations.  The cadre training of the AAFSAT in September/October 43 was oriented toward missions in either of these theaters.  Phase training at Wendover AFB was toward high altitude, massed formation missions.  In December 43 when Lt.  Col.  Herzberg was sent with advance party to Station 145 Rackheath, England, at least a select few Group and Squadron command staff would have been told of the Group's ultimate destination.  The Ground Echelon sailing from New York could have been going to either theater.  The Air Echelon flying from Florida did not know their destination until one hour into the first leg of their flight, to Waller Field, Trinidad. 

       On arrival at Station 145 Rackheath, the Group became the third group of the 96th Combat Wing, Second Bombardment Division (later Air Division 1 January 45), Eighth Air Force of the United States Strategic Air Forces in Europe (USSTAF).  Commanding the 8th at that time and to the end of hostilities in Europe was Lt.  Gen. James H. Doolittle, commanding USSTAF was Lt. Gen. Carl Spaatz. 

       The missions of the Eighth as the 467th began its combat tour were in compliance with the POINTBLANK directive of 10 June 43 directing the then Eighth Bomber Command to destroy the German aviation industry and secure air superiority over the Continent, Beginning with Blitz Week, 20 July 43, German aircraft industries, assembly plants, ball bearing works and GAF airfields had been attacked repeatedly, in some missions with very high losses to the Eighth.  These POINTBLANK missions resulted in little loss of German aircraft production but GAF reaction to these raids confronting increased Allied escort fighters caused severe losses to the GAF in manpower.  In the first four months of 1944 nearly 1700 GAF pilots were lost in combat, losses the GAF were never able to replace.  Fighter range to escort the bombers were Spitfires-100 mile radius.  P-47 Thunderbolts 250-300 miles, P-38 Lightning’s, to be phased out to P-51s, 350-400 miles and the P-51 Mustang to 600 miles, the escorts could go anywhere the bombers went.  The 467th was seldom attacked by GAF fighters due to the excellent formation integrity insisted upon by Group and Squadron Commanders, and rehearsed in practice missions that were briefed and flown, observed and critiqued just as the combat missions.  German anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) became an increasing menace as the Germans withdrew from occupied areas to their own country, they brought their "flak" (AAA) with them in retreat and the concentrations of guns at various targets were sometimes in the hundreds.  Missions against chemical plants did reduce the ammunition available to these guns in the latter days and they became somewhat less of the menace than they had been when the Group began its missions.  Radar countermeasures, including fixed and variable frequency pulse generators to counter the GAF gun laying radar and aluminum foil chaff also reduced the "flak" effectiveness, especially when missions were flown over undercast conditions. 

       So the Group in April participated in the "winding down" of Operation POINTBLANK and the beginning of CROSSBOW, the code name for the effort to eliminate German vengeance weapon (V-l's) sites in France and the Low Countries. 

       The invasion of France had been postponed from May to June 44 to allow the isolation of the coming invasion sites from rail and road traffic by interdiction (tactical) missions against these transportation targets and against airfields within range of the GAF fighters and bombers of the invasion sites.  This effort was at the direction of Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF) and included 101 rail centers in Northern France and the Low Countries to be hit with 41,000 tons of bombs by the Eighth and RAF.  Prior to D-Day, 6 June 44, these rail centers had been subject to 71,000 tons of bombs and not one GAF airfield was operable in Normandy.  Twenty-two bridges across the lower Seine River were also priority targets.  When weather conditions prevented operations toward the above objectives, the Eighth was released to strategic bombing of industrial targets, oil industries, aircraft and air depot targets in Germany.  June's missions were mostly tactical with only six strategic missions in the 29 missions flown by the Group in the month.  Only 19 missions were flown in July, of which 11 were strategic types.  Of the 19 missions of August, nine were strategic and the major number of those against oil or air related targets.  Crossbow missions ended for the Eighth on 31 August, the Group had flown only seven of this type mission to that date. 

       On 18 August, the Group flew its 100th mission, in just 140 days, a Second Bombardment (Air) Division record.  Sorties flown numbered 2,375, bombs delivered, 5,500 tons.  Aircraft losses totaled only twenty-seven, the lowest rate of loss in the Eighth Air Force, with forty-six men KIA, forty-five Wounded in Action and one hundred eighty-two Missing in Action. 

       In September there were only five combat missions, all strategic, into Germany, against transportation and oil industry targets.  On 11 September, the Group, and 96th Combat Wing, went off operations to begin ferrying food and medical supplies to Orleans-Bracy Airfield in France, later to Clastres Airfield in France.  From 20 September to 2 October the B-24s were equipped to haul 80 octane gasoline to the rapidly advancing Allied armies in France. In the period the 96th delivered 2.12 million gallons, the 467th 664,000 gallons of that. 

       Back to combat missions on 3 October, the 14 missions of October, 12 of November and the first 7 of December were each strategic, each into Germany, with 21 against transportation, 4 against airfields, 6 against the oil industry, 1 area bombing at Cologne and 1 mission credit toward Coblenz in which no bombs were dropped. 

       Tactical, interdiction missions, against transportation centers and airfields, in support of Allied ground forces in the Battle of Ardennes-Alsace (Battle of the Bulge) began 24 December with Eighth AF Mission No. 760, the largest air strike of the war.  There were 2034 heavy bombers launched, 1874 effective along with 768 P-5ls and 50 P-47s for escort, 780 effective.  The 467th launched 62 aircraft, 61 effective except one of those was the group assembly ship which carried no bombs.  The Group's targets were three rail junctions.  An additional 6 tactical missions were flown in December and the first 7 of January 45 were also tactical. 

       Beginning 14 January, Group Mission No. 161 through the last mission of the Group, and the Eighth Air Force, on 25 April 45, there were 62 missions launched, 59 effective, all but 4 were strategic.  Operation CLARION, a major assault on German canal, rail and road communications began on 22 February 45.  The Group after 14 January 45 flew 26 attacks on marshalling (rail) yards and 4 on highway bridges, canals and viaducts.  Other missions were to 1 0 oil targets, 2 U-Boat building yards, 2 armor building facilities including one at Berlin, 8 airfields or air depots including 4 oriented toward jet fighters/interceptors, 2 industrial targets, and 1 against the German Army Headquarters at Zossen, Germany.  Of the 4 tactical missions, 2 were in support of VARSITY, the Allied assault across the Rhine River and were against GAF airfields in Western Germany.  The other two were against German pockets of resistance in the Point de Grave/Royan, France area that denied the Allies the use of the port facilities at Bordeaux.  On 15 April, the Group launched 29 aircraft including four lead ships in a three squadron effort.  Effective were 26 aircraft dropping 4 x 2000 pound bombs each, all of which landed within 1000 feet of the MPI (Main Point of Impact), fifty-five percent within 500 feet.  This proved to be the best bomb record by any 8th AF group on any mission of the war. 

       The following day, 25 aircraft undertook the longest mission of the Group, an average 9:05 hours per aircraft, to carry napalm Bellied gasoline) bombs to the same area.  Of unknown capacity, these cardboard cylinders had very poor ballistics and the bombing effort, rated fair, was the only use of napalm by 8th AF bombers. 

       The Group mission 200 came on 22 March 45, and was celebrated with a large "stand-down" party.  The day after the 200th mission party, the Group was still celebrating with a big 'beer bust" and watching P47 and P-51 exhibition teams in an air show of stunt flying.  A less experienced pilot in a P-51 wandered by and attempted a slow roll at 100 feet, lost control and crashed in the Red Cross Gym area.  The party was soon over, no one felt like celebrating further. 

       What did the Group accomplish in its twelve months of combat?  It flew 212 combat missions, 5,538 combat sorties, an average of 26 aircraft effective per mission and dropped 13,353 tons of bombs, 2.4 tons per aircraft sortie.  Aircraft lost in action numbered only 29, the lowest loss rate of any Group of the Eighth but we suffered 242 Killed In Action or Killed In The Line of Duty.  Aircraft losses in accidents numbered 20.  Enemy aircraft claims were 6 destroyed, 5 probably destroyed, 2 damaged.  The Group set the unsurpassed record for bombing accuracy and had the best overall standing for bombing accuracy in the Eighth.  The Group had the highest overall aircraft availability record in the Second Air Division, was always high in effective aircraft launched, had low mechanical failures and/or aborted missions.  The Motor Pool had an extremely low accident rate, the Photo Section received citations for photos secured, the best kept airplane in the Division was from the 467th, the 789th BS(H) had a record 201 consecutive missions without an abort.  Decorations and promotions, the Group received its share of the former, probably not enough of the latter. 

       In summary, as our combat history drew to a close, the Commanding General of the 96th Combat Wing wrote to Col.  Shower: 

       "The records clearly indicate the continuous outstanding performance of the 467th Group in all phases of operation.  Most commendable is the absence of any slumps in your bombing records.  You have been at or near the top throughout.  It is proof of the initiative, tenacity of purpose, and drive exercised by you and your command." 

       The mission of the 467th was to put bombs on targets.  This was done consistently, with exceptional precision.  We are very proud of what we did.  Many who were with us did not survive.  We shall never forget them.  And toward this end we have the Four Hundred Sixty-Seventh Bombardment Group (Heavy) Association, Limited which presently has nearly 1,300 veterans of the Group as members.  Our efforts in memorials to the Group and to its casualties are in San Diego, at the Air Force Academy, at the Air Force Museum, at the Eighth Air Force Museum, in the Second Air Division Memorial Library Room in Norwich, England, and at the former site of Station 145, Rackheath.  We will continue to honor our Group and our casualties in similar efforts to the LAST MAN.