The 489th Bombardment Squadron in Corsica

Historical Background


     During 1944-1945 there were at least six different medium bomber bombardment groups in the Mediterranean theater operating from the island of Corsica. Each bombardment group consisted of four bombardment squadrons of approximately twenty-four planes each. The majority of medium bombers on Corsica in the last year of the war were B-25J Mitchells that were manufactured at the North American Aviation plant in Kansas City, Kansas. The 310th, 321st and 340th bombardment groups which together comprised the 57th Bomb Wing of the 12th Air Force, United States Army Air Corps, were equipped with B-25 Mitchells including some older B-25D, B-25G and B-25H models. The G & H models were modified with 75mm cannons and used in the 381st squadron of the 310th bombardment group. You can read about this on George Underwood's site. The 17th, 319th and 320th bombardment groups were assigned to the 42nd bomb wing and were initially equipped with Martin B-26 Marauders but the 319th converted to B-25J Mitchells in the second half of 1944 while stationed at Serraggia, Corsica and the 17th bombardment group also may have had a few B-25s while stationed at Poretta, Corsica.
        The 47th light bombardment group was also stationed at Poretta and was equipped with Douglas A-20 Havocs. Additionally, there were many different fighter groups (Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, North America P-51 Mustangs and RAF Supermarine Spitfires) which escorted the bombers on their missions, night-fighters ( Bristol Beaufighters), fighter-bombers ( Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and Bell P-39 Airacobras) and several photographic reconnaissance groups (B17s and P-38 F-4s & F-5s) on the island. Even some heavy bombers (Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators) were stationed on Corsica briefly, in preparation for the invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944.
         The now rather complicated map below, constructed largely from information provided by Dominique Taddei, Guy Julien, Alexandre Durastanti and the USAAF Chronology pages, should help to put the entire Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force (MATAF) into better perspective:


One thing's for sure from looking at this map. The 489th bombardment squadron was right in the middle of things on the island of Corsica. Alesani was the most isolated base on the island and the only airfield without local fighter support. Maybe that's why the Germans chose Alesan Air Field for their night-time raid of May 13, 1944.



The 310th bombardment group consisted of the 379th, 380th, 381st and 428th bombardment squadrons and was stationed at Ghisonaccia Gare, Corsica.

The 321st bombardment group consisted of the 445th, 446th, 447th and 448th bombardment squadrons and was stationed at Solenzara, Corsica.

The 340th bombardment group consisted of the 486th, 487th, 488th and 489th bombardment squadrons and was stationed at Alesani, Corsica.

The 319th bombardment group consisted of the 437th, 438th, 439th and 440th bombardment squadrons and was stationed at Serraggia, Corsica. This group flew Martin B-26 Marauders initially but converted to B-25J Mitchells by November, 1944. They returned to the states in January, 1945 and began training in A-26s before being sent to Okinawa in April, 1945.

The B-25 bombers of the 489th bombardment squadron and the other squadrons of the 57th bomb wing participated in many missions from their bases on Corsica to disrupt enemy transportation and communication lines including bridges, railroads, airfields, shipping, marshalling yards, major intersections, storage depots and similar targets in southern France, northern Italy, the Brenner Pass, Austria, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Yugoslavia.



US Army Air Corps Groups on Corsica
Group
Type
Aircraft
Dates
1st
Fighter
P-38
Aug 1 - Aug 28 1944
3rd
Reconnaissance
F-4, F-5
July - Sep 1944
17th
Medium Bombardment
B-25, B-26
Sep - Nov 1944
27th
Fighter
A-36
July - Aug 1944
47th
Light Bombardment
A-20, A-26
July - Sep 1944
52nd
Fighter
Spitfire, P-51
Dec 1943 - May 1944
57th
Fighter
P-40, P-47
Mar - Sep 1944
79th
Fighter
P-40, P-47
June - Aug 1944
86th
Fighter
A-36, P-47
?
111th
Tactical Reconnaissance Sq.
A-36
?
310th
Medium Bombardment
B-25
Dec 1943 - Apr 1945
319th
Medium Bombardment
B-26, B-25
Sep 1944 - Jan 1945
320th
Medium Bombardment
B-26
Sep - Nov 1944
321st
Medium Bombardment
B-25
Apr 1944 - Apr 1945
324th
Fighter
P-47
July - Aug 1944
340th
Medium Bombardment
B-25
Apr 1944 - Apr 1945
350th
Fighter
P-38, P-39, P-40, P-47
Feb - Sep 1944
414th-417th
Night Fighter Sqs.
Beaufighters
Sept 1944



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