485th Bombardment Group

Stories of the 485th Bomb Group

A Tragic Accident

Story by:    Lynn Cotterman, 831st Squadron Navigator and Don Magness, brother of John Magness

The topic:  March 2, 1945 mission when two planes collided over Austria, with tragic results.

Two Generations Search for Answers

Story by:    Mark LaScotte, son of Eugene LaScotte, 828th Bomb Squadron nose gunner

The topic:  Search for answers regarding the 6/28/44 mission to Bucharest, Romania.

Evacuation of Allied POWs

Story by :  Colonel Pop Arnold, 485th Bomb Group Commander.

The topic: August 27, 1944 mission to Blechhammer, Germany, POW life and the evacuation from Stalag Luft III.

A Letter Home

Story by:    Foster Chapman, radio operator, 830th Bomb Squadron (Ken Muse crew)

The topic:  Combat mission to the Vienna oil storage tanks on 8/22/44

Bombing Marshalling Yards

Story by:   Lynn Cotterman, navigator, 831st Bomb Squadron (Homer Cotton crew)

The topic: Bombing of the Rosenheim, Germany marshalling yards on 4/19/45 and the reason for bombing these installations.

A Civilian Casualty

Story by:   Glenn Hess, pilot, 831st Bomb Squadron

The topic: A pilot’s chance encounter with a civilian victim of the 4/25/45 bombing of Linz, Austria

My Roamin’ Bullet

Story by:   Jim Scheib, copilot, 831st Bomb Squadron (Bob Baker crew)

The topic: A story of luck that occurred in early 1945

The Trip Across the Pond

Story by:  Celeste Smither, daughter of William Smither and friend of Marvin Nicholson

The topic:  A story of two friends in different bomb groups in Italy