General Orders 66 — battle honors

Produced by optical character recognition, uncorrected. These are carbon copies and mimeographs from 1941–46, so the reading is rough — treat it as a finding aid for search, not as a transcript. The scan above is the record.

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: GENERAL ORDERS) S Wak DEPARTMENT
: ‘Ne. 66) =) Washington 25, 0.0,, 15 August 1944
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k 2 As authorized by Executive Order No, 9596 (see.1,Bull.22 WD, 1943),
P superseding Executive Order No. 9075 (secsI11,Bull, 11, WD, 1942), citation of
; the following units in Generel Orders, No. 510, Headquarters Fifteenth Air force
§ 18 May 1944, ss epproved by the Commanding Generel, United States army forces in
j North African Theater of Operations, ere confirmed under the provisions of sec.
E tion IV, Circular No, S35, War Department, 1945, in the name of the President of
¥ the United States as public evidence of deserved honor and distinction, ‘the
j citations read as follows:
i THE SO1ST BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H) is cited for outstanding performance of
i duty in armed conflict with the enemy, On 25 February 1944, thirth-one B-17
s type sircraft of this group took off to participate in the bombardment of
| heavily defended enemy aircraft factories end production centers at Regensburg,
f Germeny, in one of the first coordinated attacks by air forces operating out of
difforent theaters against a terget deep in the industrial heart of Germany,
; Ten sirecraft of this group were forced to turn back shortly after take-off,
seriously decreasing the fire power end formation strength, while en route to the
i target. After the rendezvous with other wing units end without the support of
: friendly fighter escort, the formation encountered its first opposition near
Fiume, Itely, where it wes attecked by more than 100 enemy fighters. These vere ©. —
sonstently replaced by fresh enemy airplanes until, when the group reached the
1 target, the totel strength of the attackers was estimated at over 200 hostile
fighters, Throughout the intense end vicious sir battle that took place en route
to the target the 01ST BOMBARDMENT GROUP lost 11 aircraft. However, with grim
determination end spirit, a highly successful bombing run was made through heevy
i and intense barrages of enemy entiaireraft fire, causing grave damage to be
‘ inflicted on this vital enemy manufacturing center and aiding materially in its
Fs almost complete destruction, Lesving the target area the formation was again
f subjected to the fury of vicious enemy fighter ottack, Gallently fighting their
% way through against almost incredible odds, the guuners of this group vere eredit-
ed sith the destruction of 51 enemy airplanes, the probable destruction of 6, and
the demege of at leset 3 additional enemy fighters, Of the crews that returned,
? crew members were wounded, 3 killed, end of the total participants, 110 failed
to return, By the professionel skill and loyalty of the ground crews, together
with the conspicuous gallentry, sggressive courage, combet efficiency, and devot-
fon to duty of the sir crews, the SO1ST BOMB\RDMENTIGROUP hes distinguished itself
thereby reflecting great credit on themselves end the ermed forces of the United
States. :
: By order of the Secretery of War:
: G.C.MARSHALL, :
Chief of staff.
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GENERAL ORDERS) = ‘wt DEPARTMENT
NO. 66 ) Washington 25, DeG,, 15 August 1944
BiTB4ct
BATTLE HOWORS,

2. As authorized by Executive Order No. 959 (secel,Bull.22 WD, 1945),
superseding Executive Order Ko. 9075 (seeslI1,Bull. 11, WD, 1942), citation of
the following units in General Orders, No. 510, teadquarters Fifteenth Air Foree
18 May 1944, as epproved by the Commanding Generel, United Stetes arny forces in
North Afriean Theater of Operetions, ere confirmed under the provisions of sec-
tion 1V, Circular No, 333, Wer Depertment, 1943, in the name of the President of
the United States as public evidence of deserved honor end distinction, The -
citations reed as follows:


THE SO1ST BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H) is cited for outstanding performnee of
duty in armed conflict with the enemy, On 25 February 1944, thirth-one Bel? —
— of this group took off to participate in the bombardment of
heavily defended enemy airersft factories ond production centers at Regensburg,
Gemmeny, in one of the first coordinated attacks by sir forces operating out of
different theaters egainat a target deep in the industrial heart of Germany.
fen sircreft of this group were forced to turn back shortly after teke-off,
seriously decreasing the fire power ond formation strength, while en route to the
terget. After the rendezvous with other wing units end without the support of
friendly fighter escort, the formation encountered its first opposition near
Fiume, Itely, where it wes ettecked by more than 100 enemy fighters, These vere
sonstently repleced by fresh enemy airplanes antil, when the group resched the
target, the totel strength of the attackers as estimated at over 200 hestile
fighters, Throughout the intense end vicious air battle that took place en route
to the terget the 301ST BOMBARDMENT GROUP lost 11 aircraft, However, with grim
determination end spirit, a highly successful bombing run was made through heevy
and intense barreges of enemy entiairereft fire, causing grave demage to be
inflicted on this vitel enemy menufacturing center and aiding materially in ite
almost complete destruction. Lenving the target area the formation wos again
subjected to the fury of vicious enemy fighter etteck., Gallantly fighting theiz

Way through against almost incredible odds, the gunners of this group were oredit-
ed tith the destruction of 51 enemy airplanes, the probable destruction of 6, ané
the demage of at lesst 5 additional enemy fighters. Of the crevs that returned,
? crew members were wounded, 5 killed, end of the total perticipents, 110 failed
to return, By the professionel skill end loyalty of the ground crews, together
with the conspicuous gallantry, sggressive courage, combet efficieney, and devot-
ion to duty of the cir crews, the S01ST BOMBAADMENTIGROUP hes distinguished itsel
thereby reflecting greet credit on themselves end the ormed forces of the United
States. .

By order of the Secretary of War:

G.C MARSHALL,

Chief of steff.
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