The 458th Bomb Group (H) entered combat with the 8th Air Force early in 1944. Based at Horsham St. Faith in England, the combat crews participated in the decisive Campaigns ? ?Big Week', ?Big B', D-Day and the assault on Germany's oil industry ? waged by the USAAF up to VE-Day. The group also tested the operational use of ?Azon' radio-controlled bombs. The 458th flew a total of 240 missions, during which over 13,000 tons of ordnance was dropped, and was achieved at the cost of sixty-five crews MIA or involved in operational accidents. This is their complete history. SELLING POINTS: ? first history of the 458th Bomb Group during WWII ? flew the B-24 Liberator out of England for missions over Germany ? author's fifth Schiffer book on USAAF units in WWII ILLUSTRATIONS 460 colour
