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43-34462, B-26G-5, Lt. David A. Mickelson,
444th BS/320th BG, France, 1944–45
43-34213, B-26G-1, Capt. John C. Furnas of the 585th BS,
394th BG, Venlo, The Netherlands, May 1945
The 444th Bomb Squadron was formed in mid-
1942 and armed with Marauders. It trained
for combat as part of the 3rd Air Force in
Florida and was deployed to England as part
of the 320th Bomb Group and 3rd Bomb Wing.
After the commencement of Operation Torch,
it participated on operations in North Africa as
part of the 12th Air Force, flying tactical bombing
missions against Axis forces there until May 1943.
It then shifted its attention to targets in Sicily,
Corsica, Sardinia, and Italy. It then supported the
Allied advance into Germany and was inactivated
in December 1945. The aircraft shown here had
its fuselage guns removed and while the left
side of the nose bore a drawing of a girl and the
inscription Margie, the right side sported the
name Donna Deloris.
The 585th Bomb Squadron was activated at
MacDill Field, Florida, as one of four squadrons
of the 394th Bomb Group. It moved to England
in mid-February 1944, making its home base
at Boreham. Its pilots flew their first combat
mission on March 23, 1943. They then attacked
V-1 flying bomb launchers and V-2 rocket bases
as part of Operation Crosbow. During D
-
Day,
the 585th BS targeted enemy sites at Cherbourg,
then attacked transport lines or fuel depots.
By July 24, 1944, the unit was stationed at
Holmsley South and by August it had moved to
its first mainland base, Tour-en-Bessin, France.
In addition to the classic missions towards the
end of the war, the Marauders of the 585th BG
dropped propaganda leaflets over the occupied
territory on 16 missions. The aircraft of Capt.
John C. Furnas was named The Old Goat, and the
nose art corresponded to the name. It bore the
symbols of ninety combat missions under the
cockpit towards the end of the war.
KITS 06/2024
INFO Eduard
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