The World War II veterans known as the Survivors of the 455th Bomb Group– including Sunnyvale’s own Thomas Boyd–were able to take some time to reflect, share stories and make new memories during a national reunion last month.
From Sept. 18-21, the group of veterans met in Oklahoma City for a variety of activities set up for them.
While the survivors of both the 455th and the 451st Bomb Groups shared their annual reunion last year, they were joined for the first time by the remaining survivors of the 461st and 484th Bomb Groups this year.
The veterans were treated to banquet dinners and bus tours of local museums, including the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.
“The reunion itself was outstanding,” said Boyd. “They filled our time, and it was very well organized. It was nice to talk to some of the other folks. It brings back a lot of memories.”
One evening, Boyd gave a presentation about his missions with the bomb group and how he had to bail out of his plane over enemy territory on his 19th birthday.
The 455th Bombardment Group was a B-24 group that served with the 15th Air Force in Italy, taking part in the strategic bombing campaign and supporting the fighting in Italy and the south of France.
Boyd flew 26 missions as a tail gunner on a B-24 Liberator Heavy Bomber. His plane was shot down on Dec. 20, 1944, over Yugoslavia, but he managed to safely evade capture by the German forces.
At the reunion, Boyd was awarded a special certificate for his “significant contributions to the successful conduct of the combat operations of the 455th Bomb Group flying out of Southern Italy in WWII.”
“The group flew many dangerous bombing missions leading to the destruction of important enemy targets, including munitions plants, airfields, railroad facilities and oil refineries,” said Win Jones, national coordinator of the 451st Bomb Group Alumni Association. “The net effect of the Allied Forces bombing campaign was to greatly reduce the war-making ability of the enemy. This contributed very significantly to the Allied victory in Europe.”
Jones added that the Air War in Europe saw the loss of more than 8,000 American B-17 and B-24 Bomber aircraft, along with over 3,000 fighter planes. Several thousands of the nearly 100,000 air crew members involved were killed or injured.
Upward of 200 veterans were able to attend the reunion last month, coming from the four different bomb groups.
On Dec. 20, Boyd plans on marking his 70th anniversary of being shot down over Yugoslavia, and his 89th birthday, by jumping out of an airplane with his daughter and granddaughter.