WWII 451ST BOMB GROUP PHOTO ALBUM BADGES PAPER WW2

Fantastic, WWII Air Crew Photo Album, Insignia, and other ephemera lot to include 1) PHOTO ALBUM OF SGT. CHESTER JURUS OF THE 451ST BOMB GROUP. Album has 102 black and white photos with several of Sgt. Jurus in his plane as well as other stations of his crew members. 2) US 1st Army Air Corps Shoulder Patches 3) Sterling Air Crew Wings 4) USAAF Wireless Specialist Patches 5) Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command DI's 6) Ribbon Bars 7) Ephemera including photos, Allotment of Pay a crew list and membership card for the 451st BG. Excellent. Constituted as 451st Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 6 Apr 1943. Activated on 1 May 1943. Prepared for combat with B-24's. Moved to the Mediterranean theater, Nov 1943-Jan 1944, with the air echelon training in Algeria for several weeks before joining the remainder of the group in Italy. Operated with Fifteenth AF, Jan 1944-May 1945, functioning primarily as a strategic bombardment organization. Attacked such targets as oil refineries, marshalling yards, aircraft factories, bridges, and airfields in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Greece. Received a DUC for each of three missions: to an aircraft factory at Regensburg on 25 Feb 1944, to oil refineries and marshalling yards at Ploesti on 5 Apr 1944, and to an airdrome at Vienna on 23 Aug 1944; although encountering large numbers of enemy fighters and severe antiaircraft fire during each of these missions, the group fought its way through the opposition, destroyed many interceptors, and inflicted serious damage on the assigned targets. At times the group also flew support and interdictory missions. Helped to prepare the way for and participated in the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944. Transported supplies to troops in Italy during Sep 1944. Supported the final advances of Allied armies in northern Italy in Apr 1945. Returned to the US in Jun. Inactivated on 26 Sep 1945.