Jay Morton RILEY Jr

Married to : Marvell May

Parents : Jay Morton & Nora Belle Ingram RILEY

Siblings : Fawn Laurine, Denton Clair & Lola I.

Source : John

B-24 Liberator

Based in Pantanella (Italy)

SICILY-ROME AMERICAN CEMETERY de Nettuno, ITALY

 My grandfather, Jay Morton Riley, Jr., sacrificed his life for our country 75 years ago today.

We were honored to visit his gravesite when were on our honeymoon in Italy.

He has had an impact on so many people through his sacrifice of service and I'm honored to call him my Grandfather.

It was constituted as the 465th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943
and activated on 1 Aug 1943.
The Group prepared for duty overseas with B-24's and moved to the Mediterranean theater, Feb-Apr 1944; the air echelon received additional training in Tunisia before
joining the ground echelon in Italy.
Assigned to the Fifteenth Air Force, the Group entered combat on 5 May 1944 until it's last mission, 26 April 1945.

As the war progressed more objectives were set for targets associated with preparing for the Invasion of Southern France which would take place on 15 August 1944.
Attacking marshalling yards, dock facilities, oil refineries, oil storage plants, aircraft factories, and other objectives in Italy, France, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, and the Balkans.
On two different missions - to marshalling yards and an oil refinery at Vienna on 8 Jul 1944 and to steel plants at Friedrichshafen on 3 Aug 1944 - the group bombed its targets despite antiaircraft fire and fighter opposition, being awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation
for each of these attacks.

Other operations included bombing troop concentrations and bivouac areas in May 1944 to aid the Partisans in Yugoslavia; attacking enemy troops and supply lines to assist the drive toward Rome, May-Jun 1944; striking bridges, rail lines, and gun emplacements prior to the invasion of Southern France in Aug 1944; bombing rail facilities and rolling stock in Oct 1944 to support the advance of Russian and Rumanian forces in the Balkans; and hitting troops, gun positions, bridges, and supply lines during Apr 1945 in support of Allied forces in northern Italy.

In the year the 465th was engaged in combat the Group successfully accomplished the mission assigned. It helped knock out Germany’s refineries, aircraft and munition factories as well as shooting down a number of Nazi Fighters in the sky. It also participated in knocking out strategic gun positions in France paving the way for the invading US 7th Army.
Moved to the Caribbean area in Jun 1945

The Group was inactivated in Trinidad on 31 Jul 1945.