Following recent government announcements the museum is currently closed, there is plenty to explore in our online archive.
The American Air Museum is a charity - Find out how you can support us
22 December 1943
Technical Sergeant Edward Fee of the 91st Bomb Group enjoys a cup of coffee surrounded by his comrades at Bassingbourn after his final mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-27150 AC - HQ 8th AAF Photo Section, 20 Dec 1943. Ovation on Return. Congratulated on the completion of his tour of "Ops", T/Sgt. Edward Fee (holding cup), 30, of Charlestown, Mass., is surrounded by flying mates as he awaits interrogation. T/Sgt. Fee, holder of Air Medal and slated for the DFC, is aerial engineer of Fortress "Black Swan", and was a longshoreman in civilian life. His final operational mission on December 22nd took him over northwest Germany. Photo shows him enjoying coffee a few minutes after landing. U.S. Air Force Photo.'
2LT Erwin James Bevins, B-24 Pilot of 445th BG, 702nd BS stationed at Tibenham Airfield, NOV 1943. Survived the crash of his B-24, #42-7554 "Tail End Charlie", and evaded capture in the Netherlands for 473 days. This is his post war interrogation/debrief report to Army. http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-2946.pdf http://www.teunispats.net/t3256.htm http://www.heritageleague.org/brian/54.pdf
B-24 Liberator #42-40706 'Tondelao' 566th BS, 389th BG, 8th AF and crew, flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid.
B-24 Liberator #42-40706 'Tondelao' 566th BS, 389th BG, 8th AF and crew, flew on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid.
1st Lt. Frank Stolarz
Original Crew 11, 712th BS, 448th BG 1943. Standing (L-R): T/Sgt. Oclotlan U. Richmond - Radio Operator; S/Sgt. Benjamin Z. Means - Waist Gunner, Second Armorer; S/Sgt. Norbert F. Duginske - Waist Gunner, Second Engineer; S/Sgt. Gerald E. Carroll - Top Turret Gunner, First Engineer; S/Sgt. Raymond G. Giwojna - Tail Gunner; Sgt. Bill J. McCullah - Ball Turret Gunner, First Armorer. Kneeling (L-R): 2nd Lt. Paul R. Helander - Pilot; 2nd Lt. John J. Schneider - Co-Pilot; 2nd Lt. Alfred E. Cannon - Navigator; 2nd Lt. Henry M. Snyder - Bombardier.
390th Bomb Group, 571st Bomb Squadron, CREW 70 . Personnel Log entry from my uncles journey ,
Not yet known
This mission is composed of two forces directed at two separate targets, the communication centers at Osnabruck and Munster, Germany. The force attacking at Osnabruck is composed of two elements. The first element is composed of 227 B-17s (2 are PFF equipped from 482BG)from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (28); 92BG (22); 303BG (20 - did not drop); 305BG (19); 306BG (21); 351BG (31 - did not drop); 379BG (21); 381BG (22); 384BG (20); and 401BG (21 - did not drop). 5 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 22KIA 27POW. Of 2 aircraft returing with battle battle damage, 1 crash lands at Ubbeston, UK 10RTD and the other is abandoned near Washingly, UK 10RTD, both aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR). 5 airmen are KIA and 8 are Wounded in Action (WIA) in returning aircraft. 21 aircraft are damaged. The bomber gunners in this element claim 12-2-3 of attacking German aircraft.
The second element of the force directed to Osnabruck is a force of 121 B-24s from 2nd Bomb Division that included: 93BG (18); 389BG (26); 445BG (26); 446BG (25); and 448BG (26). 87 aircraft are effective on the target. 12 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 82KIA 35POW 1DIC.
1 aircraft with battle damage crash landed at Manston, UK. 1KIA 9RTD. 5 airmen in returing aircraft were Wounded in Action (WIA). 11 aircraft are damaged. The bomber gunners in this element claimed 6-6-3 of attacking enemy aircraft.
The force attacking at Munster, Germany is composed of two elements. The first element is composed of 180 B-17s (including 3 PFF-equipped from 482BG) from 3rd Bomb Division that included: 94BG (20); 95BG (30); 96BG (27); 100BG (30); 385BG (20); 388BG (31); and 390BG (19). 164 aircraft are effective on the target. 3 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 22KIA 8POW. 2 aircraft with battle damage crashlanded back in England, aircraft DBR, 10RTD. 1 airman in a returning aircraft was Wounded in Action (WIA). 29 aircraft are damaged. There are no claims on enemy aircraft.
The second element attaking at Munster is composed of 43 B-24s from 2nd Bomb Division that included: 44BG (23) and 392BG (20). 30 aircraft are effective on the target. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 15KIA 5POW-1DIC. There are no claims by this element on attacking German aircraft.
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
B-17 Flying Fortress
5 B-17s from 390th Bomb Group join with the first wave to drop 80 X 250IB on Osnabruck. 4 Pathfinder (PFF)-equipped B-17s from 482 accompany this wave, 3 are effective on the target.
Group
"The Bloody Hundredth", so-called because of a reputation for losing a high number aircraft and crews, flew B-17s from Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk. Their losses were not the highest of any Eighth Air Force Group but on several occasions the Group lost many...
Group
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
Group
The 390th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Framlingham, Suffolk, between July 1943 and the end of the war in Europe. The Group was engaged in strategic missions until the invasion of Europe when its role became more of a tactical one. This...
Group
The 482nd Bomb Group was a Pathfinder Group, which using radar-equipped aircraft to support bombing missions until March 1944. Aircraft from this Group went ahead of other Bombers and sent information back about the best routes to take and the extent...
Group
Activated 15 June 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. Initial organization and training at Pendleton Field, Oregon on 29 June 1942. Primary flight training at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona from 28 Aug. 42 to 31 Oct. 42; then at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas...
Group
The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on 17 August...
Group
The 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945.
...
| Tonnage dropped | 299.59 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 181 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 167 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 3 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 29 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 23 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 1 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 7 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 20 |
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
B-24 Liberator
Not yet known
Group
The 392nd Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators out of Wendling, Norfolk from August 1943 until April 1945. They were the first Group allocated B-24H Liberators, the first B-24 series fitted with a nose turret on the production line. The adaptation increased...
Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
| Tonnage dropped | 54.81 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 43 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 30 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 2 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 15 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 4 |
| Number of people Died in Captivity | 1 |
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
B-17 Flying Fortress
Heavy cloud cover disrupts the formations. 303rd Bomb Group fails to bomb because of another formation passing underneath. 351st Bomb Group fails to bomb because of a malfunction in the lead aircraft. 401st Bomb Group fails to bomb because of a Pathfinder (PFF) breakdown. 482nd Bomb Group despatches 4 Pathfinder (PFF) aircraft to accompany this element and second wave but only two are effective on the target. A 401st Bomb Group aircraft suffered a bomb strike and was abandoned over England crashing near Washingley.
Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Group
Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...
Group
The 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer...
Group
The 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit...
Group
The 381st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Ridgewell, Essex between June 1943 and April 1945. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing shipyards at Bremen, whilst under heavy attack, on 8 October 1943 and...
Group
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by...
Group
The 401st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, from November 1943 to June 1945. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of France planned for the following...
Group
The 482nd Bomb Group was a Pathfinder Group, which using radar-equipped aircraft to support bombing missions until March 1944. Aircraft from this Group went ahead of other Bombers and sent information back about the best routes to take and the extent...
Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
Group
The 92nd Group sometime after arrivial in the UK converted to the role of in-theater combat crew indocrination and training. For this role, the Group traded its B-17F complement and obtained the B-17E, mostly from the 97th BG which was departing for...
| Tonnage dropped | 333.82 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 159 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 149 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 5 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 21 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 28 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 8 |
| Number of people Evaded | 1 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 27 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 20 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 12 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 2 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 3 |
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
B-24 Liberator
448th Bomb Group flies its first mission. 20 B-17s and B-24s drop 265 X 500GP on Targets of Opportunity. 488th Bomb Group loses one aircraft due to a bomb strike.
Group
The 389th Bomb Group, known in more familiar terms as "the Sky Scorpions", flew strategic bombing missions in B-24 Liberators from Hethel, England. They also sent detachments to join bases in North Africa at Benghazi No. 10, Libya, between 3 July 1943...
Group
The 445th Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators from Tibenham, Norfolk. The crews' first mission was bombing U-boat installations at Kiel on 13 December 1943. The Group continued to hit strategic targets in Germany, including the aircraft components factory...
Group
The 446th Bomb Group, who came to be known as "the Bungay Buckaroos" after the name of their Suffolk base, flew B-24 Liberators on strategic, support and interdictory missions over Europe. The Group led the Eighth Air Force and 2nd Bomb Division on the...
Group
The 448th Bombardment Group was organized on 6 April 1943 and activated on 1 May 1943 at Gowen Field, near Boise, Idaho. The initial training of the air crews took place in Florida. The entire group was assembled Wendover Field, Utah. Both air and...
Group
93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1-March-1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15-May-1942 the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida to continue advanced flight training and also to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; they...
| Tonnage dropped | 197.58 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 121 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 87 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 12 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 11 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 86 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 5 |
| Number of people Evaded | 1 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 35 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 6 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 6 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 3 |
Military | Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
•Sustained Moderately Severe Frostbite over Northwestern Germany on 22 December 1943.
• Transferred to the Detachment Of Patients, 303rd Station Hospital on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #178 dated 30 December 1943.
Military | First Lieutenant | B-24 Pilot | 445th Bomb Group
B-24 - #42-7554 - 8th AF, 445th BG, 702nd BS - stationed in NOV 1943 at RAF Tibenham.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
BTG, Mickow crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down by fighters on mission #61 to Frankfurt, Germany on 29 Jan 1944 in B-17G #42-37884. MACR 2241. Killed in Action (KIA).
Groves, TX
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 5 January 1944 in B-17 #4230724. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 95th Bomb Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 388th Bomb Group
Shot down in a frontal attack by fighters on the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-31135 'Suzy Sagtitz' crashed near Schoonebekerveld, Holland. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 379th Bomb Group
Shot down 22 December 1943 in B-17 #4229724. Plane crashed in to North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Shot down 22 December 1943 in B-17 #4229724. Plane crashed in to North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
On a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, another B-17 from the 388th went out of control after being attacked by fighters and collided with B-17G #42-40054 which exploded and crashed SE of Emmen, Holland. Killed in Action (KIA). Died of...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 422BS/305BG [JJ-O] Presque Is 22/9/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/9/42; transferred 547BS/384BG [SO-Y] Grafton Underwood 14/10/43; Missing in Action Ludwigshafen 7/1/44 with Walter Ernest Garner, Co-pilot: Philip Bern, Bombardier: James Daigle,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned to the 359BS/303BG [BN-R] Bangor 22-Sep-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42; First 8th Air Force aircraft to complete 50, then 75 missions- 27-Mar-44; with M/Sgt Buford Pafford as crew chief; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 5-Jun-44; Reconstruction Finance...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-G] Presque Is 27/11/42; Molesworth 13/12/42; Returned to the USA 2/7/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Arledge 22/11/44. IZA VAILABLE.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/6/43; Smoky Hill 13/7/43; Kearney 16/7/43; Dow Fd 19/7/43; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall 20/7/43; (34m) transferred Aphrodite project as OLIN'S 69'ERS; when War Weary, fuselage cut down and vehicle windshield fitted before open...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 28/7/43; Gore 6/8/43; Pendleton 12/8/43; Reno 14/8/43; Pierre 16/8/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 3/9/43; crashed on take off for France 13/8/44 with Leon Sutton, Co-pilot: Harlan Thompson, Navigator: George Healy, Bombardier:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 11/8/43; Gr Isle 31/8/43; Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-G] Molesworth 18/10/43; 9m Missing in Action Oschersleben 11/1/44 with Paul Campbell, Co-pilot: John Doty, Navigator: John Nothstein wia - later repatriated, Flight engineer/top...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 15/9/43;
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 24/9/43; Gr Island 7/10/43; Romulus 10/10/43; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall 15/10/43; Missing in Action Augsburg 13/4/44 with Art Nelson, Co-pilot: Art Livermore, Navigator: Maurice White, Bombardier: Bill Matuszewski, Flight...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 12 March 1943; Memphis 4 September 1943; Assigned 407BS/92BG [PY-C/Q] Alconbury 24 April 1943. Piloted by Frederick T. Prasse on 21 July 1943 and involved in slight mid-air collision with 42-29853 (327BS/92BG - Pilot Thomas M....
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 18/4/43; Assigned 100BG Dow Fd 30/5/43; transferred 412BS/95BG [QW-W] Horham 15/6/43; force landed RAF St Eval ex-St Nazaire 28/6/43; crash landed Gt Ashfield ex-La Pallice 16/9/43; force landed RAF Hensridge; 31m, ex-Munster 22/12/43...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2016 20:14:41 | Mags | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd BG Web Page |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 September 2015 19:13:09 | theseanze | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Personal letters of Sgt. Martin J. Kilcoyne |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 July 2015 20:23:13 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 27-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to 2BD (Osnabruck) statisitics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 July 2015 20:22:06 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 27-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to 1BD (Osnabruck) statisitics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", ROger A> Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 July 2015 20:20:16 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 27-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 November 2014 12:19:32 | Emily | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:16 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'. |
||
