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681

17 October 1944

  • Crew #551 Seward M. Meinstma Crew Standing Left to Right: Jack Veach (R/O), George Wood (BTG), William Osborne (NG), John O'Donnell (FE), Howard Wade (TG), Sherell Campbell (G) Kneeling Left to Right: Seward Meinstma (P), Donald Vanderwall (CP), Eugene Gjertsen (N), Harvey Levine (B) This crew completed a 35 mission tour. Gjertsen transferred to the Welsh Crew of the 784th BS at some point during the tour. Also Daniel Chadbourne replaced O'Donnell as Flight Engineer during the tour.

    Crew #551 Seward M. Meinstma Crew Standing Left to Right: Jack Veach (R/O), George Wood (BTG), William Osborne (NG), John O'Donnell (FE), Howard Wade (TG), Sherell Campbell (G) Kneeling Left to Right: Seward Meinstma (P), Donald Vanderwall (CP), Eugene Gjertsen (N), Harvey Levine (B) This crew completed a 35 mission tour. Gjertsen transferred to the Welsh Crew of the 784th BS at some point during the tour. Also Daniel Chadbourne replaced O'Donnell as Flight Engineer during the tour.

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  • Map for Eighth Air Force mission #681 to Cologne on October 17, 1944. From the estate of Harold Motz, navigator on the Westrope crew, 708th squadron, 447th bomb group.

    Map for Eighth Air Force mission #681 to Cologne on October 17, 1944. From the estate of Harold Motz, navigator on the Westrope crew, 708th squadron, 447th bomb group.

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  • A photograph my Grandfather (Philip G Rodgers) sent to my Grandmother (Charlotte)

    A photograph my Grandfather (Philip G Rodgers) sent to my Grandmother (Charlotte)

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Official description

Not yet known

Description

Not yet known

Mission details

1.

Description

BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

2. COLOGNE/EIFELTOR

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

A mix of 274 P-47 and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.

Mission Statistics

3. COLOGNE/FALK

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

4. COLOGNE/GEREON

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

5. COLOGNE/GEREON

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

A mix of 271 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.

Mission Statistics

6. COLOGNE/GREMBERG

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

7. COLOGNE/KALK

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

8. LEVERKUSEN

Description

CHEMICAL WORKS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Weather prevents the attack on Leverkusen, so the secondary targets at Cologne are hit. A mix of 229 P-47 and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.

Mission Statistics

Service

People

  • Robert Atkins

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 453rd Bomb Group
    Robert Atkins served as a tail gunner with the 733rd Bomb Squadron of the 453rd Bomb Group, flying missions out of Old Buckenham, England.

  • Karl Bierman

    Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    A worker at an aircraft plant in California, he enlisted in the Air Corps in January 1943. Sent overseas in 1944, he was assigned to the 305th Bomb Group / 366th Bomb Squadron and died in Germany with the loss of B-17 43-3805, shot down 17 October 1944...

  • John Blumenstock

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group
    Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lt. Colonel

  • Paul Boyle

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group

  • David Bridgers

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group

  • Warren Callahan

    Military | First Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 447th Bomb Group
    Warran Callahan served as a co-pilot with the 708th Bomb Squadron of the 447th Bomb Group, flying bombing missions out of Rattlesden, England.

  • John Carper

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    John Carper grew up in Bartlett, Texas, where he attended Bartlett High School. He graduated from the Agricultural and Mechanical College Texas, Class of 1940 and enlisted in the Air Corps in June 1942. He received his training at Barksdale Field,...

  • Heath Carriker

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group
    Dec 23, 44 on mission to Blatchen, ger. flack disabled aileron and rudder control with resulting loss of altitude from 23,000 to 8,000 ft. With elevator controls and all engines we made it back to Base 1:30 late. This was a close call! ...

  • James Carter

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group

  • Charles Dolan

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
    Joined Sqd 9/13/44. Killed in Action (KIA) 10/18/44 (Leverkusen). Pilot: Lehnhausen, E. Plane was B-24 'Flak Magnet' #4250596

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Aircraft

  • 42-102501 The Challenger

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 9/3/44; Gr Island 11/4/44; Dowe Fd 28/4/44; Assigned 546BS/384BG [BK-H] Grafton Underwood 12/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 3/2/45 with Robert Clax Long, Frederick Arnold Maki, Jack Coleman Cook (3 Killed in Action); Ralph John Vrana...

  • 42-39993 Hells Angels Out Of Chute 13

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Long Beach 26/10/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-C] Deenethorpe 1/1/44; 118m landing accident at base with Jim Nolan 7/5/45; sal 2 SAD Watton, Nfk 8/5/45. HELL’S ANGELS OUT OF CHUTE 13 aka GROSSLY INADEQUATE. ...

  • 42-97105 Paper Doll

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Selfridge Fld 3/2/44; Dorval 4/3/44; Assigned RAF [HB-768]; transferred 561BS/388BG Knettishall 13/3/44; Missing in Action Parchim 7/4/45 with Lew Hickman, Arnold Wolf, Cawthorn Perdue, Albt Vawter, Herman Meyer (5 Prisoner of War); John...

  • 42-97760

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 16/2/44; 1SAG Langley 12/3/44; Dow Fd 29/5/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 31/5/44; Salvaged 9AF Germany 11/1/46.

  • 43-37756 Milk Wagon

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 18/5/44; Kearney 27/5/44; Dow Fd 8/6/44; Assigned 708BS/447BG Rattlesden 9/6/44; completed 129 missions with no abort; Returned to the USA Bradley 9/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 13/7/45; Reconstruction Finance...

  • 43-38052

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 20 June 1944; Hunter 16 July 1944; Dow Field 23 July 1944; Assigned 366BS/305BG Chelveston 6 August 1944; Missing in Action Cologne 17 October 1944 with Pilot Emil V. Potucek; Co-Pilot Wayne P. McCallen; Navigator George C. Skeen;...

  • 43-38595 'Stormy Weather'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 22/8/44; Lincoln 1/9/44; Grenier 11/9/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-B] Horham 13/9/44; 6m, Missing in Action Cologne 17/10/44 with Arvil McCulley, Co-pilot: Jean Ericson, Navigator: Joe Kunze, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Andy...

  • 42-95021 San Antonio Rose

    B-24 Liberator

  • 42-95312 'Luck Penny II'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 734BS, 453BG, 8AF USAAF. Lost 17-Oct-44 - at bombs away it sustained flak damage, limped onward until it crossed the battle line at 1500 ft and after being abandoned by the crew who landed near Spa, Belgium, the plane crashed a short...

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
20 February 2018 09:27:07 marshaferraro Changes to person associations
Sources

Personal list of 30 missions Lloyd C. Kenagy participated in with the 401st Bomb Group 613th Squadron between Aug 1, 1944 and April 11, 1945.
Date Contributor Update
30 September 2016 02:46:11 466thHistorian Changes to person associations
Sources

"466th BG Archives - Combat Crew Mission Record chart 786th BS
Date Contributor Update
19 June 2015 15:23:49 Kenneth Howard Changes to person associations
Sources

John Darvin Howard records
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:43:08 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'.

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