709

10 November 1944
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-97968) of the 486th Bomb Group bombs the target during a mission. Printed caption on reverse: '54979 AC- BOMBING THROUGH CLOUD- Flying Fortresses of US 8th AF bombed German airfield at Wiesbaden, west of Franksurt, Nov 10th through broken cloud. Attack made in support of Gen Patton's 3rd Army advance was designed to ground German Aircraft. US Air Force Photo.' media-380830.jpg FRE 2026 A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-97968) of the 486th Bomb Group bombs the target during a mission. Printed caption on reverse: '54979 AC- BOMBING THROUGH CLOUD- Flying Fortresses of US 8th AF bombed German airfield at Wiesbaden, west of Franksurt, Nov 10th through broken cloud. Attack made in support of Gen Patton's 3rd Army advance was designed to ground German Aircraft. US Air Force Photo.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 2026 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-97968) of the 486th Bomb Group bombs the target during a mission. Printed caption on reverse: '54979 AC-...

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Description: COMMUNICATIONS TARGETS

Notes: This is a bomber-bomber mission

COLOGNE/BUTZWEILHOF

Description: AIRFIELD

COLOGNE/OSTHEIM

Description: AIRFIELD

HANAU

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

HANAU/LANGENDIEBACH

Description: AIRFIELD

Notes: A mix of 261 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data. This is the last combat mission flown by the 489th BG. They have flown 106 missions in 2,998 sorties and dropped 6,951 tons of bombs. They report 29 aircraft MIA and other operational losses of 12 aircraft. They will depart the UK on 28 Nov 44 for the US to be re-outfitted with B-29s and be scheduled to be sent to the Pacific Theater in late Aug 45 but VJ day cancels deployment. Group inactivated 17 Oct 45.

WEISEBADEN

Description: AIRFIELD

WEISEBADEN

Description: SCREENING MISSION

WIESBADEN/HALLE

Description: AIRFIELD

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

Aubry E Eten

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 453rd Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Top Turret Gunner
Sergeant Stanley Finch and Sergeant Frank Mallet of the 97th Bomb Group with their squadron insignia, painted on the waist of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication.' [stamp], 'USA(BRI)CC:EMB.' [written annotation] and '212078.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'AMERICAN FLYING FORTRESSES WAIT FOR ZERO HOUR. Associated Press Photo Shows: Sgt. Stanley Finch of New Bedford Mass. and (right) Sgt. Frank Mallet of Lisbon. ME. smile over th

Stanley Finch

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11042237
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Robert Leonard Franklin

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Frederick Gustave Grey

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 482nd Bomb Group 36th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17151905 and O-727204
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Niles W Hartung

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-699816
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-39888

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: HotNuts
  • Unit: Base Air Depot 1 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron

42-50766

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron
A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.' The crew are: (back row, left to right) Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner, Chuck Frazer - Gunner, Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner, "Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot, (front row, left to right) Dick Eselgroth - Navigator, Al Miller - Bombardier, Billy Duke - Pilot "Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator, Baldamore Garcia - Engineer, "Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner . Image via RM Eselgroth. Written on slide casing: '

42-51110

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Top O The Mark
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron 754th Bomb Squadron
A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95183) nicknamed "Briney Marlin" of the 458th Bomb Group flies low over countryside.

42-95183

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Briney Marlin
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron

42-97150

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Silver Queen
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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'.

709: Gallery (4 items)