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736

4 December 1944

  • Crew #664 Elmo Maiden Crew 466th BG - 786th BS Standing Left to Right: Bernard M. Atkins (TG), Vernon R. Hayden (WG), William R. Hoopes (B), Gustave J. Roussel (E), Guerino G. Petti (N), Herbert Rosenkoff (CP), William A. Thomason (TT), Elmo Maiden (P), Kenneth W. Chester (NG), Joseph R. Zebrowski (R/O) B-24J-5-DT #42-51532 Code: U8-W Photo taken on 27 December 1944 after crash landing at an airfield in Belgium.

    Crew #664 Elmo Maiden Crew 466th BG - 786th BS Standing Left to Right: Bernard M. Atkins (TG), Vernon R. Hayden (WG), William R. Hoopes (B), Gustave J. Roussel (E), Guerino G. Petti (N), Herbert Rosenkoff (CP), William A. Thomason (TT), Elmo Maiden (P), Kenneth W. Chester (NG), Joseph R. Zebrowski (R/O) B-24J-5-DT #42-51532 Code: U8-W Photo taken on 27 December 1944 after crash landing at an airfield in Belgium.

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  • Lead crew on bombing mission to Soest, Germany, Beside Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 42-97557 'Mercys Mad House'. 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. England, 4 December 1944.

    Lead crew on bombing mission to Soest, Germany, Beside Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 42-97557 'Mercys Mad House'. 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. England, 4 December 1944.

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  • Overall Missions Map for the 493rd BG - USAAF Station 152 -Debach, UK noting missions flown by the Lt Bernard E Vaughan Crew

    Overall Missions Map for the 493rd BG - USAAF Station 152 -Debach, UK noting missions flown by the Lt Bernard E Vaughan Crew

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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. Bebra

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

A mix of 290 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.

Mission Statistics

3. FRIEDBURG

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

4. FULDA

Description

INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

5. GIESSEN

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

6. KASSEL

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes

A mix of 375 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.

457th BG MISSION NO 155 : KASSEL, GERMANY : 4 DECEMBER 1944

The winter weather had become a reality-cold, damp, foggy days with only afew hours of daylight. Coke for heating was rationed, with little available to heat the crew huts. Base personnel, using American ingenuity, resorted to various and sundry means to secure an extra fuel supply, whether it be a raid on the coke storage house, cutting limbs (or entire trees) from the King 's Forest, or burning cardboard or used engine oil. The dismal weather created'a gloomy atmosphere and there was little doubt among the crewmen that the war would extend into 1945. ft was 4 December before a mission could get airborne.

When it became apparent that it was impossible to catch the formation, the Group Leader called for fighters to escort the Group to the target. The course was flown approximately as briefed, but the formation lost about seven minutes from the first Control Point to the last turn before the IP, because winds were not as briefed. The 457th succeeded in joining the Division formation between the second and third group, a few minutes before the IP was reached.

The IP was crossed on course, and as cloud coverage was ten tenths, it became necessary to make a PFF run on the target. Bombing was done in Group formation with the lead craft performing the sighting operation. Meager, inaccurate flak caused no interference on the bomb run, and bombs were dropped at 25,000 feet. Although photos showed the ground to be obscured by clouds, analysis of the position of the aircraft after bombs away with relationship to the ground as seen through a hole in the undercast, shows that built up areas were definitely hit.

All crews returned safely. Although takeoff had been in early morning, the bombers barely returned before the early afternoon darkness.

Units

  • 1st Bomb Division

    1st Bomb Division

    Division
    The groups under the command of the 1st Bomb Wing came under the command of the 1st Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.

  • 457th Bomb Group

    457th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 457th Bomb Group began combat operations during the Big Week of 20-25 February when American bombers carried out concentrated raids against German aircraft bases, factories and assembly plants. The air crews' targets on that first mission were...

Mission Statistics

7. KOBLENZ

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

8. MAINZ

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

9. RHINE RIVER

Description

BARGES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

10. SOEST

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Service

People

  • Harold Adams

    Military | Technical Sergeant | MOS 757 - Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner, AAF | 384th Bomb Group

  • 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.

  • Dale Avers

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 95th Bomb Group

  • George Bachman

    Military | Technical Sergeant | B17 Engineer | 96th Bomb Group
    Parents: George and Pauline (Matthias) Bachman they were married in March 1911 ...

  • Clarence Bitner

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 336BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. 24 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Holzwickede 23-Mar-45. Mid air collision with B-17 44-8754, crashed Campsea Ash, Suffolk. Killed in Action (KIA). Awards: AM (3OLC), GC, PH.

  • Max Burrows

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 95th Bomb Group

  • Charles Cappellino

    Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Flight Engineer | 95th Bomb Group

  • Raymond Carlson

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 466th Bomb Group

  • James Carter

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group

  • Gabriel Chapra

    Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 95th Bomb Group

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Aircraft

  • 42-31582 Ol' Scrapiron

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 26/11/43; Paine Fd 28/11/43; Toledo 1/12/43; Felts Fd 4/12/43; Gt falls 5/12/43; Cheyenne 7/12/43; Kearney 19/12/43; Detroit 8/1/44; Montreal 10/1/44; Presque 12/1/44; Assigned 711BS/447BG Rattlesden 23/1/44. ...

  • 42-37788 HELL'S MESSENGER

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 28/8/43; Scott 16/9/43; Assigned 544BS/384BG Grafton Underwood 7/11/43; transferred 547BS [SO-N]; transferred to 364FG Leiston, Sfk, UK. 11/43; Returned to the USA Bradley 14/7/45; 4185 BU Independence 17/7/45; Reconstruction Finance...

  • 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...

  • 43-38333 Heavy Date

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 22/7/44; Kearney 31/7/44; Grenier 9/8/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-H] Horham 12/8/44; with C.E. Willis force landed A-82 Rouvres, Fr 20/2/45; 73m, crash landed base with ?, non op 6/5/45; ditched North Sea with Roger Sundin 26/5/45....

  • 44-6583 Cadet Nurse

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Lincoln 16/9/44; Dow Fd 2/10/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-Y] Horham 13/10/44; battle damaged Nurnberg 20/2/45 with R. Lee Young, #2 feathered, crash landed near A-78 AF Florennes, Bel; 9RTD; 39m, sal 28/2/45. CADET NURSE.

  • 44-6597 Supermouse

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Lincoln 18/9/44; Grenier 11/10/44; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 12/10/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 28/6/45; Sth Plains 1/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 17/12/45. SUPERMOUSE.

  • 44-8146

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Dallas 20/6/44; Langley 6/7/44; Dow Fd 7/9/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 9/9/44; Salvaged 9AF Germany 28/2/46; RetUS, 613 BU Phillips 29/4/46.

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
27 May 2015 16:19:08 jdossetter Changes to event
Sources

http://8thafhs.com/missions.php
Date Contributor Update
27 May 2015 16:17:18 jdossetter Changes to event
Sources

https://www.google.com/maps/place/50%C2%B057'45.4%22N+9%C2%B048'06.2%22E/@50.9626,9.80172,4z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0?hl=en
Date Contributor Update
29 April 2015 10:38:48 general ira snapsorter Changes to event
Sources

Mission details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/
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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