770

30 December 1944
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5725) nicknamed "This is IT!" of the 381st Bomb Group opens her bomb bay doors during a mission. media-380076.jpg FRE 1279 A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5725) nicknamed "This is IT!" of the 381st Bomb Group opens her bomb bay doors during a mission.

Official Caption: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "This is It!", in foreground and other Fortresses of the 381st Bomb Group, encounter flak opposition as they approach the target at Mainz, Germany, 30 December 1944. Roger Freeman Collection

Official caption from Fold 3

Object Number - FRE 1279 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5725) nicknamed "This is IT!" of the 381st Bomb Group opens her bomb bay doors during a mission....

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

ALTENAHR

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

AUSKIRCHEN

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

BISCHOFFSHEIM

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

BULLAY

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

IRLICH

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

KAISERSLAUTERN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

KAISERSLAUTERN

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

KASSEL

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

KASSEL

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

MAINZ

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

MANNHEIM

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

MECHERNICH

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

REMAGEN BRIDGE

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12120011
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39847857
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot/Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hard Seventeen, Hard Luck
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 447th Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Big Dog
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Pretty Baby
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
Factory fresh B-17s
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Cover Girl
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Betty J.
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Official Website of 385th Bomb Group Association

Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest daughter of Lester Allen Wise, who flew on this mission as pilot with Jack Q. Means as co-pilot

Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise, pilot of B-17 (44-6569) 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group, flew from Great Ashfield, England to Mannheim, 30 Dec 1944.

Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest daughter of Lester Allen Wise

Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest daughter of Lester Allen Wise, who flew as a B-17 pilot on this mission to Mannheim with the 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group from Great Ashfield, England

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'.

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