770
30 December 1944
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
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-822749
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-771461
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38541137
- Highest Rank: Technician Fourth Grade
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32550448
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Spam Can : Black Magic : Shady Lady
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron 535th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Hell's Messenger
- Unit: 2nd Strategic Air Depot 364th Fighter Group 544th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Lead Banana
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little America II
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Top O The Mark
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron 754th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Virginia Wise, eldest daughter of Lester Allen Wise, who flew on this mission as pilot with Jack Q. Means as co-pilot
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.
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
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'.