3rd Bomb Division
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
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27 May 1944
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BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
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Tonnage dropped | 15 T HE |
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
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Tonnage dropped | 7 T HE |
GUN BATTERY
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3rd Bomb Division was made up of 96th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
Tonnage dropped | 102 T HE |
MARSHALLING YARDS
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3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group, 486th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group.
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
Tonnage dropped | 239 T HE |
MARSHALLING YARDS
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Tonnage dropped | 216 T HE |
AIRFIELD
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Tonnage dropped | 42.5 T HE |
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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This is the largest bomber mission staged to date with 1,126 bombers participating. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 03rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.
By this date, the Luftwaffe is almost entirely decimated in France giving the Allies air superiority for the coming D-Day invasion.
457th BG - MISSION NO. 52 - LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY
27 MAY, 1944
Six Combat Wings of the 1st Division were dispatched to the banks of the Rhine River to bomb the marshaling yards in the twin cities of Lu4wigshafen and Mannheim. The 457th, as lead of the 94th A Combat Wing, led the Eighth Air Force in the procession to these targets. The 457th supplied thirty-six craft to form the lead and the low boxes in the Wing. Col. James R. Luper led as Air Commander with Lt. Charles D. Brannan as pilot. Captain Jacob M. Dickinson led the low box with Lt. Malcolm E. Johnson as pilot.
En route to the target, the Group fell victim of a massive frontal attack by Me-109s. The craft piloted by Lt. Artie J. Whitlow was hit on the right wing; a part of the wing came off and the No. 3 engine caught on fire. The ship went into a tight spiral before developing a spin. It crashed into a wooded area and exploded. Lt. Whitlow did not survive.
The craft piloted by Lt. William E. Dee was hit, dropped out of formation and headed back towards the Channel. One crewman was killed, the others became prisoners of war. Lt. Thomas E. Lee received direct hits and his engineer was killed instantly.
Lt. Roger W. Birkman's and Lt. David K. Summerville's planes were knocked out of formation. With an engine on fire and losing altitude, Lt. Birkman left the formation and the crew bailed out. Five of the crew were captured and became prisoners of war. The others evaded capture and later returned to England after the invasion.
Lt. Summerville returned to the base after having fires in three of his craft's engines. Two engines were lost completely With the propeller breaking off of one engine, and the tins breaking off the other. He ultimately made a landing at Glatton with limited power in only one engine.
The Luftwaffe attack lasted twenty-five minutes before it was brought to an end. The Group continued to the primary target, bombing it with fair results. The Luftwaffe had succeeded in disrupting the formation, causing the low box to go in before the lead box. The lead box did a 360 degree turn and the second time around found the target covered with smoke that was rising thousands of feet in the air. Flak was heavy over the target area with thirteen aircraft receiving flak damage. To offset the losses, the 457th received credit for destroying one enemy aircraft and damaging five others.
Lt. Roy W. Allen came in to land only to discover one landing gear would not come down. Rather than attempt a belly landing, he chose to attempt a one wheel landing. He touched down, kept the wing up as long as possible, and concluded with a 180 degree ground loop. There were no injuries.
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.
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...
Tonnage dropped | 367.5 T HE |
MARSHALLING YARDS
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Tonnage dropped | 46 T HE |
MARSHALLING YARDS
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Tonnage dropped | 295.5 T HE |
MARSHALLING YARDS
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Tonnage dropped | 164 T HE |
MARSHALLING YARDS
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2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group,453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group, 492nd Bomb Group.
Division
The groups under the command of the 2nd Bomb Wing came under the command of the 2nd Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 2nd Air Division.
Tonnage dropped | 364 T HE |
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group.
Division
The groups under the command of the 2nd Bomb Wing came under the command of the 2nd Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 2nd Air Division.
Tonnage dropped | 51 T HE |
AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
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Tonnage dropped | 115.5 T HE |
MARSHALLING YARDS
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Tonnage dropped | 130 T HE |
AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
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3rd Bomb Division was made up of 34th Bomb Group, 399th Bomb Group.
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
Tonnage dropped | 140 T HE |
FECAMP- Mission deemed unsatisfactory
B-17 Flying Fortress
A Tactical target, 10 aircraft from the 306th Bomb Group and two Pathfinders flew lead and low squadrons of the 40th Combat Bomb Wing to bomb a gun emplacement near Fecamp. The target was identified visually, but the bombing was conducted by Pathfinder, according to order and results were not satisfactory. Photos showed the main concentration of bombs in the water, 1 1/2 miles away from the target.
Group
Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...
Number of aircraft Sent | 12 |
Number of aircraft Effective | 0 |
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 94th Bomb Group
Flew 26 missions on 'Mission Bell', was wounded on 26th mission.
Purple Heart, 4 Air Medals
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 390th Bomb Group
Crew Number 51
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Tail Gunner | 390th Bomb Group
Crew Number 51
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Waist Gunner | 466th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
Military | Sergeant | Ball turret gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 16 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944.
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 457th Bomb Group
Shot down 27 May 1944 in B-17 #42-38055. Evaded with the help of Belgian citizens and Résistance members. Sheltered in various places in northern Belgium, lastly in Sint-Niklaas. Liberated there by Allied troops at the beginning of September 1944. Back...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 100th Bomb Group
Sgt Gilbert A. Borba, only survivor, all other crew were Killed in Action (KIA) 08-08-1944 Shot down by flak and crashed near St Sylvain, France in B-17 "Varga Venus" #4337865
Military | Staff Sergeant | Nose Gunner | 389th Bomb Group
Shot down 27 May 1944 in B-24 #42-95091. Killed in Action (KIA).
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 7/3/44; Hunter 9/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 338BS/96BG [BX- ] Snetterton 1/5/44; Missing in Action Karlsruhe 27/5/44 with Wilbur Brean, Navigator: Bob Egan, Bombardier: Bob Kleinder, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Albt Fancea...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 8/3/44; Gr Island 2/4/44; Dow Fd 28/4/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 12/5/44; Missing in Action Dessau 28/5/44 with Art Codding, Co-pilot: Roger Withers, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Berg, Radio Operator: Clyde Waite,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 6/2/44; Grenier 3/3/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-M] Horham 17/3/44; with R.V. Mercer force landed Framlingham AFB 25/12/44 with engine failure; battle damaged Berlin 3/2/45 with H. Palmer; force landed Charleroi, Bel; 97m, repaired & ret...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 9/2/44; Rapid City 2/3/44; Dow Fd 3/4/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 25/4/44; no ops, transferred 562BS/388BG Knettishall 29/4/44 WORRY BIRD; Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 29/11/45;...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/6/43; Smoky Hill 13/7/43; Kearney 16/7/43; Dow Fd 19/7/43; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall 20/7/43; (34m) transferred Aphrodite project as OLIN'S 69'ERS; when War Weary, fuselage cut down and vehicle windshield fitted before open...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 31/10/43; Kearney 13/11/43; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-G] Horham 1/1/44; flak damage Berlin 6/10/44 with Lester Lennox, Co-pilot: Bob McCoy (2 Returned to Duty); Navigator: Bill Tate, Bombardier: Dick White, Flight engineer/top turret...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 13/11/43; Gt Falls 15/11/43; Denver 22/11/43; Kearney 27/11/43; Presque Is 25/12/43; Assigned 569BS/390BG [CC-H] Framlingham 2/1/44; suffered n/battle damaged hitting tree at Grundisburgh Hall, Sfk, being slow timed on 2/6/44, with...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 31/12/43; Kearney 12/1/44; Assigned 570BS/390BG [DI-H] Framlingham 19/2/44; aircraft suffered oxygen fire while on assembly for Boulogne mission 4/6/44 with Leroy Holmberg, Co-pilot: George Benton, Navigator: Ellis McClintick,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/11/43; New Castle 10/12/43; Presque Is 15/12/43; Assigned 547BS/384BG [SO-C] Grafton Underwood 21/1/44; sal battle damaged 27/4/44. NEVADA AVENGER.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 26/4/43; Sioux City 7/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 30/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 3/7/43; detailed Solignen, 30/11/43 with Paul Kelly, Co-pilot: John Corzette, Navigator: John Wiley, Bombardier: Marion Wiles, Flight...
Date | Contributor | Update |
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27 May 2015 09:58:10 | 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/ |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
02 April 2015 10:51:51 | Emily | Created event |
Sources | ||
369th Bomb Squadron, Combat Diary- courtesy of Wayne Tolmachoff |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 September 2014 18:43:06 | 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'. |