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401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 23, 11 Feb 1944, Frankfurt, Germany.
Captain Donald McCree led the Group to Frankfurt, the site of important aircraft and manufacturing plants. He reported a very successful mission, stating: "We could see the target area, and our bombs smacked right into it. The fighter support was superb." One aircraft (#026) landed at 1111 hours after being shot up by one of our own B-17's, running off the runway with a flat tire and all rudder controls gone. All other operational aircraft were back by 1555 hours.
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401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 24, 20 Feb 1944, Leipzig, Germany.
All 41 aircraft were airborne by 0955, constituting two complete boxes of 18 aircraft each plus spares. All but two operational aircraft had returned by 0730 hours, one of which was later reported to have landed at Raydon.
Colonel Bowman led the 1st Bomb Division in an operation to Leipzig, where the 8th Air Force struck the greatest blow yet to German aircraft production. For this achievement, the 401st received messages of commendation from Generals Doolittle and Williams.
Lt. (later Major) Alvah Chapman, with Capt. Silver, Deputy Group Commander, in the co-pilot's seat, brought his aircraft, "Battlin Betty", back safely, flying across much of Germany at low altitude after having had two engines shot out and suffering major damage to brakes, flaps and fuselage.
Lt. Edward T. Gardner, the pilot of Doolittle's Doughboys" (# 42-31518) gave his life for his crew, holding the B-17 steady until the other nine crew members had safely bailed out, by which time it was too late to bail out himself.
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401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 26, 22 Feb 1944, Oschersleben, Germany. 32 aircraft were airborne by 0935. 29 operational aircraft had returned by 1755 while four aircraft were reported down at other airfields in the UK and two were missing.Major (later Colonel) W. T. Seawell led the Group on a mission that involved a coordinated attack by the 15th Air Force from its bases in Italy. As a result of heavy flak and fighter attacks, aircraft piloted by Lt. Loy M. Shanks (# 42-31930) and Lt. Vernon A. Arneson (# 42-38002) were shot down. Lt. Arneson's tail gunner, S/Sgt. R. G. Schmitt, was unable to bail out with the other crew members because his parachute was riddled by machine gun fire but survived without injuries when the B-17 landed itself in a field.
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401st Bomb Group, Mission No.22, 6 Feb 1944, Caen.
Colonel Bowman led the Group on a mission originally scheduled to attack a target at Dijon, France. However, because of bad weather the Group hit Caen airfield, a target of opportunity. Following the mission Colonel Bowman was instructed by headquarters to avoid the Caen area--obviously because it was to be a focal point of the D-Day landing four months later. All aircraft had landed from operational mission by 1603 hours.
Delivered Cheyenne 12/11/43; Kearney 27/11/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-Q] Deenethorpe 1/2/44; Missing in Action Berlin 21/6/44 with Jack Atherton, Co-pilot: Don Awalt, Navigator: Dick Fitzmaurice, Bombardier: John Whelan, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Sonnhalter, Radio Operator: Jim Burg, Ball turret gunner: Dan Grunstad, Waist gunner: Jeral Smith, Waist gunner: Ron Cox,Tail gunner: Bill Gray (10 Prisoner of War); flak, bellied in Gruenewald, six miles NE of Nauen, Ger; Missing Air Crew Report 6000. SALVO SADIE.
Service
Units
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Group
The 401st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, from November 1943 to June 1945. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of France planned for the following...
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People
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 401st Bomb Group
Shot down 28 May 1944 in B-17 42-31034 'Bonnie Donnie. ' Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Shot down by flak and crashed at Gruenewald on 6/21/44 in B-17 #42-31496 Prisoner of War (POW)
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Shot down by flak and crashed at Gruenewald on 6/21/44 in B-17 42-31496. Prisoner of War (POW)
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Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 401st Bomb Group
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 401st Bomb Group
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Shot down 28 May 1944 in B-17 #42-31034 'Bonnie Donnie'. Killed in Action (KIA).
PH
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Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 401st Bomb Group
Shot down 28 May 1944 in B-17 #42-31034 'Bonnie Donnie'. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lt. Colonel
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Missions
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6 February 1944
German airfields and V-Weapon sites in France are the primary targets of this mission. A combined force total of 642 heavy bombers are depatched from 8th Air Force 1st, 2nd and 3rd Bomb Divisions. The primary targets of 1st Bomb Division were the...
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11 February 1944
This mission is composed of two separate elements. 3rd Bomb Division stands down having sustained massive losses of 29 aircraft on the previous day.
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20 February 1944
This mission is the opening salvo of the Allied Combined Bomber Offensive known officially as "Operation Argument" but remembered in 8th Air Force History as "BIG WEEK". The immediate strategic objective of this six-day operation is the degradation of...
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21 February 1944
Day 2 of BIG WEEK is another maximum effort by 8th Air Force to bomb 6 airfields in Germany as primary targets: Diepholz, Gütersloh, Lippstadt, Werl, Achmer and Handorf. In addition the industrial areas of Brunswick city are included as a primary...
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22 February 1944
The German aircraft industry is again targeted in Day 3 of BIG WEEK. A combined total od 789 bombers (maximum effort) are dispatched from 1st 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions. Fighter opposition is heavy and bomber losses in 1st Air Division are massive - 39...
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24 February 1944
BIG WEEK resumes with full intensity against the German aircraft industry. Bomber tactics are changed slightly in that each Air Division will be directed at more widely dispersed primary targets which it is thought will frustrate concentration...
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25 February 1944
On this final operation of BIG WEEK, Day 6, a combined force of 754 heavy bombers from 1st, 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions are despatched to bomb the German aircraft industries at Regensburg, Augsburg, Stuttgart and Furth, Germany. Mission Summary follows:
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2 March 1944
The primary targets for this mission are: the railroad marshalling yards at Frankfurt, Germany; and the German air depot ar Chartres, France. The mission is composed of two entierly separate forces. 327 B-17s from 1st Air Division joined by 154 B-24s...
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4 March 1944
The industrial areas in the suburbs of Berlin, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. All three Air Divisions despatch formations. However, the despatch from 2nd Air Division aborted the mission because of severe weather in the assembly area...
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6 March 1944
The industrial areas of Berlin and Genshagen, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. A combined force of 730 heavy bombers are despatched from 1st, 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions. The despatch from 3rd Air Division bombs Targets of Opportunity in...
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Places
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Military site : airfield
Deenethorpe was a base purpose-built for American heavy bombers, with the Class A regulation 2,000 and 1,400-yard runways. All the buildings on site,such as the accommodation and administrative blocks, were temporary. In December 1943, several local...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Failed to Return (FTR) |
Germany |
21 June 1944 |