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.

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.

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.

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.