DOCUMENT 52976

By downloading this document, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions

401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 14, 11 Jan 1944, Oschersleben, Germany. This was one of the greatest air battles of World War II. The Group put up the most aircraft to date as part of a maximum effort. German resistance was fierce, involving heavy flak, dozens of fighters and balloon mines. The Group shot down a number of Luftwaffe fighters. It was on this mission that Major James Howard, a P-51 pilot, remained after all other U.S. fighters had left and engaged a swarm of Luftwaffe fighters attacking the 401st, for which he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Aircraft piloted by Lt. S.G. Nason ("Pee-Tey-Kuh" #42-31033), Lt. H. J. Chapman ("Carolina Queen #42-37809), Capt. J. H. Foster (#42-39969) and Lt. D.C. Sprecher (#42-39893)were shot down by either fighters or flak. Due to bad weather on return, all aircraft were diverted to a number of other bases

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Pee-Tey-Kuh
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Betty J.
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Son of a Blitz
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Nasty Habit
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Maggie
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron

Locations

Mission

Revisions

Date:
Contributoracbernstein1
ChangesChanges to unit associations
Date:
Contributoracbernstein1
ChangesChanges to caption
Date:
Contributoracbernstein1
ChangesChanges to aircraft associations
Date:
Contributoracbernstein1
ChangesCreated entry with caption, unit associations, place associations and mission associations