315
24 April 1944
Added aircraft serial number and connection to record.
Object Number - UPL 6853 - B-17 42-31632
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUINTY
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Description: AIR DEPOT
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group. Bombers also released 480,000 leaflets. 457th BG - MISSION NO. 31 - ERDING, GERMANY 24 APRIL, 1944 Luftwaffe installations, airdromes, and factories in southern Germany were the targets. The 457th was assigned the airfield and the air depot at Erding, a supply base for aircraft parts and equipment used by the Luftwaffe in the Mediterranean. The Group supplied twenty-four aircraft to fly the low box in the 94th Combat Wing. The formation was led by Major Fred A. Spencer as Air Commander and Captain Jerry Godfrey as pilot. Me-109s and FW-190s attacked the formation on the bomb run and after the bombs were dropped. After a quick rally of the formation with the Wing, the attacks ceased. No planes were lost; however, two planes received major damage, and one received minor damage. Flak at certain points along the way was moderate but accurate.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 443 T HE
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Notes: 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. 1 3rd Bomb Division attacked Neckarsulm because the primary was obscured by smoke. Note in log of Horace Turner, "Raided Friedrichshafen-Bad formation, Flak was terrific. Flak hit me in leg. It was a long and tiresome mission. Bombed gear factory. Flak hit plane."
![Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group are attacked by a Nazi Fighter aircraft during a mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-62641 USAF: Nazi fighter plane attacking Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th[sic] Bomb Group, 3rd Bomb Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-408505.jpg.webp?itok=zJwHCUjh)
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 423 T HE 163T IB
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Description: AIRFIELD
Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 4454th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group. The 44 Bomb Group was scheduled to participate but was grounded due to an outbreak of ptomaine poisoning.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 303 T HE 232T IB
Description: AIRFIELD
Description: AIRFIELD
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
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: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16006483
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17130749
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner / Togglier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35666456
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39556825
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Down N Go
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Spam-O-Liner
- Unit: 545th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: - Hitler's Headache
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Mexican Hay Ride
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Hale's Angels
- Unit: 547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
Revisions
Added by Karen Turner, daughter of Horace Turner.
Updated mission pin from 'OBERPFAFFENHOFEN' (coming up in an incorrect location) to Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany.
Mission details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/
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'.
