317A

25 April 1944

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

DIJON/LONGVIC (Primary)

Description: AIRFIELD

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group. Note in log of Horace Turner states, "Raided Dijon, Bombed Airbase, Very good bombing, Good Formation. Flak light. A good mission."

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.'

3rd Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 297.8 T HE 40.2 T IB

LANDAU (Opportunistic)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

MANNHEIM (Primary)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group.

A formation of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group enroute to Europe. Printed caption on reverse: '71049 AC- A formation of Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, roars over Europe en route to the target area. 24 November 1944. US Air Force photo.'

2nd Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 61.2 T HE 16 T IB

METZ/FRASCATY (Primary)

Description: AIRFIELD

Description: AIRFIELD

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, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group. 457th BG - MISSION NO. 32 - NANCY/ESSEY, FRANCE 25 APRIL, 1944 Mannheim, Metz and Dijon-Longvic were principal targets for the Eighth Air Force, while the 94th Combat Wing went to Nancy/Essey Airfield. This field was used by the Germans for flying military personnel between France and Germany. It was also used as a training school for glider and fighter pilots. The 457th supplied twenty-four planes comprising the high box of the 94th Combat Wing. The Group's leaders were Major Rod Francis as Air Commander and Lt. Edward R. Bender as pilot. Assembly and flight to the target were without incident. The target was obscured, and a 360 degree turn did not Solve the visibility problem. The secondary target was also obscured. A pre-selected airfield target of opportunity was visible but was not bombed. The Group was on a westward course and was in search for open targets, but none were found. The Group returned to the base without dropping bombs. When the formation was about fifteen miles from the French Coast south of Le Havre, the lead craft, commanded by Major Rod Francis, suddenly burst into flames between the fuselage and the No. 3 engine. It swung out of formation, flew to the Channel, dropped bombs, did a 180 degree turn back to France and the crew bailed out. The craft went into a gentle gliding turn and disappeared into the undercast. Nine parachutes were positively counted with a possible tenth one observed. Major Rod Francis, Group Gunnery Officer Lt Jack Hotaling, Navigators Earl E. Woodard and Arthur T. Cavanaugh, and Radio Operator, Sgt. Laymon M. Mahan, evaded capture and later returned to England. (Compiler Note: For Sgt. Laymon Mahan account of evasion, see Chapter 19.) The crew of Lt Edward R. Bender was lost on this date

Brigadier-General Frank Alton Armstrong Jr. during a visit to the 305th Bomb Group Official caption on image: "(GPR-83-9305) (18-6-43) (Brig. Gen. Armstrong..."

1st Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Unofficial emblem, 305th Bomb Group.

305th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.

306th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 351st Bomb Group.

351st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 238.5 T HE 112.7 T IB

Connections

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

People

Joseph Percy Acker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 06966455
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Robert L Andrus

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32583791
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Steve Andrychuk

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 731st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12208374
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Top turret gunner/ flight engineer

William Rudolph Asbell

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14182638
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Air Force officer pinning award or ribbon on uniform of SSG Beeks

Charles H Beeks

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20441207
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

41-28749

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Wild Irish Rose
  • Unit: 467th Bomb Group 790th Bomb Squadron

41-29342

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Rough Riders
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron

42-102393

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Diana Queen Of The Chase
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron

42-102433

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: - Hitler's Headache
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
Ten men in Air Force uniform posed in front of a military airplane. Five men standing to the rear, five men kneeling in front. The men are wearing combat flying gear. Large canvas bags are laying in front of kneeling men

42-102449

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hale's Angels
  • Unit: 547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group

Revisions

Date
Contributoraquaflow1
Changes
Sources

Added by Karen Turner, daughter of Horace Turner.

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Mission details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Mission details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Associated Bomb Groups of 1st Bomb Division.

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Associated Bomb Group of 1st Bomb Division.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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'.