344
8 May 1944
466th BG Historian
Object Number - UPL 13326 - B-24H-10-DT #41-28743 "Eastern Beast" Code: 2U-H
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 2.5 T HE
BERLIN (Primary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: The 45 Combat Bombardment Wing became separated from the Berlin force and came under heavy attack by German fighters. They bombed Brunswick as a target of last resort. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 405th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group. 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. 96th Bomb Group takes a beating, losing 10 B-17s. 457th BG - MISSION NO. 41 - BERLIN, GERMANY 8 MAY, 1944 The center of Berlin was the target. The 457th put up the lead box and two-thirds of the high box in the 94th Combat Wing. Col. Luper served as Air Commander of the lead A Wing, with Lt. Russell M. Selwyn as pilot. Captain William F. Smith was Air Commander of the high box, while Lt. Charles D. Brannan was pilot. The 40 1st Bomb Group comprised the low box. The target was completely overcast, so the fourteen attacking aircraft bombed the primary target with unobserved results. Ten aircraft bombed Brandenburg and its vicinity, also with unobserved results; eleven craft attacked targets of opportunity. Bombing was done in a wing bombing formation. The smoke bomb of the wing lead PFF craft failed to operate and trail smoke. This complication caused a problem to develop because the low and lead groups could not see the bombs fall. Upon being advised the bombs had been dropped, the other craft sought optional targets. Flak opposition was intense, damaging seventeen aircraft. One of the craft in the low box (401st) took a direct hit causing it to go into a spin and crash. Only one chute was observed.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
![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
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 892 T HE
BRANDENBURG (L)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 42 T HE
BRUNSWICK (L)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 101.5 T HE
Brunswick, Germany
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group 389th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 794.5 T HE
MAGDERBURG (L)
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 18.5 T HE
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14084471
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31037975 / O-681515
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- 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: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38133497
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 2nd Bomb Division 20th Combat Bomb Wing 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-809318
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Little Sheppard
- Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Eastern Beast
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 325th Bomb Squadron 92nd Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
![An airman of the 95th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-102447) nicknamed "El's Belles". First handwritten caption on reverse: 'F/L on last of 365's bases in Belgium other side "Angels Sister" [name struck-out and annotated 'No'] 365 FG C Johnson/icm/75' Second handwritten caption on reverse: 'BG-A 95 BG.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379271.jpg.webp?itok=QwML6lTh)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: El's Belles
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
466th BG Historian
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'.
