351
11 May 1944Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 93 T HE
BRUSSELS (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 136 T HE
BRUSSELS/MIDI (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Notes: Another massive attack on railroad marshalling yards in preparation for D-Day. Fighter opposition is very light. 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, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group.
- 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: 148 T HE
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 161 T HE
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 147 T HE
Liège, Belgium
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 350 T HE
LUXEMBOURG (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 457th BG - MISSION NO. 43 - CITY OF LUXEMBOURG, LUXEMBOURG 11 MAY, 1944 This mission was a return of Mission No. 42, in which eighteen aircraft participated. The Group, led by Major George C. Hozier, Air Commander, and Lt. Mark R. Beicher as pilot, formed the low box for the 94th Combat Wing. The weather was ceiling and visibility unlimited (CAVU). The route was direct to the target area. The bombs were released from 17,000 feet with excellent results. No enemy fighters were encountered, and no flak was observed.
- 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: 158 T HE
LUXEMBOURG/BETTEMBOURG (Opportunistic)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 57 T HE
MALINES (Opportunistic)
Description: RAILROAD JUNCTION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 60 T HE
SAARBRUCKEN (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 166 T HE
THIONVILLE (Secondary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 36 T HE
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 47 T HE
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38451507
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade)
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier, Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20441207
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 3rd Bomb Division 13th Combat Bomb Wing 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39123538
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Swiss Miss
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th 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
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Paisano
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Short Straw | Piccadilly Special
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Updated mission pin from 'LEIGE' (the pin had fixed in north England) to 'Liège, Belgium'.
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'.