351

11 May 1944

Mission 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.

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.

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

Mark Gilles
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 3rd Air Division 13th Combat Bomb Wing 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron Headquarters (13th Combat Bomb Wing)
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot/Instructor/Evaluator/SquadronCC
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-752847
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron 786th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35508372
  • Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15130884 / O-690411
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34507515
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flexible Gunner/ Togglier

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron 398th Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Kentucky Colonel aka Helena II
  • Unit: 398th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Doasy Doats
  • Unit: Base Air Depot 1 398th Bomb Group 603rd Bomb Squadron 491st Bomb Group 600th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Ground personnel of the 452nd Bomb Group attend to the wreck of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-107134) nicknamed "Round Trip" of the 388th Bomb Group, destroyed by German dive bombers. Image via William C Gaither. Letter from Gaither enclosed with print: ‘These photographers were taken at Poltava, Russia on June 22 1944. On June 21st my group, the 452d and others flew from England to Poltava en route hitting oil refinery at Rhurland, Germany. That night after landing German dive bombers bombed
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Round Trip
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Updated mission pin from 'LEIGE' (the pin had fixed in north England) to 'Liège, Belgium'.

Date
Changes
Sources

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

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'.