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

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 3rd Bomb Division 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-753912
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32845263
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39250129
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 366th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-686117
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Spook Six
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 457th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Heaven Can Wait, Boche Buster
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
Ten men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of a military airplane.  Five men standing to the rear and five men kneeling in front.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Nuttal's Nut House
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Bomber's Angel
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Berlin Bessie : I Dood It
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron

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'.