353
12 May 1944
Kneeling, from left : Pilot Harold H. Tucker; Copilot Robert A. Greenwood; Navigator Samuel R. Detwiler Jr; Bombardier Walter Slemensky.
Standing, from left : Engineer/Gunner Lawrence L. Witt; Radio Operator James A. Davis Jr; Ball Turret Gunner Willis D. Boatright; Top Turret Gunner Lloyd D. Stoller; Tail Gunner Jennings C. Greuter.
[ Not pictured : Waist Gunner Lavern R. Maisak ] - Picture courtesy of Laura Edge, daughter of Engineer Lawrence Witt.
Corrected position of the men in the photo
Object Number - UPL 22015 - The Harold Tucker Crew pictured in front of "Our Baby" in Dalhart, Texas, 1944. Kneeling, from left : Pilot Harold H. Tucker; Copilot Robert A....
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 23.9 T HE
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 4.6 T HE
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 220 T HE
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Notes: 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. 3rd Bomb Division came under heavy German fighter attack, 96th Bomb Group lost 12 B-17s and 452nd Bomb Group lost 14 B-17s on theis 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.'](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: 309 T HE
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 1.8 T HE
CHEMNITZ (Opportunistic)
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 26.2 T HE
GERA (Opportunistic)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 25.2 T HE
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 3.7 T HE
HOF (Opportunistic)
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 28.5 T HE
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 457th BG - MISSION NO. 44 - LUTZKENDORF, GERMANY 12 MAY, 1944 The long awaited blitz on the German synthetic oil refineries occasioned the largest air raid the Eighth Air Force had yet undertaken. The 45 7th furnished the lead and low boxes for the 94th B Combat Wing for the assault on Lutzkendorf, producer of 30,000 tons of petrol and diesel oil annually. The target was six miles west of Merseburg. Major Fred A. Spencer flew as Air Commander of the B lead box with Lt. Jerry Godfrey flying as pilot. Captain Jacob M. Dickinson led the B low box, with Lt. Clarence E. Schuchmann as pilot. The weather was CAVU, but ground haze and smoke Obscured visibility. Bombing results were fair. No enemy fighter opposition was encountered, and flak was moderate but accurate. Eleven craft sustained damage. On the return trip to the base, a German operated B-17 joined the formation near Coblenz and continued with the formation to Brussels. Also, the craft piloted by Lt. John Akers encountered engine trouble. His plane began to lag behind the formation and was last seen near Eisenach on the trip back to England. With only one engine providing power and flying at 1,500 feet altitude, the crew bailed out over Belgium and all were taken as POWs. Because of the seriousness of his injuries, Lt. Akers was later involved in a prisoner of war exchange through the International Red Cross and returned to the States. He was hospitalized until May 1946, when he was discharged. Although the 457th's crews saw no enemy fighters, wings of the 3rd Division met severe attacks, causing the loss of thirty- two bombers. It was reported the Luftwaffe pilots resorted to ramming the B.-17s. Total losses for the Eighth amounted to forty-two craft. The mission was the first of many to be directed against the synthetic oil refineries. Meanwhile, on the Base, a lack of military courtesy by members of the command was noted. As a consequence, classes were conducted for all personnel reported for having failed to salute. The course consisted of two one-hour lectures on military customs and courtesies. The crew of Lt John Akers was lost on this date
- 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: 168.5 T HE
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Notes: This is the first 8th Air Force attack on oil production targets. Luftwaffe opposition is heavy. However, the missions are escorted by 735 fighters (see VIII Fighter Command FO 337) and they claim 61 enemy aircraft destroyed and 11 damaged. Albert Speer, appointed by Hitler to coordinate all wartime armament production, will later write in his memoirs that this was the date when Germany lost the war. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 3521st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 430.4 T HE
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 29 T HE
OSTEND (Opportunistic)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 2.5 T HE
ZEITZ (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERIES
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, 492nd Bomb Group.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 256.4 T HE
ZWICKAU (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERIES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 158 T HE
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 856th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-663450
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 06966455
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 457th Bomb Group 748th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 0811302
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot - Flying Fortress
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36703821
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Togglier, Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 857th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 0-810985
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Diana Queen Of The Chase
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- 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
- 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
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'.
