361

22 May 1944
media-44303.jpeg UPL 44303 8th Air Force mission 361; May 22, 1944; Kiel, Germany. 447th Bomb Group strike photo 447th Bomb Group collection

Timothy Motz, from Pictorial History of the 447th Bombardment Group (H) https://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/41056

Object Number - UPL 44303 - 8th Air Force mission 361; May 22, 1944; Kiel, Germany. 447th Bomb Group strike photo

Description

From diary of Lt. David W. Leblanc: "Was up at four for a mission to Kiel, Germany. I went as first pilot and Rocky as my co-pilot. Every thing went along swell except at target. Flack was moderate but extremely accurate. Two ships in the lead squadron received direct hits. The flames from one were licking our right wing and we could feel the heat in the cockpit. As far as we know no one got out of either ship. We had several holes in our ship. We flew beautiful formation today. Made a fairly good landing. Hayden - our waist gunner finished up today."

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 12.5 T HE

KIEL (Primary)

Description: HARBOUR INSTALLATION

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 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, 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, 96th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group. 457th BG - MISSION NO. 48 - MEL, GERMANY 22 MAY, 1944 The 457th Bomb Group led the entire Eighth Air Force, consisting of seven combat wings, on the raid to the submarine yards at Kiel Colonel Hams E. Rogner, flying a PFF ship and later to become the Commanding Officer of the 457th, was Air Commander for the mission. Major George C. Hozier Was Deputy Lead. The primary target was attacked; however, the bomb results were not good. There was no enemy air opposition. Flak was moderate and inaccurate with two craft sustaining damage.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 623 T HE

SIRACOURT (Primary)

Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 336. 5 T HE

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

Joseph W Jennings

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-755018
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier / Navigator / Bombardier Instructor

Martin J Kilcoyne

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32626134
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner

George Clifford Montgomery

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-747464
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Frank Delgado Perez

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39557480
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
A bomber crew of the 453rd Bomb Group wait on a jeep. Letter enclosed with print: '[Left to Right] James E Terwilliger- Waist Gunner, Luhter M Clark- Co-pilot, Carl Powell- Navigator, Lattie P Head- Nose Gunner, Nicholas Radosevich- Pilot, Edmund M Survilla- Tail Gunner, Lt ? Lee- Bombardier (Robert Burgess was the Bombardier on the original crew), Joseph D Craft- Radio operator, Robert Victor- Waist Gunner, Robert O Hanson- Engineer- Top Turret. Original Cadre- Model (Crew #41) 734th Squadron, 453rd Bomb

Nicholas Radosevich

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-743088
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

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

42-107134

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Round Trip
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group

42-107165

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Paula Sue
  • Unit: 563rd Bomb Squadron 388th Bomb Group

42-107198

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron

42-107207

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron

42-30212

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Quarterback
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorB17VforVictor
Changes
Sources

Not sure if I am doing this correctly. I would like to add a mission narrative (see above) from my Grandfather's diary regarding this mission.

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
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'.

361: Gallery (2 items)