382

31 May 1944
media-44053.jpeg UPL 44053 8th Air Force mission 382; Hamm Railroad Yard; May 31, 1944. 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 44053 - 8th Air Force mission 382; Hamm Railroad Yard; May 31, 1944. 447th Bomb Group strike photo

Description

Bombed the marshaling yards. Heavy flak but no hits.

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 9 T

Description: RAILROAD TARGETS

Notes: Mission aborted due to extensive cloud cover

A formation of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group enroute to Europe. Printed caption on reverse: '71049 AC- A formation of Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, roars over Europe en route to the target area. 24 November 1944. US Air Force photo.'

2nd Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation
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.'

3rd Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 0.00

BEAUMONT-SUR-OISE (Primary)

Description: RAILROAD BRIDGE

Notes: 458th Bomb Group attacked using AZON radio-controlled bombs against the target without success.

A formation of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group enroute to Europe. Printed caption on reverse: '71049 AC- A formation of Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, roars over Europe en route to the target area. 24 November 1944. US Air Force photo.'

2nd Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 7 T HE

FLORENNES/JUZAINE (Opportunistic)

Description: AIRFIELD

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 90 T HE

GILZE-RIJEN (Opportunistic)

Description: AIRFIELD

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 69 T

HAMM (Opportunistic)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 148 T

LUXEUIL (Primary)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

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, 490th Bomb Group. The 490th Bomb Group flies its first mission. One aircraft of 490th failed to get the recall message and bombed a T/O which was not credited. 457th BG - MISSION NO. 56 - LUXEVILLE, FRANCE 31 MAY, 1944 May ended with a trip to a French military airfield that was used by the German Luftwaffe. The Group provided twelve aircraft to lead the 94th Combat Wing, third in the Division formation. Lt. Col. Henry B. Wilson flew as Air Commander with Lt. Malcolm E. Johnson as pilot. The entire formation was bothered by dense contrails, and the Division leader abandoned the mission, followed by the second wing in the formation. This put the 457th in the lead position. The wings following the 94th Combat B Wing turned around so the 94th found itself alone a hundred miles inland over enemy territory. AP-5 1 fighter group was located overhead, but because of weather conditions became separated from the 94th Combat B Wing. The Wing let down to 18,000 feet and found CAVU conditions. Bombing results were excellent, the bombs dropping directly on the target. No enemy aircraft were encountered and flak was light. Soon after the Wing rally, fighter escort appeared and brought the 94th Combat B Wing back to England. During the month of May, the Group had flown eighteen missions, some being the toughest the 457th had encountered. Later, congratulatory messages were received from the Wing, the Division, and the Eighth Air Force, for the efforts expended during the month. No one knew the invasion date, however, everyone knew it could not be far distant, from the many signs provided by ground communications and aerial missions

Brigadier-General Frank Alton Armstrong Jr. during a visit to the 305th Bomb Group Official caption on image: "(GPR-83-9305) (18-6-43) (Brig. Gen. Armstrong..."

1st Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Unofficial emblem of the 457th Bomb Group.

457th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 97 T

MELUN (Primary)

Description: RAILROAD BRIDGE

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 0.00

NAMUR (Opportunistic)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 12 T

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 135 T

OSNABRUCK (Primary)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

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, 486th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group. The 96th Bomb Group has the unfortunate distinction of sustaining the highest loss rate of any 8th Air Force Bomb Group during operations from January thought May 1944.

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.'

3rd Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 264 T

ROOSENDAAL (Opportunistic)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 35T

SCHWERTE (Primary)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: Official 8th Air Force report of the mission: “287 B-17s are dispatched to hit marshalling yards in Germany; 88 hit Osnabruck, 54 hit Schwerte, 52 hit Oeske and 50 hit Hamm; 1 B-17 is lost and 58 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 10 MIA.

The insignia of the 452nd Bomb Group.

452nd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 156 T

Connections

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

People

Joseph Percy Acker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 06966455
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Paul Clifford Akin

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18216616
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

John Lee Allen

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Arthur Ellsworth Allison

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33574325
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer

Robert B Allison

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 331st Bomb Squadron 65th General Hospital
  • Service Numbers: 55619
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

41-28711

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Little Sheppard
  • Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (4Z-V+) nicknamed "Wolves Inc." of the 791st Bomb Squadron, 467th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '467th B.G., 4Z-V+.'

41-28981

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Wolves Inc.
  • Unit: 467th Bomb Group 789th Bomb Squadron 791st Bomb Squadron

41-29002

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron

42-102396

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 325th Bomb Squadron 92nd Bomb Group
A B-17 Flying Fortress (NV-B, serial number 42-102424) nicknamed "El Lobo" of the 92nd Bomb Group that has crash landed, 24 April 1944. Image via William E "Doc" Furniss, 92nd Bomb Group. Written on slide casing: '2102424 NV:B El Lobo, C/C Chilman, 24/4/44.'

42-102424

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: El Lobo
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributorcmckeever
ChangesChanges to description. Changes to Media
Sources

Daughter - Carol Rollinger McKeevee

Date
Contributorcmckeever
ChangesChanges to person associations
Sources

Daughter - Carol Rollinger McKeever

Date
ContributorPete
ChangesChanges to event
Sources

452nd Bomb Group Assoc.

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
ChangesChanges to event
Sources

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

Date
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
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'.

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