392

5 June 1944
media-44305.jpeg UPL 44305 8th Air Force mission 392; June 5, 1944; Le Touguet, France beach defenses. 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 44305 - 8th Air Force mission 392; June 5, 1944; Le Touguet, France beach defenses. 447th Bomb Group strike photo

Official Description

629 Heavy Bombers attack 6 coastal defence installations in Cherbourg-Caen area and 8 in Pas de Calais area, along with 3 V-weapon sites and a railroad bridge. 6 Bombers are lost.

Mission Details

BOULOGNE (Primary)

Description: COASTAL DEFENSES

CAEN (Primary)

Description: COASTAL DEFENSES

CHERBOURG (Primary)

Description: COASTAL DEFENSES

Description: COASTAL DEFENSES

Notes: Bomb Groups participating 44th Bomb Group, 91st Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group, 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Group, 491st Bomb Group, 491st Bomb Group.

Description: COASTAL DEFENSES

Description: COASTAL DEFENSES

Notes: Lt. Col. Leon R. Vance, Jr (Navigator,) 489th Bomb Group lead aircraft B-24 41-28690 44th Bomb Group/66th BS, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on this mission. He was acting as the lead navigator for the 489th Bomb Group on this mission. This was the only CMOH to be awarded to any B-24 crewman in 8th Air Force. He survived the wounds he received this day and was to be awarded the medal upon his return to the United States. However, Lt. Col Vance was lost in action on 26 July 1944 when the aircraft in which he was a passenger and that was carrying wounded back to the States was lost over the Atlantic. This was the 11th CMOH to be awarded to a member of the 8th Air Force

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 1,896 T

Connections

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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35090696
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35733061
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 707th Bomb Squadron
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-819669
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Devil's Brat
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ol' Faithful
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Due Back
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Big Dog
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Wizard of Oz
  • Unit: 562nd Bomb Squadron 388th Bomb Group

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

USAAF Combat Chronology.

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'.

392: Gallery (3 items)