395
6 June 1944
Associated missions
Object Number - UPL 38797 - The Military Service Record for Philip G. Rodgers Showing His Completion Of 30 Missions As Well As The Awards He Received
Official Description
Eighth reaches its top strength as 493d Bomb Group (H) becomes operational, making a total of 40 Heavy Bomber Groups now operational. Heavy Bombers fly 4 missions in spite of the invasion of Normandy.
The third mission is dispatched against the important communications center of Caen. 56 B-24’s bomb through overcast skies.
Transportation chokepoints in towns immediately S and E of assault area are the objectives of the fourth mission for the Eighth. 553 HBs bomb targets including Vire, Saint- Lo, Coutances, Falaise, Lisieux, Thury-Harcourt, Pont-l’Eveque, Argentan, and Conde-sur-Noireau. In all, 1,729 HBs of Eighth AF drop 3,596 tons of bombs during D-Day, suffering only 3 losses (to ground fire and a collision).
Description
D-Day. Start of Operation Overlord.
Mission Details
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
ARGENTAN
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
CAEN (Primary)
Description: COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
Notes: The 2nd Bomb Division was made up of all 2nd Bomb Division Bomb Groups.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 157 T
CONDE-SUR-NOIREAU
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
COUTANCES
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
FALAISE
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
LISIEUX
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS.
Notes: These attacks were made in the afternoon. Transportation chokepoints South and East of the assault area are targeted. D-Day : Everyone knew that "The Invasion" would be soon and everyone was ready to get going with it. It was one of those moments that one knew was going to be momentous even before it happen and everyone wanted to be a part of it. The 388th BG's part was chosen to lead the entire 8th Air Force that day.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 1,490 T
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
SAINT LO
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
THURY-HARCOURT
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
VIRE
Description: HIGHWAY ROAD JUNCTIONS
Connections
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People
- 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
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier / Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-735233
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator / Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Short Straw : Piccadilly Special
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Odd Ball : Double In Brass
- Unit: 571st Bomb Squadron 390th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron 95th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ol' Faithful
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wizard of Oz
- Unit: 562nd Bomb Squadron 388th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ole Worrybird
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Information sent by Dick Read relating to Arthur M. Read and the 388th Bomb Group.
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'.