414
15 June 1944
Object Number - UPL 34107 - "At Cinqmars in northern France, Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the U.S. 8th AAF dropped heavy concentrations on the bridge there. This attack...
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 22 T
ANGOULEME (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 457th BG - MISSION NO. 67 - ANGOULEME, FRANCE 15 JUNE, 1944 A German panzer division, which had been disposed in southwestern France, was scheduled to entrain at Angouleme for the Normandy beachhead. The delay or destruction of the division had been requested by the Allied ground forces. The 457th and the 35 1st Groups were assigned the task. The 457th sent thirty-six aircraft aloft to compose the entire 94th B Combat Wing. The 351St comprised the A Combat Wing. Major William F. Smith was the 457th's Air Commander with Captain Russell M. Selwyn as pilot of the lead B box. Major Theodore C. Hoffman was Commander of the high B box with Lt. Mark R. Beicher as pilot, and Major Jacob M. Dickinson Commander of the low B box, with Captain Alfred W. Fischer as pilot. Entry into France was over the Normandy beachhead. CAVU conditions existed for the first time since the commencement of the invasion and the entire fighting area was visible to the crews. The Group bombed the marshaling yards with excellent results, leaving a pile of rubble. The special request of the ground forces had been fulfilled. En route back to England, along the coast of the Bay of Biscay, across the Brest Peninsula and the English Channel, perfect visibility enabled the crews to observe the vast shipping of both the enemy forces and the Allies There was no enemy aircraft opposition and flak was light and inaccurate.
- 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: 204 T
BEAUVOIR (Primary)
Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 176 T
BORDEAUX/MERIGNAC (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 343 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 63 T
CINQ MARS (Primary)
Description: BRIDGE
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 141 T
ETAMPES/MONDESIR (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 118 T
ÉVREUX (Primary) / FAUVILLE (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 183 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 35 T
GUYANCOURT (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 69 T
HANNOVER (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 5 T
HANNOVER/MISBURG (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Notes: 3rd Bomb Division attacks on these targets were made by the B-17 Groups, i.e. 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, 486 Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group.
![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: 419 T
HELGOLAND ISLAND (Opportunistic)
Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 2 T
Description: RAIL JUNCTION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 176 T
LE MANS (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 46 T
Description: RAILROAD BRIDGE
Notes: All 2nd Bomb Division except the 458th Bomb Group and all of the 3rd Bomb Division take part. 12 B-24s use Azon missiles against the Etaples railroad bridge and 7 others use missiles against the Pecrone railroad bridge.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 267 T
NANTES (Opportunistic)
Description: VIADUCT
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 25 T
NANTES (Primary)
Description: RAILROAD BRIDGE-NORTH
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 210 T
NANTES (Primary)
Description: RAILROAD BRIDGE-SOUTH
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 137 T
ORLEANS/SARAN (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 36 T
Description: COMMUNICATIONS TARGETS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 81 T
Description: HIGHWAY BRIDGE
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 35 T
Description: RAILROAD BRIDGE
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 174 T
Description: TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 199 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 40 T
WILSTER (Primary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 42 T
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: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-758675
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-749187
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35447653
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade)
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20441207
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Swiss Miss
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th 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: The Thomper
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Big Dog
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th 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'.
