438

24 June 1944

Mission Details

ABBEVILLE (Primary)

Description: POWER STATION

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 36.4 T

Description: POWER STATION

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 457th BG - MISSION NO. 76 - HOLQUE, FRANCE 24 JUNE, 1944 The mission was a late afternoon operation with the target being an electric power plant that provided electricity in the Calais area. The target was located one mile from Watton, a name that had become familiar to the 45 7th. Twelve aircraft were assigned for the mission. Major Eugene Peresich was Air Commander and Lt. William L. Brackley was pilot. The force flew directly to Holque without Wing assembly. The target, a very small building in an open field beside a railroad track presented a difficult challenge. The weather was CAVU with a slight haze in the target area. The bomb run and bombs away from 25,000 feet, were excellent, with 95% of the bombs falling within 1000 feet of the target. Light antiaircraft fire was inaccurate.

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: 39 T

PAS-DE-CALAIS (Primary)

Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES

Notes: 1st Bomb Division was made up of 351st Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.

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

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 80 T

PAS-DE-CALAIS (Primary)

Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Group, 491st Bomb Group

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: 241 T

Description: TRANSPORTATION TARGET

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 36 T

SAINT-POL-SUR-MER (Secondary)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 17 T

Tingry, France

Description: POWER STATION

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 31.1 T

Connections

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

People

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

Joseph Roscoe Amber

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36703821
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Togglier, Waist Gunner

William A Atkinson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Robert Eugene Bellora

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13057861
  • Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer/Waist Gunner

Paul P Bensel

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-523642
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

The insignia of the 561st Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group.

42-102589

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30177) nicknamed "Charlene". Printed caption on reverse: '61552 AC- Crew of the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Charlene". England. 30 August 1943. Standing left to right are: 2nd Lt John N Harlan, Boise, Idaho; 1st Lt Charles Bliss, Los Angeles, California; 2nd Lt Vernon D Dunkin, Columbus, Ohio; 2nd Lt Bernard J Quenneville, Hadley, Mass. Kneeling left to right: S/Sgt Ro

42-30177

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Charlene
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 36th Bomb Squadron 562nd Bomb Squadron 803rd Bomb Squadron

42-31410

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Berlin Bessie, I Dood It
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron

42-31939

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Spook Six
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron

42-5444

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: We Dood It
  • Unit: 403rd Air Depot 303rd Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron 545th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date4 Nov 2015 22:55:49
ContributorMarcD
ChangesChanges to name, person associations and aircraft associations
Sources

Book: Liberator crashed in Wulpen-Oostduinkerke in 1944 : reminiscence of a local war drama and an attempt to reconstruct the tragic event . Authors: Sylvain en Marc Demolder. Editer: Antwerpen : Marc Demolder, 2005. 41 p. : ill. ; 30 cm

Date27 May 2015 12:19:36
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
ChangesChanges to event
Sources

Amendment to map location.

Date27 May 2015 12:16:52
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
ChangesChanges to event
Sources

amendment to map location

Date27 May 2015 12:15:16
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/

Date27 Sep 2014 18:43:07
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'.