451
4 July 1944
Object Number - UPL 65551 - Bowman Crew, 859th BS, 492nd BG. Back row, left to right: Vernon Rood, Bombardier; Jock, Pilotage Navigator; William Kriegel, Navigator; James...
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 2 T
Beaumont-le-Roger, France
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 110.2 T
BEAUMONT-SUR-OISE (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 56.5 T
CONCHES
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 23.9 T
CONCHES
Description: AIRFIELD
Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Group, 491st Bomb Group, 492nd Bomb Group. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-24s is 486th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Group.
- 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.'](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: 132.2 T
CREIL (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 56.5 T
DREUX (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Notes: Airfields and bridges in France were the intended targets, but weather hampered operations. Of the 12 B-17 groups despatched only 379th Bomb Group and 384th Bomb Group attacked the primaries. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 352nd Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group. 457th BG - MISSION NO. 80 - SAUMUR, FRANCE - 4 JULY, 1944 The railroad bridge at Saumur on the main line between Paris and Bordeaux, enables German reinforcements to move from the south to the battle front. It has been bombed several times but has always been rebuilt. Two wings of the 94th Combat Wing were assigned to the target. The 457th provided twenty-four aircraft for the lead and low boxes of the B Wing. Major Smith was Air Commander of the lead box with Captain Beicher as pilot, and Captain Godfrey led the low box with Lt. Brackley as pilot. Assembly was accomplished without difficulty; however, the Wing was forced to execute several double drifts because the AWing was late in arriving in proper position in the formation. Route to the target was again over the Normandy beachhead. There was a complete undercast and no sighting of the target was made. The mission was abandoned and the aircraft returned to the Base. Neither antiaircraft fire nor fighter opposition was encountered.
- 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: 45.6 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 92 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 42.1 T
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 856th Bomb Squadron 801st Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: O-564743
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36215923 / O-692248
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-706110
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Spam-O-Liner
- Unit: 545th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Hale's Angels
- Unit: 547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Gremlins Hotel : Queenie
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Doodle Bug
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th 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'.
