Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORY

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORY

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: Attacks are frustrated by cloud cover. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group. Targets in Germany, especially aircraft plants and oil production are heavily defended by AA batteries and the Luftwaffe, although crippled and decimated in France still comes up after the bombers. MISSION NO. 89 457th BG -MUNICH, GERMANY - 16 JULY, 1944 Munich, having received a two-day respite, was the objective for the fourth time in six days of the striking power of American heavy bombers. The field order was the same as before. Bomb Allach if weather permits. Bomb Munich if clouds obscure the ground. The 457th Group dispatched thirty-six planes aloft to comprise the lead and low boxes of the 94th A Combat Wing, with Major Hozier and Lt. Russell M. Selwyn leading in a PFF plane. Major Dickinson led the low box. After a normal assembly, the formation, sixth in the Division line, proceeded across the North Sea to the Scheldt Islands. Again no variation or deception had been put in the penetration route. It was exactly the same as the last three missions. The flight south over Belgium and thence southeast over northern France, Luxembourg and Germany, to a point fifty miles from the IP was uneventful. The cloud cover increased to ten- tenths near Stuttgart and rose abruptly from 14,000 to 22,000 feet. Dense and persistent contrails interfered with the formation flying. The Division formation became disrupted. A turn northeast was executed to hold it intact. The IP was far to the south as it was passed, still the course was held although Munich was fifty miles to the south. Finally, when a turn was made for a run on the city, Regensburg lay directly beneath the thick clouds which now had risen to 26,000 feet. The bomb run would be from the northeast instead of the northwest. The bombs were released from 27,000 feet. It was therefore certain that the bombs landed in the center of the city. At this height the flak, though intense, was vely inaccurate. Much of it was a thousand or more feet below. After bombing, the Wing formation proceeded in the return route by itself. The aircraft returned without loss. Four times in six days southern Germany had borne the weight of more than one thousand American heavy bombers.

1st Bomb Division

• Unit Hierarchy: Division
• Air Force: Eighth Air Force
• Type Category: Bombardment

457th Bomb Group

• Unit Hierarchy: Group
• Air Force: Eighth Air Force
• Type Category: Bombardment

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 392nd 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,492nd Bomb Group. 491st Bomb Group stands down.

2nd Bomb Division

• Unit Hierarchy: Division
• Air Force: Eighth Air Force
• Type Category: Combat organisation

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORY

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-17s is 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group. 100th Bomb Group stands down.

3rd Bomb Division

• Unit Hierarchy: Division
• Air Force: Eighth Air Force
• Type Category: Combat organisation