484
20 July 1944
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 1213 - B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 351st Bomb Group, including (RQ-P, serial number 42-97193) and (serial number 43-37920) fly through flak bursts during...
Description
A rough one. Bombed an oil refinery near Leipzeig. Flak put several holes in the plane; ine in number 3 gas tank. Came back on 3 engines.
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 17.5 T
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 18 T
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 42.6 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 31.2 T
BAD SALZUNGEN (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 29.5 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 27 T
BITTERFELD (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 26.9 T
BOPPARD (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 18 T
DESSAU (Primary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Notes: OPERATION GOODWOOD undertaken by Lieutenant-General Sir Richard O'Conners VIII Corps ends unsuccessfully. The objective was to attack SSE of Caen and capture the bridge at Bourguebus. The area was heavily defended by German Panzer units The British armour, denied infantry support, was massacred by the 88mm guns of the German Tiger tanks. Over 400 British tanks were destroyed. However, the attack did shift the German's attention away from the St. Lo sector on the German left flank which will aid the American's OPERATION COBRA to be more successful. British GEN Montgomery, after the war, explained that it was always his plan for the British to draw German resistance in the Caen sector to enable the Americans to break out on the right. Also, all 8th Air Force flight crews will be reduced to 9-man crews for the remainder of the war. Some crews new to the theater will fly 10-man crews. The reduction is one waist gunner.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 253 T
ERFURT NORD (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
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, 491 Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 312.3 T
ERFURT/BINDERSLEBEN (Opportunistic)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 29 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 62 T
FULDA (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 50 T
GIESSEN (Opportunistic)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 21.7 T
GOTHA (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 197.3 T
HOMBURG (Opportunistic)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 27 T
IDSTEIN (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 35.5 T
KOBLENZ (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 17 T
KOLLEDA (Opportunistic)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 57.5 T
KOTHEN (Primary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 164.5 T
LEIPZIG (Primary)
Description: BALL BEARING PLANT
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 97.7 T
LEIPZIG/MOCKAU (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 124.7 T
LUTZKENDORF (Primary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 129.5 T
MERSEBURG (Primary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-17s is 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group. 96th Bomb Group stands down.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 374 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 90 T
RUDOLSTADT (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 23.1 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-24s is 34th Bomb Group, 486th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Group, 491st Bomb Group, 493rd Bomb Group. Number despatched, number successful and bomb tonnage not given in source data. Numbers listed are estimates by the author. Loss and DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR (DBR) data confirmed.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 250 T
SCHMALKALDEN (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 245.9 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 28 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 117 T
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39123538
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 398th Bomb Group 601st Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18043858 at enlistment, then O-769095
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 418th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38372191
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 418th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15335693
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Engineer
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th 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: Lucky Lady : Screaming Eagle
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Kenny
- Unit: 544th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Challenger
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary.
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'.