492
24 July 1944
Original map now in the collection of the Museum of the US Air Force, Dayton, Ohio. 447th Bomb Group collection
Timothy Motz
Object Number - UPL 23862 - Mission Map for 8th Air Force mission #492, St. Lo, on July 24, 1944, from Harold Motz, navigator on the Westrope crew, 708th Squadron, 447th bomb...
Description
Bombed enemy troop concentrations and thus assisted the Allied breakthrough at St. Lo. About 1500 planes of US went to St. Lo in Cherbourg. We came back with our bombs. Couldn't find the target.
Mission Details
Description: RAILROAD JUNCTIONS
Notes: Some of the bombs fall short and land on units of the 30th Infantry Division, killing 27 soldiers and wounding 131 others. A tragic 'friendly-fire" incident.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 68.4 T
PERIERS.ST LO
Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION
Notes: All groups of the 2nd and 3rd Bomb Divisions participate except the 486th Bomb Group and 487th Bomb Group. OPERATION COBRA - First use of heavy bombers in a tactitcal role. Plan is to bomb troop concentrations on the SW side of the straight road (107 degrees E) between Periers and St. Lo. The area is defined by a rectangle 1,500 yards wide by 3,500 yards long immediately parallel to the road. The weather is overcast and the target area is not readily visible. The bombers are to attack from 10,000 feet. It was assumed that the bombers would fly parallel to the road and bomb the length of the rectangle, however, because of the number of bombers in the formation it was decided by 8th Air Force representatives that the bombers would fly perpendicular to the rectangle. Units of the First Army were poised just 800 to 1200 yards NW of the road ready to pounce upon the dazed Germans once the strike was completed. Because of the heavy overcast, Air Chief Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory, who was responsible for coordinating Allied strategic bombing in Normandy issued a recall order to the bomber stream but too late to prevent 343 from dropping 685 tons of bombs. ___________________________________________________________________________ On the 24th of July the whole 8th Air Force was dispatched to a target West of St. Lo, France for saturation bombing to aid a break through of our Ground forces in that area. The 388th Bomb Group furnished three Groups, composing the 45th Combat Wing. 35 aircraft were airborne between 0910 and 0940 hours and there were no aborts. Formations were effected and the Wing proceeded to the target on the briefed course. Weather in the target was hazy with broken skies causing the Wing to make four bomb runs. Bombs were away at 1311 hours from 16,000 feet on a mag heading of 325 degrees. Meager accurate flak was encountered in the target area along with 10-12 rockets. We were the only Wing in the Division that dropped its bombs. In all the Groups of the 3rd Division the total battle damage was 21 minor and 1 major to the aircraft with no casualties. All of our aircraft returned to base by 1603 hours. (From 'The 388th At War' by Ed Huntzinger). __________________________________________________________________________
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
- 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: 661.6 T
Description: HIGHWAY JUNCTIONS, RAIL JUNCTIONS and TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Notes: No friendly-fire incidents in this group.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 214.5 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: 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: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18216616
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier, Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Wolves Inc.
- Unit: 467th Bomb Group 789th Bomb Squadron 791st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Gallopin Ghost
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Diana Queen Of The Chase
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Double Wallop
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Daughter - Carol Rollinger McKeever
Associated Bomb Groups of 1st Bomb Division.
Information sent by Dick Read relating to Arthur M. Read and the 388th Bomb Group. (From 'The 388th At War' by Ed Huntzinger).
Information sent by Dick Read relating to Arthur M. Read and the 388th Bomb Group. (From 'The 388th At War' by Ed Huntzinger).
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'.
