492

24 July 1944
media-23862.jpeg 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 group. Harold's notes on the back of this map describe the mission as "front lines".

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). __________________________________________________________________________

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: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32626134
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13114417
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer; Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 707th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 0815190
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 3rd Bomb Division 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-753912
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32765852
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner / Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Spirit of 96
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-10706) nicknamed "Miss Bea Havin'" of the 388th Bomb Group flies over countryside. Image via Mark Brown, AFA. Written on slide casing: 'Miss Bea Havin 2107062 M, 562 BS.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Worry Bird/Miss Bea Haven
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
Factory fresh B-17s
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Betty's Revenge
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Miss Aldaflak Section 8
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron 615th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributorcmckeever
Changes
Sources

Daughter - Carol Rollinger McKeever

Date
Changes
Sources

Associated Bomb Groups of 1st Bomb Division.

Date
Changes
Sources

Information sent by Dick Read relating to Arthur M. Read and the 388th Bomb Group. (From 'The 388th At War' by Ed Huntzinger).

Date
Changes
Sources

Remove erroneous notes

Date
Changes
Sources

Information sent by Dick Read relating to Arthur M. Read and the 388th Bomb Group. (From 'The 388th At War' by Ed Huntzinger).

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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'.

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