507
31 July 1944
Source: Jayna DeRidder-Huotari, granddaughter of Joseph A. DeRidder
Object Number - UPL 20355 - Photo of "Devil's Luck" (42-32030) exploding over Munich on July 31, 1944. All crew were killed except for one, Fred Justus, who managed to bail out...
Description
Flak knocked out #2 engine, the interphone system, the VHF plus other damages. We got back to the base before the formation.
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 10.3 T
CRIEL (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 81 T
LAON/ATHIES (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
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.
![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: 106.5 T
LUDWIGSHAFEN (Primary)
Description: CHEMICAL WORKS
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.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 1230.3 T
MUNICH (Primary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Notes: By this date, elements of First Army have advanced more than 20 miles through the gap provided by OPERATION COBRA and have taken Avranches. The 379th Bomb Group is awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for operations (1st of 2) conducted between 38 May 43 and 31 July 44. 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. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-17s is 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group. ___________________________________________________________________________ For this mission the 388th Bomb Group furnished 30 aircraft plus 3 PFF aircraft. Our A Group was the lead Group with our B Group as the low Group in the 45th A Combat Wing formation. The 452nd Bomb Group filled out the high Group. All of our aircraft were airborne between 0845 and 0908 hours. Due to the weather, formation assembly was by instrument procedures. At Southwold, the Wing formation started to climb to 20,000 feet. At Control Point #3 the Wing started the climb to bombing altitude but went 1,000 feet higher because of contrails. 2 aircraft plus 1 PFF a/c aborted from the A Group. The primary target was bombed using PFF methods because of cloud coverage. Flak was fairly heavy and accurate at the target where we lost two of our planes. Lt. Crider in a/c 42102435, was hit over the target and asked for a heading for Switzerland. They were flying without a navigator on this mission. With 2 engines on fire and knowing that they would be unable to make it, the crew bailed out near Memminger, Germany. Lt. Castrup in a/c 42-32030 "Devil's Luck", was hit by flak over the target and blew-up. He was flying tail-end Charlie in the low Group. No enemy fighters were seen and our friendly fighter support was very good. Our aircraft returned to base by 1720 hours. We had one crewman killed and one wounded. (From 'The 388th At War' by Ed Huntzinger). ___________________________________________________________________________
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 1499.3 T
MUNICH-ALLACH (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 90 T
POIX (Opportunistic)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 1.5 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 77.5 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: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36743988
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: MOS 757 - Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner, AAF
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-716310
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-815910
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 94th Bomb Group 331st Bomb Squadron 65th General Hospital
- Service Numbers: 55619
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- 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-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Diana Queen Of The Chase
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Down N Go
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th 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
![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
Revisions
Daughter - Carol Rollinger McKeever
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'.
