507

31 July 1944
media-20355.jpeg 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 and spent the rest of the war as a POW. Photo taken by Byron Cook from an adjacent B-17 in formation.

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.

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.

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). ___________________________________________________________________________

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: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39123538
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12159739
  • Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-747209
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-756179
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Challenger
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Damn Yankee
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ol' Faithful
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Big Dog
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Packawalup III
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 94th Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributorcmckeever
Changes
Sources

Daughter - Carol Rollinger McKeever

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'.

507: Gallery (3 items)