531

8 August 1944
Eleven men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of an airplane. Five men standing to the rear and six men kneeling in front. Some of the men are wearing flying gear. There is also some gear lying in front of the men. UPL 66846 UPL 66846 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews/8 August 1944, Bretteville sur Laize, France.
Back L-R: Lt. K. Garrison (N), 2nd Lt. Frank Gudowski (OBS/TG), 2nd Lt. Cecil Hobdey (N), 2nd Lt. Alfred Hendrix (B), unidentified 1.
Front L-R: Capt. John Shelley (AC/CP), unidentified 2, unidentified 3, 1st Lt. James McCartney (P), SSgt. Clifford Snyder (FG), unidentified 4.
To Be Identified: TSgt. Morton Sapolin (RO), TSgt. Joseph Frisbee (TT), SSgt. Rufus Saunders (BT), SSgt. Wade Flannery (FG).

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On

Object Number - UPL 66846 - 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews/8 August 1944, Bretteville sur Laize, France. Back L-R: Lt. K. Garrison (N), 2nd Lt. Frank Gudowski (OBS/TG), 2nd Lt....

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 213 T

Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 324.8 T

Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION

Notes: This is another instance where heavy bombers were used in a tactical application with tragic results. 25 Canadian soldiers were killed and another 131 wounded by short bombing. It is not clear why this operation was approved as Gen. Eisenhower had forbid their use as a tactical weapon after the 25 June 44 debacle where Gen Leslie McNair had been killed. Apparently, because only British and Canadian troops were in the area, and because they had been stalled at Caen since at least the 15th of June, Field Marshal Montgomery convinced Eisenhower and the Staff of 8th AF to try this one more time to allows his 2nd Army to breakout of the stalemate. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd BG, 303rd BG,305th BG, 306th BG, 351st BG, 379th BG, 381st BG, 384th BG, 398th BG, 401st BG, 457th BG. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-17s is 94th BG, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th BG, 385th BG, 388th BG, 390th BG, 447th BG, 452nd BG.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 618.5 T

GOUVIX (Primary)

Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 4.5 T

ST SYLVAN (Primary)

Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 327 T

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

Aircraft

42-97344

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Carrie B II
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

42-97383

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: N-Nan
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortresses (serial number 43-38521), (DI-G, serial number 42-31974), (DI-V, serial number 42-97407) and (serial number 42-102972) of the 390th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '390BG.'

42-97407

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The As-Te-Risk
  • Unit: 1st Strategic Air Depot 390th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron 570th Bomb Squadron

42-97478

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Shade Ruff #2
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97487) nicknamed "Hangover Haven" of the 401st Bomb Group after crash landing at Deenethorpe, 3 October 1944 Official caption on image: "GAD-1079 - (48-401)-(4-10-44) 7487 Crash." Handwritten caption on reverse: '3/10/44 A, 296 Extra. V. Maslen, 7487, "Hangover Haven".'

42-97487

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hangover Haven
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

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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