541
11 August 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 23924 - Map for 8th Air Force mission #541 to Belfort, France on August 11, 1944. From estate of Harold Motz, navigator on the Westrope crew, 708th squadron,...
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 2.5 T
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 3 T
BELFORT (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 96th Bomb Group, 100th BG, 388th BG, 447th BG, 452nd BG, 486th BG, 487th BG.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 185.7 T
COULOMMIERS (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD Excerpt from Ted's Travelling Circus: 93rd Bombardment Group (H) - USAAF - 1942-45 by Carroll (Cal) Stewart. Page 368 "There were two Circus missions to Coulommiers Aerodrome; the effort was designed to "pot-hole" the field and further impede GAF mischief-makers. Number 1 - six 329th Squadron pathfinders led squadrons of the Circus and 446th Group (Bungay). Lieutenants Edward W. Appell. Stoner and Hayes ushered the 93rd; Lieutenants Fischer, Elliott and Hagler showed the way for the Bungay crowd. Number 2 - Thirty Circus ships were dispatched under Captain Wayne Beumeler, four aborted, 26 reached the targets, several didn't unload. The lead's navigational gear went haywire. Flak was intense and accurate. The 330th roamed France on a Cook's Tour, skirting Paris. However, the 328th and 409th squadrons scored well. The Circus dodged known ack-ack concentration during withdrawal, but drew fire over Pas de Calais. Five Libs took damage. On the return, Lieutenant Hank Gruener had a tire blow-out half-way down the Hardwick runway, and the nose-wheel collapsed. His plane needed a wholesale face-lift. Lieutenant Glen R. Dunlap landed in southern England. At day's end: nobody hurt. Groundlings had enjoyed a hot summer day under azure skies. Late that night, British searchlight batteries were coning aircraft in an eerie sky. Not to worry. Libs were practicing night flight."
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th BG, 389th BG, 445th BG, 446th BG, 453rd BG, 458th BG, 466th BG, 467th BG, 489th BG, 491 BG, 492nd BG.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 100.8 T
- Aircraft damaged: 5
MULHOUSE (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 185.7 T
NIVELLES (Opportunistic)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 30 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 22.4 T
PACY-SUR-ARMANCON (Primary)
Description: TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 104 T
SAARBRUCKEN (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 172.5 T
ST FLORENTIN (Primary)
Description: TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 83 T
STRASBOURG (Primary)
Description: FUEL DUMP
Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd BG, 392nd BG, 448th BG.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 188 T
STRASBOURG (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 177.5 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-24s is 34th BG, 486th BG, 491st Bomb Group, 493rd BG.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 110 T
Vélizy, Villacoublay Air Base, France
Description: AIR DEPOT
Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-17s is 94th BG, 95th Bomb Group, 100th BG, 385th BG, 390th BG,
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 136.3 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: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34606758
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 34th Bomb Group 7th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-807441
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Bombardier / Pilot / Comptroller
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-693290
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-754923
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Lead Banana
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: HotNuts
- Unit: Base Air Depot 1 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Top O The Mark
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron 754th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Reliable Babe
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Smokey
- Unit: 34th Bomb Group
Revisions
Ted's Travelling Circus: 93rd Bombardment Group (H) - USAAF - 1942-45 by Carroll (Cal) Stewart. Page 368
Ted's Travelling Circus: 93rd Bombardment Group (H) - USAAF - 1942-45 by Carroll (Cal) Stewart. Page 368
Ted's Travelling Circus: 93rd Bombardment Group (H) - USAAF - 1942-45 by Carroll (Cal) Stewart. Page 368
Ted's Travelling Circus: 93rd Bombardment Group (H) - USAAF - 1942-45 by Carroll (Cal) Stewart. Page 368
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'.