623
11 September 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 25922 - Map of 8th air force mission #623 to Fulda, on September 11, 1944. From the estate of Harold Motz, navigator on the Westrope crew, 708th squadron,...
Description
Major Harmon flew Command Pilot. Did not hit the target because Mickey wasn't working. Brought our bombs back. Got to shoot at some fighters.
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 38.5 T
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 62.5 T
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 8.2 T
BOHLEN (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Notes: An estimated 525 Luftwaffe fighters attack the bomber streams of this three part mission. This is the greatest Luftwaffe attack since 28-May-44. However, the Luftwaffe gets terrible punishment: 17-25-4 by the bomber gunners ND 115-7-23 by the fighter escort with another 42-0-43 on the ground.
![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: 173 T
BRUX (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-17s is,44th BG, 94th BG, 95th Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group, 100th BG, 390th BG, 447th BG, 452nd BG, 486th BG, 490th BG, 493rd BG. 385th Bomb Group & 388th Bomb Group stand down
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 95.3 T
CHEMNITZ (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Notes: This force is an OPERATION FRANTIC mission that along with 64 P-51s continues on to land at bases in the USSR. 96th Bomb Group & 452nd BG
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 146.4 T
DIEPHOLZ (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 22.5 T
EISENACH (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 177.5 T
FULDA (Opportunistic)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 95.1 T
FULDA (Opportunistic)
Description: TYRE PLANT
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 159.7 T
HANNOVER (Opportunistic)
Description: ENGINE FACTORY
Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th BG, 92nd BG, 93rd BG, 385th BG, 389th BG, 445th BG, 453rd BG, 458th BG, 466th BG, 467th BG, 489th BG, 491 BG, 492nd BG. 446th Bomb Group stands down.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 298.7 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 30 T
LUTZKENDORF (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: The 384th Bombardment Group (H) flew as the high section of the 41st "A" Combat Bombardment Wing on this mission. The primary target, oil installations near Lützkendorf, Germany, were obscured by a solid undercast, as was the secondary and an airfield near Giessen. Finally, a successful visual attack was accomplished on an unidentified factory in the Friedberg, Germany, area. This group saw several Me-163 'Komet' rocket-powered aircraft in the vicinity of Leipzig, and one near the Belgian coast, but they were not attacked.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 233.7 T
MAGDEBURG (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 78.5 T
MAGDEBURG (Primary)
Description: ORDNANCE DEPOT
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 64.7 T
MAGDEBURG CITY (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 157 T
MERSEBURG (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd BG, 303rd BG, 305th BG, 306th BG, 351 BG, 379th BG, 381st BG, 384th BG, 385th BG, 401st BG, 486th BG. 398th Bomb Group & 457th Bomb Group stand down.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 278.6 T
MISBURG (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 243.2 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 15 T
RUHLAND (Primary)
Description: OIL REFINERY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 53 T
STENDAL (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 107.5 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: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36215923 / O-692248
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36743988
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13178814 / O-716614
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15125471 / O-767423
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- 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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Wolves Inc.
- Unit: 467th Bomb Group 789th Bomb Squadron 791st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Diana Queen Of The Chase
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th 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
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Paisano
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Daughter - Carol Rollinger McKeever
"Attlebridge Diaries" - John Woolnough
Page 120
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'.
