709
10 November 1944![A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-97968) of the 486th Bomb Group bombs the target during a mission. Printed caption on reverse: '54979 AC- BOMBING THROUGH CLOUD- Flying Fortresses of US 8th AF bombed German airfield at Wiesbaden, west of Franksurt, Nov 10th through broken cloud. Attack made in support of Gen Patton's 3rd Army advance was designed to ground German Aircraft. US Air Force Photo.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/freeman/media-380830.jpg)
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 2026 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 43-97968) of the 486th Bomb Group bombs the target during a mission. Printed caption on reverse: '54979 AC-...
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Description: COMMUNICATIONS TARGETS
Notes: This is a bomber-bomber mission
COLOGNE/BUTZWEILHOF
Description: AIRFIELD
COLOGNE/OSTHEIM
Description: AIRFIELD
HANAU
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
HANAU/LANGENDIEBACH
Description: AIRFIELD
Notes: A mix of 261 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data. This is the last combat mission flown by the 489th BG. They have flown 106 missions in 2,998 sorties and dropped 6,951 tons of bombs. They report 29 aircraft MIA and other operational losses of 12 aircraft. They will depart the UK on 28 Nov 44 for the US to be re-outfitted with B-29s and be scheduled to be sent to the Pacific Theater in late Aug 45 but VJ day cancels deployment. Group inactivated 17 Oct 45.
WEISEBADEN
Description: AIRFIELD
WEISEBADEN
Description: SCREENING MISSION
WIESBADEN/HALLE
Description: AIRFIELD
Connections
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People
Aircraft
![](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/media/media-30314.jpeg?itok=HcZUq_eC)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Cinder
- Unit: 547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
![](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/media/media-41321.jpeg?itok=LWfi6C_4)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Tu Yung Tu
- Unit: 410th Bomb Squadron 94th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ruth
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
![](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/max_650x650/public/media/media-13437.jpeg?itok=r5hB0zMg)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sleepy Lagoon
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary.
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'.