774

1 January 1945
media-6521.jpeg UPL 6521 Crew #664
Elmo Maiden Crew
466th BG - 786th BS

Standing Left to Right: Bernard M. Atkins (TG), Vernon R. Hayden (WG), William R. Hoopes (B), Gustave J. Roussel (E), Guerino G. Petti (N), Herbert Rosenkoff (CP), William A. Thomason (TT), Elmo Maiden (P), Kenneth W. Chester (NG), Joseph R. Zebrowski (R/O)

B-24J-5-DT #42-51532 Code: U8-W

Photo taken on 27 December 1944 after crash landing at an airfield in Belgium.

Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom

Object Number - UPL 6521 - Crew #664 Elmo Maiden Crew 466th BG - 786th BS Standing Left to Right: Bernard M. Atkins (TG), Vernon R. Hayden (WG), William R. Hoopes (B),...

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Description: PHOTOGRAPHIC RECONNAISSANCE MISSION

Notes: The P-51s escort 9 F-5s and 1 Spitfire on photo recon mission.

Description: SCREENING MISSION

Notes: These B-17s fly a screening mission; they are 8 minutes late for their escort and are attacked by Fw 190s when 50 miles ahead of the bombers. Escort is supposed to be 23 of 26 P-51s but rendezvous is missed because of the missed timing of the screening bombers.

Description: SPECIAL OPS MISSION

Notes: A mix of 25 P-47s and P-51s provide escort for 3 of 4 Mosquitoes on a special operations mission. Exact nature of mission expectations not given in available data.

ANDERNACH

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

DILLENBURG

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

DOLLBERGEN

Description: OIL REFINERY

Notes: A mix of 199 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.

EHMEN

Description: OIL REFINERY

ENGERS

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

GOTTINGEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

HADAMAR

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

IRLICH

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

KASSEL/HENSCHEL

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Kirchhundem, Germany

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

KOBLENZ

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

KOBLENZ

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

KOBLENZ/GUL

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

KOBLENZ/LUTZEL

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

LIMBURG

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

MAGDEBURG

Description: OIL REFINERY

OLDENBURG

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Notes: This is an APHRODITE mission (388th BG). Success not given in available data.

REMAGEN BRIDGE

Description: RAIL BRIDGE

TRIER

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

WETTER

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Wetzlar, Germany

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

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: 453rd Bomb Group 735th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38405695
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 493rd Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 863rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35928236
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant (RAF)
  • Role/Job: MOS 611 Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38459223
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant (RAF)
  • Role/Job: MOS 611 - Aerial Gunner Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37679193
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Little America II
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hells Angels Out Of Chute 13, Grossly Inadequate
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
A bomber crew of the 458th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51110) nicknamed "Top O' the Mark.' The crew are: (back row, left to right) Carl Johnson - Nose Gunner, Chuck Frazer - Gunner, Charles Gretz - Top Turret Gunner, "Bubba" Monroe - Co-Pilot, (front row, left to right) Dick Eselgroth - Navigator, Al Miller - Bombardier, Billy Duke - Pilot "Luke" Lucas - Radio Operator, Baldamore Garcia - Engineer, "Pan" Panarese - Tail Gunner . Image via RM Eselgroth. Written on slide casing: '
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Top O The Mark
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron 754th Bomb Squadron
The crumpled tail of a crashed B-24 Liberator of the 453rd Bomb Group. Image via Kenneth W Clendenin. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'H_ of 453rd BG, 735 BS? JSH 42-51865 1 Jan 45 Olf Buckenham. Lt AC Judd.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Snuffy
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Changed location from 'KIRCHBUNDEN' to 'Kirchhundem, Germany'.
Source: http://www.8thafhs.com/old/get_one_mission.php?mission_id=1763

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Changed location of Mission event no.25 from 'WETZLER' to 'Wetzlar, Germany'.

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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