835
19 February 1945
Owner of source material
Object Number - UPL 35193
Description
1,100 Heavies Hit Nazi Rails
More than 1,800 8th Air Force heavies resumed the air offensive against Nazi communications and industrial targets yesterday after a day of inactivity, hammering objectives at Osnabruck, Rheine and Seiger and pounding areas in the Ruhr.
The Libs and Forts were escorted by about 500 Mustangs and Thunderbolts, which dived low to strafe communication lines. One group of fighters accounted for nine truck and five railway cars, while another destroyed 148 locomotives and 365 oil cars in the Hanover area.
The Krauts also took it from the British and from U.S.bombers based in Italy.
Lancasters of the RAF Bombers command, escorted by Mustangs, yesterday afternoon attacked the important communications center of Wesel in support of Canadian 1st Army's offensive.
From Italy, Libs and Forts soared out to belt rail yards in Vienna.
Mission Details
Description: SCOUTING MISSION
ALM
Description: OIL REFINERY
BOCHUM
Description: BENZOL PLANT
DORTMUND/HARPENERWEG
Description: OIL REFINERY
GELSENKIRCHEN
Description: BENZOL PLANT
HANNOVER-MAGDEBURG-BRUNSWICK
Description: FIGHTER SWEEPS
HASELUNNE
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Description: VEHICLE PLANT
MESCHEDE
Description: VEHICLE PLANT
Notes: A mix of 122 P-47s and P-51s provides escort. Mix not given in available data.
MUNSTER
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Mission 281, 8thAF/ 379thBG/ A. Edwards B-17 Crew: Flown on 2/19/1945 Mission City: Munster Country: Germany Mission Target: Marshalling Yards Aircraft: 42-38183 Name: The Lost Angel Crew: Alfred E Edwards Jr, Lester Bohne, Billy C Hulsey, Vernon T Calhoun, Wallace I Pfieffer, Janel D Hamilton, William H Melvin Jr., Harry G Chaoona, Michael Rusnak .
OSNABRUCK
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 44
- Aircraft effective: 42
RHEINE
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
SIEGEN
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
WESEL
Description: RAIL BRIDGE
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 3rd Air Division 13th Combat Bomb Wing 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 445th Bomb Group 701st Bomb Squadron 703rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33507972 / O-2064220
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 0781263
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Swamp Angel
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Alex
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
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'.