841

22 February 1945
media-35179.jpeg UPL 35179

Owner of source material

Object Number - UPL 35179

Official Description

Mission 841: 1,428 bombers and 862 fighters commence Operation CLARION, a joint RAF, Eighth, Ninth and Fifteenth AF operation with the objective of paralyzing the already decimated German rail and road system; most attacks were made visually; bombing was conducted from an optimum 10,000 feet (3,048 m) to achieve accuracy at target without flak defenses; they claim 28-2-43 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 bombers and 13 fighters are lost: 1. 522 B-17s are sent to hit marshalling yards at Bamberg (64), Zwickau (2) and Kitzingen (1); targets of opportunity are Ansbach (143), Donaueschingen (24), Reutlingen (25), Ulm (77), Freiburg (21), Hafingen (10), the marshalling yards at Aalen (24), Neustadt (26), Singen (8), Schwenningen (22), and Villgen (11) and other (42); some attacks are made with H2X radar; they claim 0-0-1 aircraft; 2 B-17s are lost and 29 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 19 MIA. Escorting are 163 of 168 P-51s; 3 are lost (pilots MIA). 2. 452 B-24s are dispatched to hit marshalling yards at Halberstadt (51), Sangerhausen (11), Nordhausen (30), Vienenburg (23), Peine (52), Hildesheim (55), Kreiensen (48), and Northeim (48); targets of opportunity are Nordhausen (11), Ottbergen (10), the rail and highway bridge at Lindern (1) and marshalling yards at Wallhausen (19), Oker (8), Eschwege (30), Gottingen (29) and Celle (8) and other (1); 4 B-24s are lost and 68 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 38 MIA. 246 P-47s and P-51s escort; they claim 19-0-16 aircraft on the ground; 4 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA). 3. 454 B-17s are sent to hit Wittenburg (72), Stendal (73), Salzwedel (59), Uelzen (73), Wittstock (11), Luneburg (39), and Ludwigslust (48); targets of opportunity are Grabow (13), Kobbelitz (24), Dannenberg (12) and Klotze (13). The escort is 268 of 280 P-51s; they claim 4-2-18 aircraft in the air and 3-0-5 on the ground; 5 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

AALEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

ANSBACH

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

BAMBERG

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Notes: This commences OPERATION CLARION, a joint RAF, Eight, Ninth, and Fifteenth AF operation with the objective of paralyzing the already decimated German rail and road system. Most attacks will be made visually from an optimum altitude of 10,000 feet in increase accuracy on those targets with no flak defenses.

CELLE

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

DONAUESCHINGEN

Description: RAILROADS

ESCHWEGE

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

FRIEBERG

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

GOTTINGEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Germany

Description: RAILROADS

Notes: HAFINGEN

HALBERSTADT

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Notes: A mix of 246 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.

HILDESHEIM

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

KITZINGEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

KREIESEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

LINDERN

Description: HIGHWAY and RAIL BRIDGES

NEUSTADT

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

NORDHAUSEN

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

NORDHAUSEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

NORTHEIM

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

OKER

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

OTTBERGEN

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

PEINE

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

REUTLINGEN

Description: RAILROADS

SANGERHAUSEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

SCHWENNINGEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

SINGEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

ULM

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

VIENENBURG

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

VILLGEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

WALLHAUSEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

ZWICKAU

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

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: 78th Fighter Group 82nd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19147420 and O-767135
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 365th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20307592
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 0781263
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-2062494
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot/Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Nevada Avenger
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: ETO Happy : Pregnant Goose : Dollys Daughter
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron 412th 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
A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95183) nicknamed "Briney Marlin" of the 458th Bomb Group flies low over countryside.
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Briney Marlin
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ill Get By
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

Owner of source material

Date
Contributorjdossetter
Changes
Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Associated Media based on images associated with mission in Freeman, 'The Mighty Eighth War Diary'.

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'.

841: Gallery (5 items)