849

26 February 1945
media-23769.jpeg UPL 23769 Strike Photo - Berlin, Germany
26 February 1945

The top of the photo is almost directly due east. To the right are the Rummelsberger See (top) and the River Spree (bottom). The target was the railroad sheds and facilities located just past the head of the Rummeslberger See.
466th Bomb Group collection

466th BG Archives

Object Number - UPL 23769 - Strike Photo - Berlin, Germany 26 February 1945 The top of the photo is almost directly due east. To the right are the Rummelsberger See (top)...

Description

Narrative - Official Air Force Mission Description



Mission : 1,207 bombers and 726 fighters are dispatched to make H2X radar attacks on three Berlin rail stations; they claim 6-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-17s and 3 P-51s are lost:

1. 377 B-17s are sent to hit the Schlesischer rail station (363); 1 hits Osnabruck, a target of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost and 21 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 18 MIA. 214 of 244 P-51s escort claiming 4-0-0 aircraft in the air.



2. 446 B-17s set out to hit the Alexanderplatz rail station (418); 4 others hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-17s is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 43 damaged; 8 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 9 MIA. Escorting are 232 of 240 P-51s; they claim 2-0-0 aircraft on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (2 pilots MIA).



3. 361 B-24s are dispatched to hit the North rail station (285); 37 hit Eberswalde, the secondary target; 4 hit a target of opportunity; 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 26 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 3 MIA. The escort is 20 P-47s and 190 P-51s.



4. 17 B-17s and 6 B-24s fly screening missions.



5. 31 of 32 P-51 fly a scouting mission.



Source: The Eighth Air Force Historical Society - http://www.8thafhs.org/new/incl_missions.php



Source: THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by Carter / Mueller, the Office of Air Force History

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

BERLIN

Description: RAIL STATION

BERLIN/ALEXANDERPLATZ

Description: RAIL STATION

BERLIN/SCHLESISCHER

Description: RAIL STATION

EBERSWALDE

Description: RAILROADS

OSNABRUCK

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: 447th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 02-068357
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-831122
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39309297
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35871344
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36856511
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

Nine men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of a military airplane.  Five men standing to the rear and four men kneeling in front.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Dark Angel
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Factory fresh B-17s
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Cover Girl
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Homesick Angel
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Ground personnel of the 401st Bomb Group stand with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31662) nicknamed "Fancy Nancy IV" after fixing her engines. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Another famous Fort and her crew.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Fancy Nancy IV
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Go Getter
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributorjhuck
Changes
Sources

John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner

Source: History of the 447th Bomb Group by Doyle Shields; p. 281

Date
Contributorjhuck
Changes
Sources

John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner

Source: History of the 447th Bomb Group by Doyle Shields; p. 281

Date
Contributorjhuck
Changes
Sources

John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner

Source: The Eighth Air Force Historical Society - http://www.8thafhs.org/new/incl_missions.php

Source: THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by Carter / Mueller, the Office of Air Force History

Date
Contributorjhuck
Changes
Sources

John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner

Source: 447 Bomb Group Website - http://www.447bg.com

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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