8th Air Force 253
9 March 1944
Just a bit more info
Object Number - FRE 9709 - A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 384th Bomb Group, 546TH Bomb Squadron falls towards the ground after having its tail shorn off by falling bombs during...
Description
Berlin is once again targeted by this mission as a secondary target. Primary target not listed in source data. All 3 Air Divisions despatch aircraft. There is very little fighter opposition. Mission Summary follows:
1st Air Division: A combined force of 224 B-17s from: 91BG; 92BG; 303BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG; 379BG; 381BG; 384BG; 401BG; 457BG; and 482BG are despatched to Berlin, Germany. 208 aircraft are effective on the target; 303BG/422BS also drops 2,012,000 leaflets. 3 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 8KIA 2POW 10INT (Sweden) 2 were lost to AA fire and the other was lost because it lost its tail due to a bomb dropped from above. 2 aircraft are Damaged Beyond Repair (DRB) 1 in a crash upon take off - 10KIA and 1 abandoned over England upon return - 10RTD. The bomber gunners claim 1-0-0 of attacking German aircraft. 3 airmen are WIA in returning aircraft. There are no other losses, casualties or claims.
3rd Air Division: A combined force of 137 B-17s from: 94BG; 95BG; 100BG; 385BG; 388BG; 390BG; 447BG; and 452BG are despatched to Berlin, Germany. 131 are effective on the target. 3 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 1 to AA fire the other 2 in ditchings in the English Channel upon return - 10POW 20RTD (rescued by ASR). 3 airmen are WIA in returning aircraft. There are no other losses casualties or claims.
2nd Air Division: A combined force of 165 B-24s from: 44BG; 93BG; 389BG; 392BG; 445BG; 446BG; 448BG; 453BG; and 458BG are despatched to Berlin but their PFF aircraft failed and they ended up bombing anti-aircraft batteries and other industrial sites at Hannover; Brunswick and Nienburg, Germany. 150 are effective on a target. 2 aircraft with battle damage are Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in crash landings upon return - 20RTD. 12 aircraft are damaged. There are no other losses casualties or claims.
Mission Details
BERLIN (Secondary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Groups participating are all 3rd Bomb Division.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 303.50
- People killed in action: 1
- People wounded in action: 1
- Prisoners of war: 13
- People returned to duty: 36
- Aircraft sent: 137
- Aircraft effective: 131
- Aircraft missing in action: 3
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
BERLIN (Secondary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 401st Bomb Group, 457Bomb Group, 482nd Bomb Group. Fighter opposition is light as 808 USAAF fighters perform escort. Groups participating are all 1st Bomb Division. 457th BG MISSION NO. 10 - ORANIENBURG, GERMANY 9 MARCH, 1944 The mission called for the bombing of a Heinkel Bomber Aircraft Assembly Factory at Oranienburg, sixteen miles north of Berlin. Eighteen aircraft were dispatched. The factory produced approximately forty He-177s per month, the majority of the heavy bomber output for Germany. The 457th led the 94th Combat Wing, fourth in the Division formation. Major Henry B. Wilson was Air Commander and Lt. Raymond A. Syptak was pilot. At the IP it was determined the undercast was such that a run should be made on Berlin, which was then carried out. Bombing was done by PFF, and the results were not observed because of the undercast. Fighter opposition was broken up by P-47s escorting the Group. Flak in the Berlin area was heavy and accounted for damage to several of the aircraft; however, none were lost to the enemy opposition.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 498.00
- People killed in action: 18
- Prisoners of war: 12
- People interned: 10
- People returned to duty: 10
- Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 1
- Aircraft sent: 224
- Aircraft effective: 208
- Aircraft missing in action: 3
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 2
Brunswick, Germany
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: On target list as a secondary, but not attacked
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 0.00
HANOVER (SECONDARY)
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: Groups participating are all of 2nd Bomb Division. They drop on anti-aircraft batteries around Berlin after their Pathfinder (PFF) aircraft failed. They also dropped 201,200 leaflets.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 410.50
- People evaded: 4
- Prisoners of war: 16
- People returned to duty: 20
- Aircraft sent: 165
- Aircraft effective: 159
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 2
NIENBURG (Secondary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: On target list as a secondary, but not attacked
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 0.00
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: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 06966455
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-798297
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-667228
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-752975 T42 43 A
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Navigator, bombardier, nose gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Baby Shoes
- Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Battle Wagon
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Old 66 / Lady Margaret
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Tenny Belle
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
711th Bombardment Squadron (H), 447th Bombardment Group (H)
B-17-G #42-39882, “My Gal” Crew
Top Left to Right: August E. Herlth, Eugene G. D'Albero, Larry S. Hatfield, Martin J. Gruber
Bottom Left to Right: William M. Lindgren, Bailey E. Swadley, Raymond L. Hayes, William H. Stoyer, Rocco J. LoCarro, Louis L. Jenkins
Lee Cunningham 22-Feb-2016. Added bomber gunner claims to statistics of 1AD element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeeman.
Lee Cunningham 22-Feb-2016. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary:, Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
Mission detail added courtesy of Diane Reese - http://www.457thbombgroup.org/Narratives/ma10.html
Moved pin from Hannover South Africa to Hanover Germany
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'.
