8th Air Force 273
22 March 1944![A B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Ruth L", flown by Lieutenant NL Young, of the 96th Bomb Group flies through a cascade of bombs released by another Fortress over Oranienburg, Germany. Strike camera photo. Handwritten caption on reverse: '22/3/44. Looks like JW code - 92BG? [sic]Supposedly Bremen raid but bombs look like M47.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/wysiwyg_x2/public/freeman/media-408680.jpg.webp?itok=OYo6TwHz)
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 4023 - A B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Ruth L", flown by Lieutenant NL Young, of the 96th Bomb Group flies through a cascade of bombs released by another...
Description
The German aviation industries at Oraneinburg and Basdorf were the intended primary target for this mission but dense cloud cover prevented the attack on these targets. The secondary target of Berlin, Germany and surrounding Targets of Opportunity (TOs) become the focus. There is very little German fighter opposition. Mission Summary follows:
1st Air Division: A combined force of 287 B-17s from: 91BG; 92BG; 303BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG; 379BG; 381BG; 401BG and 457BG are despatched. 277 are effective on the industrial areas of Berlin, Germany. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR), all shot down by AA fire - 8KIA 32POW. 1 aircraft with battle damage is Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in a crash landing upon return - 5POW (baled out over Germany) 5RTD. 347 aircraft are damaged (aportioned in statistics). There are no other losses, casualties or claims.
3rd Air Division: A combined force of 187 B-17s from: 95BG; 95BG; 96BG; 100BG; 385BG; 388BG; 390BG; 447BG; and 452BG are despatched. 183 are effective on Targets of Opportunity (TO's) in the Berlin area. 3 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR), 2 of these lost to AA fire and the third one lost to bombs dropped from above - 20KIA 10POW. There are no other losses, casualties or claims.
2nd Air Division: A combined force of 214 B-24s from: 44BG; 93BG; 389BG; 445BG; 446BG; 448BG; 452BG; 458BG; and 466BG are despatched. 197 are effective on Targets of Opportunity (TO's) in the Berlin area. 5 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR), 3 down to AA fire and the other two involved in a mid-air collision - 15KIA 35POW.There are no other losses, casualties or claims.
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It has not been determined which Groups from either 1st Bomb Division or 3rd Bomb Division actually attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: Not determined
Basdorf, 16348 Wandlitz, Germany
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It has not been determined which Groups from either 1st Bomb Division or 3rd Bomb Division actually attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: Not determined
BERLIN (Secondary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Berlin is the secondary target. Groups participating are all of 3rd Bomb Division. No bomber gunner claims.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 409.19
- People killed in action: 20
- Prisoners of war: 10
- Aircraft sent: 187
- Aircraft effective: 183
- Aircraft missing in action: 3
- Aircraft damaged: 94
BERLIN (Secondary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: Groups attacking are all part of 2nd Bomb Division. No bomber gunner claims.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 440.49
- People killed in action: 16
- Prisoners of war: 35
- Aircraft sent: 213
- Aircraft effective: 196
- Aircraft missing in action: 5
- Aircraft damaged: 108
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY and 6,368,000 LEAFLETS DROPPED
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: 1 B-24 drops on Heidi. Bombers also drop 6,368,000 leaflets.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 2.24
- Aircraft sent: 1
- Aircraft effective: 1
ORANIENBURG (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Cloud cover prevents visual bombing. One bomber is damaged beyond repair and 347 others are damaged, apportionment made between B-17s and B-24s. This is the last mission for the 482nd Bomb Group. (9 Pathfinder (PFF) aircraft despatched from 482nd Bomb Group). They will be engaged in training and experimentation with H2X radar for the remainder of the war. No bomber gunner claims. 457th BG MISSION NO. 17 - ORANIENBURG, GERMANY 22 MARCH 1944 Nineteen aircraft made a return trip to the Heinkel Bomber Assembly Factory at Oranienburg, the producer of He177s, long range bombers. Captain William F. Smith was Air Commander and Lt. Brannan was pilot. The Group comprised the low box of the 94th Combat Wing. In spite of adverse weather and adverse flight conditions (the Group getting in prop wash of another wing), bombs were dropped on Berlin, the secondary target, and good bombing results were reported. Fires were still burning from previous raids. No enemy fighter opposition was reported. Flak was intense and moderately accurate. There were no personnel casualties, and all aircraft returned safely, with seven planes having sustained damage. A 351st Bomb Group aircraft flying out of formation was seen to have been hit by bombs dropped by one of the 457th aircraft. There was a flash of flames near the rudder andhorizontal stabilizer. The craft skidded to the left and downward and was never seen again.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 619.37
- People killed in action: 8
- Prisoners of war: 337
- People returned to duty: 5
- Aircraft sent: 287
- Aircraft effective: 277
- Aircraft missing in action: 4
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 145
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: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35668716
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14161785
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-683907
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-2071574
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11062335 on enlisting
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier / Navigator
Aircraft
- 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: Spook Six
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 457th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Son of a Blitz
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Tenny Belle
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
"Attlebridge Diaries" - John Wollnough
pages: 17,18,19, 212, 213
Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Added # aircraft damaged to Mission Summary based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Added Mission Narative 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/ma17.html
Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary.
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'.