Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group.

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Notes: The German aircraft industry is the strategic objective of this 3-fold mission as weel as the destruction of the Luftwaffe in the air. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group.

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Notes: One of the heaviest single-day losses of WWII. However, it is a truly bad day for the Luftwaffe. In addition to the 73-24-23 score of the bombers, the escorts claim 61-5-25 in the air and 65-0-67 on the ground. The bombers also drop 2,400,000 leaflets. Of the group that was despatched to Stettin, 1st Lt. Edward S. Michael, (pilot) of a B-17 assigned to the 364thBS/305thBomb Group was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions. This was the 10th CMOH awarded to a member of the 8th Air Force. 457th BG MISSION NO. 25 - SORAU, GERMANY 11 APRIL, 1944 The target was the eastern complex of the FW-190 aircraft factories located at an airdrome near Sorau. Overall, a thousand heavy bombers and eight hundred escort fighters were involved in the operations of the day. Remembering the occurrences of 9 April, the Group expected a tough mission. The mission was flown at an altitude of sixteen thousand feet. The 457th supplied twenty-four aircraft to compose all the high and part of the lead box of the 94th A Combat Wing. Major Rod Francis was Air Commander of the high box with pilot Lt. Edward M. Bender. On the way to the target, heavy flak was encountered in the Hannover area. Two planes, piloted by Lt. Marsden W. Mattatal and Lt. Adrian W. Seabock, were knocked out of formation and returned to England badly damaged. However, five of Lt. Seabock's crew, including the navigator, parachuted and became prisoners of war. The lead aircraft was hit, had to salvo the bombs, but stayed with the formation. As they emerged from the flak, Me-109s were waiting, but escort fighters and gunners kept them away. The primary target was covered with clouds; so the formation headed north for the Politz Oil Refinery, the secondary target, where clouds and other wings prevented bombing. Targets of opportunity were bombed; and the aircraft took the Baltic Sea, Denmark, North Sea route back to Glatton, completing a ten hour mission. Thirteen craft sustained minor, and eight major, damage.

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Notes: 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES