8th Air Force 920
31 March 1945Elmo Maiden Crew
466th BG - 786th BS
Standing Left to Right: Bernard M. Atkins (TG), Vernon R. Hayden (WG), William R. Hoopes (B), Gustave J. Roussel (E), Guerino G. Petti (N), Herbert Rosenkoff (CP), William A. Thomason (TT), Elmo Maiden (P), Kenneth W. Chester (NG), Joseph R. Zebrowski (R/O)
B-24J-5-DT #42-51532 Code: U8-W
Photo taken on 27 December 1944 after crash landing at an airfield in Belgium.
Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
ASCHERSLEBEN
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Description: OIL REFINERY
BRANDENBURG
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
BRUNSWICK
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Notes: A mix of 253 of 266 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.
ERFURT
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
GOTHA
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
HALLE
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
LEIPZIG
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
SALZWEDEL
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Notes: Primary – Oil plant about 20 miles west of Brandenburg. Secondary – Brandenburg (Marshalling yards in center of city.) Last Resort – Marshalling yards at Salzwedel (60 miles WSW of Brandenburg) The (primary) target wasn't visual, as per usual, so we proceeded to Brandenburg. I caught a glimpse of it thru the cloud. It looked like pretty nice country with plenty of lakes around. It's only about 20 miles from Berlin, too. We didn't lay any eggs there, however. We wheeled to the left & went on a NW course to hit the last resort.
STENDAL
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
WEIMAR
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
ZEITZ
Description: OIL REFINERY
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: 467th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 39950822
- Highest Rank: Sergeant (RAF)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-785510
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 733rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12177127 at enlistment, then O-2063476
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34803615
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Nose Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 02057461
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Miss Hell
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Diabolical Angel
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Miss Gee Eyewanna Go Home
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
Related videos and documents
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 53529
- Description: 401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 240, 31 Mar 1945, Weimar, Germany. Briefing took place at the early hour of 0200. The aircraft were each loaded with six...
Revisions
Information taken from original, hand-written combat logs dated Feb-Apr 1945.
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'.