447th Bomb Group
GroupIWM, Roger Freeman Collection
The 447th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses on strategic bombardment missions out of Rattlesden, Suffolk. With their first mission coming on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1943, their main focus was hitting sites that would weaken enemy forces connected with a planned ground invasion of France the following summer. This meant they were attacking
ports, missile sites, airfields and marshalling yards in France, Belgium, and Germany. In June 1944 itself, the Group supported the invasion of Normandy by bombing airfields and other targets near the beachhead. One of the Group's B-17s, named "Milk Wagon", set the record for the number of missions with no turn-backs for a B-17 in the 3rd Air Division with 129 missions.
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Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England in Nov 1943 and assigned to Eighth AF. Entered combat in Dec 1943 and operated chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization.
From Dec 1943 to May 1944, helped to prepare for the invasion of the Continent by attacking submarine pens, naval installations, and cities in Germany; ports and missile sites in France; and airfields and marshalling yards in France, Belgium, and Germany. During Big Week, 20-25 Feb 1944, took part in the intensive campaign of heavy bombers against the German aircraft industry.
Supported the invasion of Normandy in Jun 1944 by bombing airfields and other targets near the beachhead. Aided the breakthrough at St Lo in Jul and the effort to take Brest in Sep. Pounded enemy positions to assist the airborne invasion of Holland in Sep. Also dropped supplies to Free French forces during the summer of 1944. Turned to strategic targets in Germany in Oct 1944, placing emphasis on sources of oil production until mid-Dec.
2nd Lt Robert E Femoyer, navigator, won the Medal of Honor for action on 2 Nov 1944: while on a mission over Germany, his B-17 was damaged by flak and Femoyer was severely wounded by shell fragments; determined to navigate the plane out of danger and save the crew, he refused a sedative and, for more than two hours, directed the navigation of the bomber so effectively that it returned to base without further damage; Femoyer died shortly after being removed from the plane.
During the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945, the group assaulted marshalling yards, railroad bridges, and communications centers in the combat zone. Then resumed operations against targets in Germany, attacking oil, transportation, communications, and other objectives until the war ended. During this period, also supported the airborne assault across the Rhine (Mar 1945). Returned to the US in Aug 1945. Inactivated on 7 Nov 1945.
Commanders:
Lt Col Robert D McDonald, 10 May 1943
Col Hunter Harris Jr, 23 May 1943
Col William Wrigglesworth, 25 Sep 1944
Lt Col Louis G Thorup, 31 Mar 1945;
Air Force Combat Units of World War II, Maurer, Maurer: USAF, 1986
Source: Eighth Air Force Operations History http://www.8thafhs.com/get_one_acgroup.php?
acgroup_id=8
Commanding Officers
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 447th Sub-Depot 708th Bomb Squadron 709th Bomb Squadron 710th Bomb Squadron Headquarters (13th Combat Bomb Wing) Headquarters (447th Bomb Group) 447th Signal Construction Battalion Headquarters & Headquarters Company (447th Signal Construction Battalion) 711th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: General
- Role/Job: Commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-31847
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Group Air Executive Officer, Pilot, Squadron Commander, Group Commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: RCAF #43060 / O-?
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Ground Executive Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Colonel
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Unit stations
Station | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Based |
Rattlesden | 30 November 1943 - 2 August 1945 |
Encompassing
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 447th Sub-Depot 710th Bomb Squadron 842nd Air Engineering Squadron
- Role/Job: Sub-Depot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron 842nd Air Engineering Squadron
- Role/Job: Sheet Metal
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Civilian
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 709th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron 709th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Tnt katie
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 710th Bomb Squadron
Mission
- Date: 23 March 1945
- Date: 21 March 1945
- Official Description:
- Date: 20 March 1945
- Date: 14 March 1945
- Official Description:
- Date: 11 March 1945
Related videos and documents
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 18541
- Description: This is the diary of Dean A Sassaman of the 447th Bomb Group.
- Media Type: Document
- Collection Name: Donald Fehrenbach Family Collection
- Object Number: Document 26857
- Description: Article from Marshfield News Herald from late 1943 or early 1944. My father is Norman Fehrenbach and Donald is my uncle.
- Media Type: Document
- Collection Name: Donald Fehrenbach Family Collection
- Object Number: Document 27610
- Description: Last letter home from Lt. Donald Fehrenbach 23-Sept-1944
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 35030
- Description: 447th Bomb Group Full Mission List
- Media Type: Document
- Collection Name: Russell T. Hatchett
- Object Number: Document 39740
- Description: S/Sgt. Russell T. Hatchett's Combat Missions list.
- Media Type: Document
- Collection Name: Unit histories
- Object Number: Document 41056
- Description: 447th Bomb Group Unit History, complete copy Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial- and often tongue-in-cheek- record of...
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 44929
- Description: MARC 43-37714
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 45839
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 45840
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 49415
- Description: The following story was prepared by the Public Relations office of the 447th at Rattlesden, sometime in early 1945. Part of the story were later used...
Revisions
John G Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner
Source: History of the 447th Bomb Group by Doyle Shields, p. 320
Entry by John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner
Source: Eighth Air Force Operations History http://www.8thafhs.com/get_one_acgroup.php?
acgroup_id=8
Entry by John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner
Source: Eighth Air Force Operations History http://www.8thafhs.com/get_one_acgroup.php?
acgroup_id=8
Note: Fiat justitia ruat cælum is a Latin legal phrase, meaning "Let justice be done though the heavens fall."
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)