By downloading this image, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions
401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 24, 20 Feb 1944, Leipzig, Germany.
All 41 aircraft were airborne by 0955, constituting two complete boxes of 18 aircraft each plus spares. All but two operational aircraft had returned by 0730 hours, one of which was later reported to have landed at Raydon.
Colonel Bowman led the 1st Bomb Division in an operation to Leipzig, where the 8th Air Force struck the greatest blow yet to German aircraft production. For this achievement, the 401st received messages of commendation from Generals Doolittle and Williams.
Lt. (later Major) Alvah Chapman, with Capt. Silver, Deputy Group Commander, in the co-pilot's seat, brought his aircraft, "Battlin Betty", back safely, flying across much of Germany at low altitude after having had two engines shot out and suffering major damage to brakes, flaps and fuselage.
Lt. Edward T. Gardner, the pilot of Doolittle's Doughboys" (# 42-31518) gave his life for his crew, holding the B-17 steady until the other nine crew members had safely bailed out, by which time it was too late to bail out himself.
Group
The 401st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, from November 1943 to June 1945. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of France planned for the following...
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 15/9/43; Scott 20/10/43; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-K] Deenethorpe 11/11/43; Missing in Action Kassel 28/9/44 with Ed Aves, Co-pilot: Clayton Crunk, Navigator: Ralph Mezydlo, Bombardier: John MacDougall, Flight engineer/top turret...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 16/9/43; Scott 21/10/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-A] Deenethorpe 26/10/43; transferred 615BS [IY-A]; Missing in Action Munster 30/9/44 with Tom Davis, Co-pilot: Alan Newcomb, Navigator: Herb Corwin, Bombardier: Henry Kaczorowski,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 20/9/43; Gt Falls 2/10/43; Scott 21/10/43; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-O] Deenethorpe 4/11/43; Missing in Action Merseburg 11/9/44 with Milton Wingard, Co-pilot: Bob Abresch, Navigator: Bob Sullivan, Tail gunner: Ed Chiariello (4...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/10/43; Gr Island 13/11/43; Romulus 25/11/43; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-K] Deenethorpe 14/1/44; Missing in Action Brandenburg 6/8/44 with John Sauerwald, Co-pilot: John Zimmerman, Navigator: Forrest Holmstrom, Bombardier: Cletus...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 12/11/43; Kearney 27/11/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-Q] Deenethorpe 1/2/44; Missing in Action Berlin 21/6/44 with Jack Atherton, Co-pilot: Don Awalt, Navigator: Dick Fitzmaurice, Bombardier: John Whelan, Flight engineer/top turret...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 17/11/43; Kearney 3/12/43; Cincinnati 9/12/43; Rome 11/12/43; Presque Is 14/12/43; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-G] Deenethorpe 1/2/44; Missing in Action Leipzig 20/2/44 with Ed Gardner`found Pilz, near Gommern – bailed too low, 12/3/44`...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 16/11/43; Gt Falls 25/11/43; Kearney 17/12/43; Romulus 9/1/44; Presque Is 13/1/44; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-M] Deenethorpe 1/2/44; Missing in Action Berlin 29/4/44 with Capt George Gould, Co-pilot: Frank Linc, Navigator: Bob Lotz,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 10/12/43; Kearney 27/12/43; RAF Nutts Corner 15/1/44; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-B] Deenethorpe 31/1/44; 613BS [IN-O]; 112m, Returned to the USA 121 BU Bradley 7/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 9/6/45; 4100 BU Patterson 9/10...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 17/9/43; Gt Falls 25/9/43; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-F] Deenethorpe 4/11/43; Missing in Action Pas de Calais 26/3/44 with Capt Bill Rumsey, Co-pilot: Bob Kaercher, Navigator: Mike Walsh, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Don Roberts,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 19/11/43; Grand Island 15/12/43; Presque Is 21/12/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-M] Deenethorpe 6/1/44. Missing in Action Frankfurt 20 March 1944 with Pilot John A. Dunaway, Co-pilot: Henry Kane, Radio Operator: Francis J. Mastronardi,...
20 February 1944
This mission is the opening salvo of the Allied Combined Bomber Offensive known officially as "Operation Argument" but remembered in 8th Air Force History as "BIG WEEK". The immediate strategic objective of this six-day operation is the degradation of...
Military site : airfield
Deenethorpe was a base purpose-built for American heavy bombers, with the Class A regulation 2,000 and 1,400-yard runways. All the buildings on site,such as the accommodation and administrative blocks, were temporary. In December 1943, several local...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 13 November 2021 20:47:17 | acbernstein1 | Changes to caption and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
http://401bg.org/Main/History/Missions/Details.aspx?Number=24 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 11 November 2021 17:33:02 | acbernstein1 | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
http://401bg.org/Main/History/Missions/Details.aspx?Number=24 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 November 2021 21:13:34 | acbernstein1 | Created entry with caption, unit associations, place associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
