2nd Bomb Division
Division
The groups under the command of the 2nd Bomb Wing came under the command of the 2nd Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 2nd Air Division.
397
7 June 1944
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Harold A Greenwell, Enigineer & Top Gunner 379th Bomb Group, 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force
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8th Air Force mission 397; June 7, 1944; Nantes France. 447th Bomb Group strike photo. Vital rail and road bridges across the Loire river bombed, thus preventing Germans from bringing reinforcements from the south of France.
Official description
Not yet known
Description
Not yet known
Mission details
1. ARGENTAN (Primary)
Description
TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
2nd Bomb Division was made up of 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing is 389th Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group; 20Combat Bombardment Wing is 93rd Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group; 392nd Bomb Group
Units
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 198.00 |
2. CONDE-SUR-NOIREAU (Primary)
Description
TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
This mission was directed against any congested transportation points near the invasion beaches to hamper German mobility and reinforcements. 20 of the aircraft were PFF-equipped. Heavy cloud cover prevents 100 bombers from bombing. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 41st Combat Bombardment Wing is 303rd Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group; 93rd Combat Bombardment Wing 385th Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Group, 493rd Bomb Group.
Units
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1st Bomb Division
Division
The groups under the command of the 1st Bomb Wing came under the command of the 1st Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 171 T |
3. FALAISE (Primary)
Description
TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Aircraft type
B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes
457th BG - MISSION NO. 61 - FALAISE, FRANCE
7 JUNE, 1944
On the morning of the second day of the invasion, the 457th was dispatched to attack and destroy the highway intersection in the town of Falaise, southeast of Caen, thus hoping to disrupt transportation facilities in the area of the invasion. The Group provided the low 18-ship box for the 94th Combat Wing. Major William F. Smith was Air Commander and Captain J. L. Smith was pilot.
"The Eighth Air force is currently charged with a most solemn obligation in support of the most vital operation ever undertaken by our Armed Forces. It will be necessary during certain stages to attack with tremendous intensity the area immediately in front of our advancing troops. No other agency except the Eighth Air Force can undertake this task.... It must be recognized that bombardment accuracy has never faced a more severe test.... Every aid to accuracy must be exploited so that the pattern of our attack is exactly as ordered...."
Units
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1st Bomb Division
Division
The groups under the command of the 1st Bomb Wing came under the command of the 1st Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division. -
457th Bomb Group
Group
The 457th Bomb Group began combat operations during the Big Week of 20-25 February when American bombers carried out concentrated raids against German aircraft bases, factories and assembly plants. The air crews' targets on that first mission were...
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 155 T |
4. FLERS (Primary)
Description
TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 177 T |
5. LAIGLE (Primary)
Description
TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 167.00 |
6. LISIEUX (Primary)
Description
TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 243.00 |
7. VASCOEUIL (Opportunistic)
Description
TRANSPORTATION TARGET
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 57.00 |
Service
People
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Arthur Aull
Military | Captain | Pilot | 446th Bomb Group
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Charles Beckham
Military | Sergeant | Ball turret gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 16 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944. -
Vernon Bohn
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 390th Bomb Group
Crew Number 7 -
George Boozer
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 388th Bomb Group
The person with this name and birth/death dates buring at Fort Bliss National Cemetery is listed as "Master Sergeant - US Army" on his headstone. Boozer is wearing Captain's bars in his photo. This birth and death date may well be for the wrong ... -
George Brand
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 401st Bomb Group
2nd Lt George C Brand flew 34 missions with the 401st Bomb Group, from 6 July 1944, mission to 30 October 1944. Brand was French, but enlisted in the US Army Air Forces, -
Edward Bullitt
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 16 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944. -
Frank Deuerling
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Flew on 'Priority Girl' 42-97305 on June 18, 1944. -
Edwin Dexter
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 16 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944. -
Richard Eide
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 10 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944. -
Thomas Fitzgerald
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 384th Bomb Group on 16 May 1944, completed 18 Missions with 384th Bomb Group before transferring to 305th Bomb Group on 26 June 1944.
Aircraft
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42-97194 Good Pickin'
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 5/2/44; Kearney 24/2/44; Presque Is 11/3/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-O] Horham 11/3/44; with G.M. Jackman force landed B-53 Merville, Belg., 10/5/45; with Lt Henderson force landed A-70 Laon, France 20/5/45; 114m Returned to the USA... -
42-38013 "NEVADA AVENGER"
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/11/43; New Castle 10/12/43; Presque Is 15/12/43; Assigned 547BS/384BG [SO-C] Grafton Underwood 21/1/44; sal battle damaged 27/4/44. NEVADA AVENGER. ... -
42-39993 'Hells Angels Out Of Chute 13', 'Grossly Inadequate'
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 26/10/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-C] Deenethorpe 1/1/44; 118m landing accident at base with Jim Nolan 7/5/45; sal 2 SAD Watton, Nfk 8/5/45. HELL’S ANGELS OUT OF CHUTE 13 aka GROSSLY INADEQUATE. ... -
42-95021 San Antonio Rose
B-24 Liberator
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 27 May 2015 11:08:59 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Mission details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/ |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:06 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
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'. |
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