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.
451
4 July 1944
Official description
Not yet known
Description
Not yet known
Mission details
1.
Description
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 2 T |
2. Beaumont-le-Roger, France
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 110.2 T |
3. BEAUMONT-SUR-OISE (Primary)
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 56.5 T |
4. CONCHES
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 23.9 T |
5. CONCHES
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Group, 491st Bomb Group, 492nd Bomb Group. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-24s is 486th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Group.
Units
-
-
3rd Bomb Division
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 132.2 T |
6. CREIL (Primary)
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 56.5 T |
7. DREUX (Primary)
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Airfields and bridges in France were the intended targets, but weather hampered operations. Of the 12 B-17 groups despatched only 379th Bomb Group and 384th Bomb Group attacked the primaries. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 352nd Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.
457th BG - MISSION NO. 80 - SAUMUR, FRANCE - 4 JULY, 1944
The railroad bridge at Saumur on the main line between Paris and Bordeaux, enables German reinforcements to move from the south to the battle front. It has been bombed several times but has always been rebuilt. Two wings of the 94th Combat Wing were assigned to the target.
The 457th provided twenty-four aircraft for the lead and low boxes of the B Wing. Major Smith was Air Commander of the lead box with Captain Beicher as pilot, and Captain Godfrey led the low box with Lt. Brackley as pilot.
Assembly was accomplished without difficulty; however, the Wing was forced to execute several double drifts because the AWing was late in arriving in proper position in the formation. Route to the target was again over the Normandy beachhead. There was a complete undercast and no sighting of the target was made. The mission was abandoned and the aircraft returned to the Base.
Neither antiaircraft fire nor fighter opposition was encountered.
Units
-
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 | 45.6 T |
8. EVREAUX (Primary)
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 92 T |
9. ILLIERS L'EVEQUE (Primary)
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 42.1 T |
Service
People
-
Robert Collins
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Navigator; Statistics | 490th Bomb Group
AWARDS: ... -
Chester Cox
Military | Brigadier General | Group Commanding Officer | 388th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Brigadier General -
Benjamin DeLoach
Military | First Lieutenant | B17 Bomber Pilot | 457th Bomb Group
Lt. Benjamin Hoyt DeLoach was born October 27, 1919, in Evans County, GA. to Willie F. and Elmine Callaway DeLoach. He flew 29 combat missions; 213 combat hours; in England from 10 June 1944-25 August 1944. After his tour of duty, he returned to the... -
Walter Frederick
Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 507th Fighter Group
1st Lt Walter R. Frederick 8th AF 56th FG 63rd. ... -
Melvin Hedrick
Military | Staff Sergeant | flexible gunner/ Togglier | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to 546BS, 384BG, 8AF USAAF. Gates Carey crew. 32 x combat missions. ETD Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME. -
Robert Kaufman
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 457th Bomb Group
Assigned to 750BS, 457BG, 8AF USAAF. Survived ditching in B-17G 42-38063 'GI Virgin'. -
Edward Zolnierzak
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Born 27 June 1924. Eddie had four years of high school education. Upon enlisting at 19, he weighed 109 pounds and was going to school. He was a waist gunner with the 525th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group.
Aircraft
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42-107047 The Doodle Bug
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 6/2/44; Grenier 3/3/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-M] Horham 17/3/44; with R.V. Mercer force landed Framlingham AFB 25/12/44 with engine failure; battle damaged Berlin 3/2/45 with H. Palmer; force landed Charleroi, Bel; 97m, repaired & ret... -
42-97322 Mister Completely, Home James
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 18/2/44; Dow Fd 7/3/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 1/5/44; no ops, transferred 614BS/401BG [IW-D] Deenethorpe 21/5/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 5/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 21/10/45; Reconstruction Finance...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 03 June 2015 12:49:09 | 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 |
| 28 May 2015 13:35:45 | jdossetter | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
http://www.8thafhs.com/maps.php?lat=49.0951&lon=0.792139&target_name=BEA... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 May 2015 13:34:06 | jdossetter | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
http://www.8thafhs.com/maps.php?lat=48.9337&lon=0.965486&target_name=CON... |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 28 May 2015 13:32:46 | jdossetter | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
http://www.8thafhs.com/maps.php?lat=48.9337&lon=0.965486&target_name=CON... |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:07 | 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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