6 July 1944
8th Air Force mission 455; Berck-sur-Mer, France, Air Field; July 6, 1944. 447th Bomb Group strike photo
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BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
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| Tonnage dropped | 3 T |
HARBOUR INSTALLATION
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This is the first attack on Kiel since 22-May-44.
Group
The 392nd Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators out of Wendling, Norfolk from August 1943 until April 1945. They were the first Group allocated B-24H Liberators, the first B-24 series fitted with a nose turret on the production line. The adaptation increased...
Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
Group
The 458th Bomb Group (H) entered combat with the 8th Air Force in February 1944. Based at Horsham St. Faith in England, the combat crews participated in the decisive Campaigns 'Big Week', 'Big B', D-Day and the assault on Germany's oil industry waged...
Group
The 466th Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators from Attlebridge, Norfolk, during the last year of the war in Europe. The Group flew 232 missions in the course of the year and celebrated the 100th one by inviting local people onto the base to mark the...
Group
The 467th Bomb Group, or the "Rackheath Aggies" as they came to be known, flew B-24 Liberators on missions from April 1944. Its air crews became known for their accuracy and the Group had the best overall standing for accuracy within the Eighth Air...
Group
The 489th Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators out of Halesworth, Suffolk, for several months from May 1944 until later in the year. The Group flew tactical missions in support of ground forces in northern France. It was in this tactical role that the crews...
Group
The 491st Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators in bombing missions over northern France and Germany from June 1944 until April 1945. Missions over Germany included bombing the headquarters of the German General Staff at Zossen. The Group was awarded a DUC...
Group
The 492nd Bomb Group were assigned to the 8th Air Force in April 1944. They flew 60 missions over occupied Europe from 11 May 1944 until 7 August 1944.
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| Tonnage dropped | 658.7 T |
V-1 MISSILE SITES
B-17 Flying Fortress
18 V-Weapon sites are targeted.
457th BG - MISSION NO. 81 - BERTREVILLE ST. OUEN, FRANCE - 6 JULY, 1944
During the period of bad weather between 29 June and 5 July, the tempo of V-1s (pilotless aircraft bombs) falling on London increased markedly. It was deemed necessary to use American heavy bombers in large scale attacks on their French bases in order to alleviate the destruction. The RAF Bomber Command could send only 550 bombers against such bases. The Eighth Air Force dispatched 900 four-engined heavy bombers for this purpose in two operations.
The 457th Group was directed to supply thirty-six planes to comprise the entire 94th A Combat Wing and attack the supply site at Bertreville St. Ouen. This target was one of the eight identified sites providing pilotless aircraft components to the various launching sites in the Dunkerque/Rouen area. The small French hamlet in which it was located was situated about eight miles south of Dieppe.
Lt. Colonel Hoffman was Commander, with Captain Clarence E. Schuchmann as pilot. Captain Lady and Lt. Johnston led the low A and high A boxes.
The English Coast was crossed and over the Channel the three boxes took bombing intervals, entering France midway between Dieppe and Fecamp. Two engines went out on Lt. Morris H. Shuff's plane, lead of the high squadron in the high box. He left the formation and was followed by his two wing men. They dropped their bombs on the coastal airport of St. Valery-en-Caux and returned home.
At the IP, there were no clouds and visibility extended thirty miles. The target was extremely difficult to locate as the few houses with their orchards and village crossroads were similar to dozens of others in the same area. The lead box dropped bombs with poor results.
457th BG - MISSION NO. 82 - RENNESCURE, FRANCE - 6 JULY, 1944
The second operation of the day found the 457th returning to the No Ball Coast with 268 other Eighth Air Force Bombers. Again the target was one of the eight known supply sites. It was located at the village ofRennescure on the St. Omer-Hazebroock railway five miles east of St. Omer. The 457th was the third of three distinct 12-plane forces of the 94th Wing dispatched on this target.
There was a late afternoon takeoff. Captain Mark R. Belcher was Commander of the formation and Lt. Brackley was pilot. The cloud conditions were unchanged from those existing on the morning mission. The target had just been hit by the A and B forces earlier in the day and was partially covered with smoke. In spite of this hindrance, the bombs hit squarely on the supply site from 25,000 feet. There was a meager amount of flak, causing no damage, and no enemy fighter opposition was encountered.
The low and high boxes were positioned to the left of the target. They attempted a bomb run, but the distance was too short. A 360 degree turn was then made. Both boxes dropped on the same target with fair results. Enemy air and ground opposition were nil .
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.
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
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...
| Tonnage dropped | 1785.5 T |
V-1 MISSILE SITES
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2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group
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.
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 390th Bomb Group
Crew Number 51
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Tail Gunner | 390th Bomb Group
Crew Number 51
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Radio Operator | 388th Bomb Group
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 ...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. After mission to V-weapons site at Beaumetz, France on 6 July 1944, landed at Molesworth in B-17G 42-97272, 'Duchess Daughter', where upon the CP raised the landing gear on roll out. RTD ETD.
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 487th Bomb Group
James R. Brown was Pilot of B-17 #42-39811, shot down on a night leaflet operation to France, 5-6 July 1944. Crashed near Overschie, a suburb of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Missing Air Crew Report – MACR 6988. Initially evaded, helped by members of the...
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Navigator; Statistics | 490th Bomb Group
AWARDS:
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Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Flight Engineer | 466th Bomb Group
Military | Master Sergeant | Photographic Chief | 34th Bomb Group
Lew was born in Wattenberg, Colorado, on Jan 30, 1921, to John and Alta Funk. An Eagle Scout who served in the National Guard at Fort Logan, he attended photo school for the Army at Lowry Air Force base. He achieved the rank of Master Sergeant as the...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW). Shot down by flak and crashed near Corne on 7/19/44 in B-17 44-6129
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 17/3/44; Gr Island 6/4/44; Dow Fd 28/4/44; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 30/4/44; On a local flight 9/7/44 with Doug McArthur, Co-pilot: Stamos Zades, Navigator: George Mille, Bombardier: Chas Meyer, Flight engineer/top turret...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 28/8/43; Scott 16/9/43; Assigned 544BS/384BG Grafton Underwood 7/11/43; transferred 547BS [SO-N]; transferred to 364FG Leiston, Sfk, UK. 11/43; Returned to the USA Bradley 14/7/45; 4185 BU Independence 17/7/45; Reconstruction Finance...
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.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 8/9/43; Assigned 365BS/305BG [XK-C] Chelveston 17/10/43; then to 422NLS [JJ-E] 23/5/44; transferred 838BS/487BG Lavenham. Missing in Action French leaflet drop 6 July 1944, with Pilot James R. Brown, Co-pilot John H. Mann,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Selfridge Fld 3/2/44; Dorval 4/3/44; Assigned RAF [HB-768]; transferred 561BS/388BG Knettishall 13/3/44; Missing in Action Parchim 7/4/45 with Lew Hickman, Arnold Wolf, Cawthorn Perdue, Albt Vawter, Herman Meyer (5 Prisoner of War); John...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 13/2/44; Dalhart 2/3/44; Grenier 26/3/44; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-T] Molesworth 9/4/44; on return from Beaumetz-les-Aire, France V-weaponsite with Patrick Brabant, Co-pilot: Ira Judy, Navigator: Phil Heatherly, tog-Ralphe Wolfe,...
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
Crash-landed and caught fire at Clastres, France, 22 Sep 44, while on loan to 458th BG for truckin' operations.
B-24 Liberator
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 03 June 2015 12:54:21 | 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 18:43:07 | 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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