462
9 July 1944Mission Details
BOUCHEMAINE (Opportunistic)
Description: BRIDGE
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 24 T
Description: HIGHWAY BRIDGE
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 24 T
CHALONNES (Opportunistic)
Description: BRIDGE
Notes: Original mission was to bomb airfields and bridges in France, but cloud cover forced these to bomb targets of opportunity instead. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 92nd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 135 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 457th BG - MISSION NO. 85 - HAUT MAISNIL BLANGEMONT, FRANCE - 9 JULY, 1944 A second attempt was made to bomb the pilotless aircraft sites that had been protected by clouds the day before. The 457th was assigned the same targets with the same type of force as was previously dispatched. Lt. Kenneth R. Johnston led the A box on Haut-Maisnil, and Captain Mark R. Beicher led the B box on Blangermont. Clouds over the base caused the assembly altitude to be changed several times, which delayed the operation. As a result, all control points had to be cut off on the flight to the point of departure from the English Coast. At the French Coast, the forces separated and headed for their individual targets. An almost complete undercast prevailed over this region of France and again these sites could not be bombed. A search was made for targets of opportunity, but the clouds hid everything. The planes then headed for England. Over the Channel the weather had closed in completely. Pre-frontal clouds existed from 2,000 feet altitude to 20,000 feet, it was raining and visibility was only three miles. At Glatton the clouds extended down to 800 feet. A diversion message was transmitted. The planes landed at other bases and returned to Glatton later that day after the weather cleared.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 68T
LE CREUSOT (Opportunistic)
Description: BRIDGE
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 24 T
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 34th Bomb Group 18th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17160682
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 457th Bomb Group 751st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-808214
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 39565010
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Smokey
- Unit: 34th Bomb Group
Revisions
Mission details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/
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'.