531

8 August 1944
Eleven men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of an airplane. Five men standing to the rear and six men kneeling in front. Some of the men are wearing flying gear. There is also some gear lying in front of the men. UPL 66846 UPL 66846 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews/8 August 1944, Bretteville sur Laize, France.
Back L-R: Lt. K. Garrison (N), 2nd Lt. Frank Gudowski (OBS/TG), 2nd Lt. Cecil Hobdey (N), 2nd Lt. Alfred Hendrix (B), unidentified 1.
Front L-R: Capt. John Shelley (AC/CP), unidentified 2, unidentified 3, 1st Lt. James McCartney (P), SSgt. Clifford Snyder (FG), unidentified 4.
To Be Identified: TSgt. Morton Sapolin (RO), TSgt. Joseph Frisbee (TT), SSgt. Rufus Saunders (BT), SSgt. Wade Flannery (FG).

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Object Number - UPL 66846 - 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews/8 August 1944, Bretteville sur Laize, France. Back L-R: Lt. K. Garrison (N), 2nd Lt. Frank Gudowski (OBS/TG), 2nd Lt....

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 213 T

Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 324.8 T

Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION

Notes: This is another instance where heavy bombers were used in a tactical application with tragic results. 25 Canadian soldiers were killed and another 131 wounded by short bombing. It is not clear why this operation was approved as Gen. Eisenhower had forbid their use as a tactical weapon after the 25 June 44 debacle where Gen Leslie McNair had been killed. Apparently, because only British and Canadian troops were in the area, and because they had been stalled at Caen since at least the 15th of June, Field Marshal Montgomery convinced Eisenhower and the Staff of 8th AF to try this one more time to allows his 2nd Army to breakout of the stalemate. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd BG, 303rd BG,305th BG, 306th BG, 351st BG, 379th BG, 381st BG, 384th BG, 398th BG, 401st BG, 457th BG. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-17s is 94th BG, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th BG, 385th BG, 388th BG, 390th BG, 447th BG, 452nd BG.

Brigadier-General Frank Alton Armstrong Jr. during a visit to the 305th Bomb Group Official caption on image: "(GPR-83-9305) (18-6-43) (Brig. Gen. Armstrong..."

1st Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group are attacked by a Nazi Fighter aircraft during a mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-62641 USAF: Nazi fighter plane attacking Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th[sic] Bomb Group, 3rd Bomb Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'

3rd Bomb Division

  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 618.5 T

GOUVIX (Primary)

Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 4.5 T

ST SYLVAN (Primary)

Description: TROOP CONCENTRATION

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 327 T

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

Leroy E Adams

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer

Don L Anderson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier / Navigator

Arnold G Asheim

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

William A Atkinson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Arthur H Aull

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group 93rd Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: O-434690
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Operations Officer

Aircraft

42-102427

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron

42-102450

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Paisano
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron

42-102468

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Farmer's Daughter
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron 615th Bomb Squadron

42-102626

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ol' Faithful
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron

42-102632

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Due Back
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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'.

531: Gallery (1 items)

Eleven men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of an airplane. Five men standing to the rear and six men kneeling in front. Some of the men are wearing flying gear. There is also some gear lying in front of the men.

Object number: UPL 66846 - 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews/8 August 1944...