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568

24 August 1944

  • Crew #551 Seward M. Meinstma Crew Standing Left to Right: Jack Veach (R/O), George Wood (BTG), William Osborne (NG), John O'Donnell (FE), Howard Wade (TG), Sherell Campbell (G) Kneeling Left to Right: Seward Meinstma (P), Donald Vanderwall (CP), Eugene Gjertsen (N), Harvey Levine (B) This crew completed a 35 mission tour. Gjertsen transferred to the Welsh Crew of the 784th BS at some point during the tour. Also Daniel Chadbourne replaced O'Donnell as Flight Engineer during the tour.

    Crew #551 Seward M. Meinstma Crew Standing Left to Right: Jack Veach (R/O), George Wood (BTG), William Osborne (NG), John O'Donnell (FE), Howard Wade (TG), Sherell Campbell (G) Kneeling Left to Right: Seward Meinstma (P), Donald Vanderwall (CP), Eugene Gjertsen (N), Harvey Levine (B) This crew completed a 35 mission tour. Gjertsen transferred to the Welsh Crew of the 784th BS at some point during the tour. Also Daniel Chadbourne replaced O'Donnell as Flight Engineer during the tour.

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  • Standing, left to right ; 2nd Lt Jack R. Hillary, pilot; 2nd Lt William Robertson III, co-pilot; 2nd John E. Rice Jr, navigator; 2nd Lt Rocco De Filippis, bombardier. Front, left to right : Sgt Nelson R. Bishop, ball turret gunner; S/Sgt George E. Paul, engineer; Sgt Harry R. Sansum, waist gunner; T/Sgt Eugene E. Girman, radio operator; Sgt James R. Warson, tail gunner. (USAAF photo)

    Standing, left to right ; 2nd Lt Jack R. Hillary, pilot; 2nd Lt William Robertson III, co-pilot; 2nd John E. Rice Jr, navigator; 2nd Lt Rocco De Filippis, bombardier. Front, left to right : Sgt Nelson R. Bishop, ball turret gunner; S/Sgt George E. Paul, engineer; Sgt Harry R. Sansum, waist gunner; T/Sgt Eugene E. Girman, radio operator; Sgt James R. Warson, tail gunner. (USAAF photo)

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  • Overall Missions Map for the 493rd BG - USAAF Station 152 -Debach, UK noting missions flown by the Lt Bernard E Vaughan Crew

    Overall Missions Map for the 493rd BG - USAAF Station 152 -Debach, UK noting missions flown by the Lt Bernard E Vaughan Crew

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Official description

Not yet known

Description

Not yet known

Mission details

1.

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 16.9 T

2.

Description

BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 14 T

3.

Description

BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 32.8 T

4.

Description

BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 5 T

5. BRUNSWICK/QUERUM (Primary)

Description

AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 280.5 T

6. BRUNSWICK/WAGGUM (Primary)

Description

AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th BG, 93rd BG, 389th BG, 445th BG, 446th BG, 448th BG, 453rd BG, 458th BG, 466th BG, 467th BG, 489th BG, 491 BG, 492nd BG.

Units

  • 2nd Bomb Division

    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.

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 313.7 T

7. BRÜX (PRIMARY)

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

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,

Units

  • 3rd Bomb Division

    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 310.9 T

8. FREITAL (Primary)

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 161.5 T

9. GOSLAR (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 92 T

10. HANNOVER/LANGENHAGEN (Primary)

Description

AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Aircraft type

B-24 Liberator

Notes

Mission #2 Chester L. Sinclair
Bomb Load: 6- 500 lb. bombs and 6-Incendary Bombs
Bomb Altitude: 21,000 Ft.
Time: 7:20 Hrs.
Remarks: Rough-flew through concentrated flak. Top gunner had hydraulic system knocked out but no casualties. Hydraulic system of right brakes shot out. No fighters. P1 on right wing
was on fire. Got several holes.

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 211.2 T

11. HEMMINGSTEDT (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 9 T

12. KIEL/WALTHER (Primary)

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-24s is 34th BG, 486th BG, 491st Bomb Group, 493rd BG. This is the Last mission for 3rd Bomb Division B-24s. The groups will be re-outfitted with B-17s. And return to missions on 17-Sep-44.

Units

  • 3rd Bomb Division

    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 124 T

13. KOLLEDA (Primary)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 75 T

14. LEIPZIG (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 25 T

15. MERSEBURG (Primary)

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes

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.
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The 384th Bombardment Group (H) provided all three groups of the 41st "C" Combat Bombardment Wing on today's mission. The 8th AF continued to decimate the enemy's fuel supply by attacking this giant chemical complex. The "C" wing was to follow the "A" and "B" wings, but over the North Sea, they caught up and passed both, leading them from the enemy coast, for the rest of the mission. This was apparently due to the wings making different adjustments for cloud layers, and perhaps navigation errors. Although the 384th was prepared for a target obscured by clouds and smoke screen, there was sufficient visibility for visual bombing.

Units

  • 1st Bomb Division

    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 436.8 T

16. MISBURG (Primary)

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

B-24 Liberator

Notes

466th BG has 23 aircraft drop 48.25 tons of GP bombs (a/c loaded with 20x250 lbs. GP) on target. The 466th suffered no losses, though one aircraft lost two engines over target and another lost one. Two a/c were involved in a ground collision landing accident on return to Attlebridge. There were no injuries in this incident though both a/c were salvaged.

Units

  • 466th Bomb Group

    466th Bomb Group

    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...

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 218 T

17. NORDHAUSEN (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 27.5 T

18. RUHLAND (Primary)

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 293.4 T

19. STADE (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 5 T

20. VORDEN (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 27.5 T

21. WEIMAR (Primary)

Description

INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 303.1 T

Service

People

  • Harold Adams

    Military | Technical Sergeant | MOS 757 - Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner, AAF | 384th Bomb Group

  • William Adams

    Military | Sergeant | Togglier / Nose Gunner | 491st Bomb Group
    Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. 1 x combat mission. ...

  • Curtis Adamy

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 466th Bomb Group

  • Elmore Austin

    Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 491st Bomb Group
    Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. 1 x combat missions. ...

  • Dale Avers

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 95th Bomb Group

  • Willard Best

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
    Shot down by fighters and crashed at Lindenthal in B-17 #42-31771. Killed in Action (KIA). Until 2019, Staff Sergeant Willard Best had been listed as Missing in Action (MIA) and memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Henri-Chapelle American...

  • Neldon Bishop

    Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
    Neldon Bishop was Ball Turret Gunner on board B-17 # 42-97291 of 303rd Bomb Group / 359th Bomb Squadron. Lost on the 24 August 1944 mission to the Leuna refinery in Merseburg, Germany. Prisoner Of War (POW). Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 8212.

  • Sidney Brown

    Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 491st Bomb Group
    Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. 1 x combat mission. ...

  • Donald Bruns

    Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 379th Bomb Group
    Shot down 24 August 1944 on his 21st mission. Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III. Liberated May 1945. ...

  • Rolland Bushner

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 25th Bomb Group
    Missions: 1944 - Aug 9 Saarbrucken; 12 Mourmelon sur Marne; 14 Dole/Tauaux/ 16 Madgeburg; 24 Hanover; 26 Dulmen; 30 Mainz; Sep 9 Mainz; 10 Ulm; 11 Madgeburg; Oct 5 Lippstadt; 7 Madgeburg; 9 Koblenz; 22 Hamm; 26 Bottrop; 30 Hamburg; Nov 5 Karlsruhe; 10...

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Aircraft

  • 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...

  • 42-107047 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...

  • 42-107062 Worry Bird/Miss Bea Haven

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 9/2/44; Rapid City 2/3/44; Dow Fd 3/4/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 25/4/44; no ops, transferred 562BS/388BG Knettishall 29/4/44 WORRY BIRD; Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 29/11/45;...

  • 42-110107 "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'm"

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 854BS, 491BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Hanover mission; downed by flak over Russelheim, Germany, on 24-Aug-44. 3 x POW, 6 x KIA. MACR 8296 ...

  • 42-31081 Son of a Blitz

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    B-17G ser. 42-31081, 'Son of A Blitz': ...

  • 42-31091 MAGGIE

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 20/9/43; Gt Falls 2/10/43; Scott 21/10/43; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-O] Deenethorpe 4/11/43; Missing in Action Merseburg 11/9/44 with Milton Wingard, Co-pilot: Bob Abresch, Navigator: Bob Sullivan, Tail gunner: Ed Chiariello (4...

  • 42-31591 Homesick Angel

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 26/11/43; Wendover 9/12/43; Grenier 20/1/44; Assigned 457BG Glatton 25/1/44; transferred 613BS/401BG [IN-J] Deenethorpe 11/3/44; Missing in Action Pas de Calais 19/3/44, force landed continent; Salvaged 1 SAD Troston 22/4/44; mission...

  • 42-31771 Available - Exciteable

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 12/12/43; Gr Island 23/12/43; Grenier 16/1/44; Assigned 407BS/92BG [PY-R] Podington 28/1/44; Missing in Action - ...

  • 42-31863 Miss 'B' Haven

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 27/12/43; Gt Falls 29/12/43; Kearney 12/1/44; Presque Is 26/1/44; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-X] Deenethorpe 6/2/44; battle damaged ? 28/9/44 with ? ; Cologne 6/1/45; Salvaged 2 SAD Lt Staughton 19/2/45. MISS `B' HAVEN.

  • 42-31891 The Shape

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 31/12/43; Kearney 12/1/44; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-P] Deenethorpe 15/2/44; Returned to the USA 121 BU Bradley 1/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 8/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)...

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Revisions

Date Contributor Update
02 May 2018 22:41:57 jsinclair Changes to event
Sources

John Sinclair for diary of Chester L. Sinclair.
Date Contributor Update
12 November 2016 10:11:23 thalerk Changes to event
Sources

http://www.384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/One384thMission.php?Missio...
Date Contributor Update
20 September 2016 02:33:43 466thHistorian Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

466th Archives - 785th BS Combat Crew Mission Record chart
Date Contributor Update
20 September 2016 02:31:06 466thHistorian Changes to event
Sources

"Attlebridge Diaries" - John Woolnough
page 112
Date Contributor Update
11 December 2014 10:18:04 Emily Changes to event
Sources

Moved Brux pin from middle of the sea to Brux (Most) Czech Republic
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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