323

27 April 1944

Description

From the diary of Lt. David W LeBlanc: " This afternoon we went to Nancy France and it turned out to be a bad day. We had #3 off the group leader. It wasn't very deep in France when #3 engine started running terribly rough so we feathered it. While determining our trouble we fell back considerably and Knight moved up and took our place. Shortly after he did that we were hit by extremely accurate flak. The very last bursts knocked Copley and Knight down. They both had fires in the right wings. Three or four chutes were seen leaving Cope's ship - none from Knight's ship. Both planes blew up in the air. Nick, our navigator was riding with Cope. It was his next to last trip - he asked to go. Hayward was with Cope and he was on his last mission. We were unable to keep up so dropped our bombs. Came back across France alone and at 12,000 feet. #4 Engine busted a cylinder and we feathered it and restarted #3. Our electrical system went out because of a fire in #2. Result was that we had no radio, turrets, turbos, hydraulics. P47s picked us up half-way back and remained with us all the way. Thank God for them. We landed at the coast as our gas was very low."

Mission Details

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 392nd Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group.

A formation of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group enroute to Europe. Printed caption on reverse: '71049 AC- A formation of Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, roars over Europe en route to the target area. 24 November 1944. US Air Force photo.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 556.7 T HE

CHALONS SUR MARNE (Primary)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Description: AIRFIELD

Notes: Clouds prevented bombing of primary or secondary. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group.

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

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 264.5 T HE & FRAG

Nancy, France / Essay, France

Description: AIRFIELD

Notes: 1st Bomb Division was made up of 92nd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.

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..."
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 371 T HE 74.8 T IB

OSTEND/MIDDELKERKE (Opportunistic)

Description: AIRFIELD

TOUL/CROIX DE METZ (Primary)

Description: LANDING GROUND

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 446th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 0 752 479
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 365th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19085098
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 0683704, 36153242
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37177112
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Navigator / Togglier

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Blonde Bomber
  • Unit: 467th Bomb Group 790th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Go Getter | Fate's Fortune
  • Unit: 467th Bomb Group 789th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Rough Riders
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Big Dick Hard To Hit
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Diana Queen Of The Chase
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorB17VforVictor
Changes
Sources

Diary of Lt. David W. LeBlanc 305th Bomb Group.

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Changed location for mission event no. 4 from 'NANCY/ESSAY (Primary)' to 'Nancy, France' and 'Essay, France'.

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'.