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1 May 1944

  • 466th BG Mission Route Map 1 May 1944 - Maisoncelle, France - No Ball Targets This was the first of two missions flown by the 466th BG on this date. This mission took off at 0230. Many 466th BG crews learning that multiple missions were scheduled for the day surmised that the invasion was starting. The 466th BG got off without issue. All returned. No fighters, no flak were reported

    466th BG Mission Route Map 1 May 1944 - Maisoncelle, France - No Ball Targets This was the first of two missions flown by the 466th BG on this date. This mission took off at 0230. Many 466th BG crews learning that multiple missions were scheduled for the day surmised that the invasion was starting. The 466th BG got off without issue. All returned. No fighters, no flak were reported

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Official description

Not yet known

Description

Not yet known

Mission details

1. MONTDIDIER (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 54 T HE

2. PAS DE CALAIS (Primary)

Description

V-1 MISSILE SITES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

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, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group.

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 222 T HE

3. PAS DE CALAIS (Primary)

Description

V-1 MISSILE SITES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

V-Weapon sites around Pas-de-Calais are targeted. Operation CROSSBOW launched against 23 V-Weapon sites in France, but weather frustrates operations and only 3 V-Weapon sites are actually hit. 3rd Bomb Division-is 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group.

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 61.75 T HE

4. POIX (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

1st Bomb Division was made up of 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.

457th BG - MISSION NO. 38 - SIRACOURT-ST POL, FRANCE

1 MAY, 1944

A return was made to the invasion coast where the Eighth bombed rocket sites and fortifications. The target for the 457th was the anti-invasion fortification of Siracourt, located in an open field near St. Pol, another No Ball target. It was one of the eight largest no balls along the coast and considered a very important fortification.

As part of the operation, a practice night assembly was ordered to take place prior to the departure for the target. This exercise commenced at 0420 hours. The aircraft returned to the Glatton Buncher at daylight, and assembled for the flight to the target.

(The Buncher was a non-directional radio homing transmitter located near the field, for formation assembly and other navigation purposes, using each aircraffs radio compass.) The 457th supplied twenty-one planes with Lt. Cot. Henry B. Wilson acting as Air Commander. Lt. Donald E. Lady was pilot. There was ten-tenths cloud cover over the target. After making two 360 degree turns over the target, the Group left and bombed an airdrome at Roye/Amy, a target of opportunity. Bombing results were fair. Flak was intense and accurate, and twelve aircraft sustained damage.

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.

  • 457th Bomb Group

    457th Bomb Group

    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...

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 47.5 T HE

5. ROYE/AMY (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 44 T HE

Service

People

  • James Bates

    Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Waist Gunner | 466th Bomb Group

  • Vernon Bohn

    Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 390th Bomb Group
    Crew Number 7

  • James Braa

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball turret gunner | 389th Bomb Group
    James Braa served as a ball turret gunner with the 566th Bomb Squadron of the 389th Bomb Group, flying bombing missions out of Hethel, England. He completed his tour of 30 missions between March and June 1944, flying his final two missions on D-Day.

  • William Brooks

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 466th Bomb Group
    St. Dizier, France 24 Mar 1944; Brunswick, Germany 8 April 1944; Hamm, Germany 22 April 1944; Leipheim, Germany 24 April 1944; Paderborn, Germany 26 April 1944; Siracourt, France 27 April 1944; Mimoyecque, France 28 April 1944; Liege, France 1 May 1944...

  • Palmer Bryan

    Military | 446th Bomb Group

  • Howard Carey

    Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Flight Engineer | 390th Bomb Group
    Crew Number 7

  • Wayne Danielson

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner/Airplane Armorer | 458th Bomb Group
    Killed in Action (KIA) in B-24 A/C #42-52404. Plane crashed shortly after takeoff.

  • William Evans

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 379th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 525BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 17 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Sorau, Germany mission 11-Apr-44 'Tenny Belle' exploded in mid-air near Downham Market, England. Sole survivor, blown out of A/C with chute. Wounded in Action (WIA) RTD....

  • Theodore Fluke

    Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 390th Bomb Group
    Crew Number 71

  • James Hendel

    Military | Captain | Pilot B-17 | 447th Bomb Group

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Aircraft

  • 42-107017

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 27/1/44; Kearney 1/2/44; Presque Is 5/3/44; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall 6/3/44; Missing in Action Liege 25/5/44 with Bill Warren, Bombardier: Jerome Fontaine (2 Killed in Action); Navigator: Gene McClellan, Flight engineer/top...

  • 42-107061 Peg O' My Heart

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Tulsa 9/2/44; Gr Island 18/2/44; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 13/3/44; Missing in Action Laon 8/5/44 with Searl Pickett, Co-pilot: Bob Roan, Navigator: Bob Shields, Bombardier: Mervin Jacobs, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Abar (5...

  • 42-30778 Old 66/Lady Margaret

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 28/7/43; Gore 6/8/43; Pendleton 12/8/43; Reno 14/8/43; Pierre 16/8/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 3/9/43; crashed on take off for France 13/8/44 with Leon Sutton, Co-pilot: Harlan Thompson, Navigator: George Healy, Bombardier:...

  • 42-31034 'Bonnie Donnie'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Dallas 8/9/43; to Gt Falls with Phil Sweet but force landed Pueblo, CO 10/9/43; Scott 20/10/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-G] Deenethorpe 8/11/43; Missing in Action Cologne 28/5/44 with George West, Waist gunner: Hugh Russell, Tail gunner: Mike...

  • 42-31081 Son of a Blitz

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

  • 42-31662 'Fancy Nancy IV'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 2/12/43; Kearney 17/12/43; Romulus 6/1/44; Kearney 7/1/44; Memphis 9/1/44; Presque Is 10/1/44; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-B] Deenethorpe 31/1/44; 134m crash landed Polebrook 22/4/44, Salvaged 1 SAD Troston. FANCY NANCY IV.

  • 42-3312 SEQUATCHIEE

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 5/5/43; Dow Fd 13/7/43; Assigned 570BS/390BG [DI-K] Framlingham 14/7/43. ...

  • 42-38013 "NEVADA AVENGER"

    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. ...

  • 42-38026 Sad Sack, My Day

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 18/11/43; Kearney 5/12/43; Presque Is 22/12/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-N] Deenethorpe 2/2/44; Missing in Action Kiel 19/5/44 with Marion Hagen, Co-pilot: John Dunn, Navigator: Wilbur Cordell, Bombardier: Fred Graham, Flight...

  • 42-39882

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Long Beach 28/9/43; Harvard 14/10/43; Assigned 711BS/447BG Rattlesden 1/11/43; retUS Bradley 10/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 13/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 19/12/45.

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Revisions

Date Contributor Update
14 September 2017 17:23:40 WWII37 Changes to media associations
Sources

711th Bombardment Squadron (H), 447th Bombardment Group (H)
B-17-G #42-39882, “My Gal” Crew
Top Left to Right: August E. Herlth, Eugene G. D'Albero, Larry S. Hatfield, Martin J. Gruber
Bottom Left to Right: William M. Lindgren, Bailey E. Swadley, Raymond L. Hayes, William H. Stoyer, Rocco J. LoCarro, Louis L. Jenkins
Date Contributor Update
20 May 2015 13:07:52 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/
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:43:06 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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