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.
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723
25 November 1944
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42-31154 O "Shack Happy" 708th BS Undated photo. Probably one of the few OD aircraft stripped of paint, as traces are still seen around windows. Lost to flak over Merseburg on November 25, 1944.
Official description
Not yet known
Description
Not yet known
Mission details
1.
Description
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
2. BINGEN
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
3. MERSEBURG/LEUNA
Description
OIL REFINERY
Aircraft type
B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes
457th BG MISSION NO. 151 : MERSEBERG, GERMANY : 25 NOVEMBER, 1944
The 457th attacked the Leuna synthetic oil plant at Merseburg. Major Leon Stann was Air Commander. The Group comprised the 94th C Combat Wing. Assembly, and joining Division formation, were without incident.
The route to the target was flown as briefed, but the Group continued to gain time because winds were not as briefed. At the IP, the decision was made to bomb by PFF. The bombing was done in group formation with all three squadrons releasing on the smoke marker of the lead aircraft. The target was attacked from 25,300 feet.
Although heavy clouds prevented complete assessment, results were fair. Bombs observed by crews over target fell away from the target. Only damage was from a few strikes in the edge of Merseburg and a small village.
The craft flown by Lt. Jack B. Wescott, left the formation after the target, due to lack of oxygen. Damage caused by flak over Dunkirk caused him to crash land his ship near Marek, France. The crew subsequently returned to the base.
Units
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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
Service
People
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Ora Akins
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 615BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 37 x Combat missions. Carl Djernes crew. ETD Awards: AM (5OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (3 x Battle Stars). -
Russell Albert
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
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Glenn Amundson
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
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Lowell Ankrom
Military | Staff Sergeant | Togglier | 401st Bomb Group
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Arnold Asheim
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
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Alfred Atchinson
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
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Howard Ayers
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 398th Bomb Group
KIS Attended Brackenridge High School in San Antonio. Was a carrier (newspaper boy) for his local newspaper. Buried in the Fort Sam Houston Military Cemetery in San Antonio. -
George Bachman
Military | Technical Sergeant | B17 Engineer | 96th Bomb Group
Parents: George and Pauline (Matthias) Bachman they were married in March 1911 ... -
William Baker
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 398th Bomb Group
William Baker was Killed in Action (KIA) when his pilots were trying to land in heavy fog returning from a mission over Merseberg, Germany. The pilots, Vell Hansard and Robert Davis had given the order to bail out. Baker managed to bail out but the... -
Dale Benadom
Military | Captain | Command Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
On 4 Jan 1944 B-24H 42-7476 'Nice N' Naughty'. Problems on TO and AC ran off end of runway and crashed in ditch. On 9 Feb 1944, B-24H 41-29236 crashed on takeoff for a test flight to check the landing gear. RTD.
Aircraft
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42-102393 Diana Queen Of The Chase
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 27/2/44; Hunter 22/3/44; Grenier 2/4/44; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-R] Deenethorpe 16/4/44; 111m, Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 12/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal... -
42-102398 Dynamite John
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/2/44; Gr Island 22/3/44; Grenier 20/4/44; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-H] Deenethorpe 13/5/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 6/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 8/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in... -
42-102468 'Farmer's Daughter'
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 5/3/44; Hunter 7/4/44; Dow Fd 29/4/44; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-C] Deenethorpe 3/5/44; 614BS [IW-S]; 106m, Returned to the USA Bradley 7/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 14/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for... -
42-102947 D-Day Dottie
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 21/4/44; Kearney 2/5/44; Grenier 26/5/44; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-S] 27/5/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 12/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman... -
42-107125 DOASY DOATS
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 1/3/44; Rapid City 5/3/44; Dow Fd 21/4/44; Assigned 603BS/398BG Nuthampstead 25/4/44; 600BS [N8-G]; no ops, transferred 545BS/384BG [JD-G] Grafton Underwood 7/12/44; transferred with group to Istres on mapping duties, Salvaged 9AF... -
42-107151 Cover Girl
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 7/3/44; Kearney 22/3/44; Grenier 7/4/44; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-B] Deenethorpe 15/4/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 12/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)... -
42-31485 Old Ironsides
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 11/10/43; Gr Island 21/11/43; La Guardia 29/11/43; New York 1/12/43; Presque Is 2/12/43; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-X] Deenethorpe 6/1/44; RAF Stornaway 5/4/44, ret grp 6/4/44; Returned to the USA 121 BU Bradley 9/6/45; Syracuse 10/6... -
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)... -
42-31983 Mary Alice
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 13/1/44; Kearney 28/1/44; Presque Is 18/2/44; Grenier 2/3/44; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-G] Deenethorpe 7/3/44; detailed Munich 13/7/44 with L.H. Haskett, Tail gunner: Ed Page (Killed in Action); Returned to the USA 121 BU Bradley 6/6... -
42-32012 'Shark Tooth'
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 15/1/44; Kearney 28/1/44; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-P] Deenethorpe 5/3/44; Returned to the USA 121 BU Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 13/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 20 February 2018 09:39:03 | marshaferraro | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Personal list of 30 missions Lloyd C. Kenagy participated in with the 401st Bomb Group 613th Squadron between Aug 1, 1944 and April 11, 1945. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 April 2015 10:25:15 | 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/ |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 April 2015 10:24:37 | 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/ |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:08 | 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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