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798

17 January 1945

  • My Dad, Karl Eisele, Jr. and Mom (Janet Eisele) marrying in Boise, Idaho as Dad was stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho shortly before going to England to bomb the Reich.

    My Dad, Karl Eisele, Jr. and Mom (Janet Eisele) marrying in Boise, Idaho as Dad was stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho shortly before going to England to bomb the Reich.

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    1-5 of 6
  • Karl Eisele, Jr. 2nd Lieutenant, 8th AF, 93rd BG, 409th BS/329th BS. Stationed in Hardwick, England.

    Karl Eisele, Jr. 2nd Lieutenant, 8th AF, 93rd BG, 409th BS/329th BS. Stationed in Hardwick, England.

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  • Karl Eisele, Jr. in internment in Sweden at Hummlebacken, near Falun, Sweden. On his 20th mission (over Hamburg), the “Full House” had been hit by flak. 2 engines were damaged, and the pilot flew to the Bulltofta airfield near Malmo, where they crash landed. The co-pilot’s back was broken in the landing, and he died the next day. The rest of the crew were kept in Hummlebacken from that time (Jan. 1945) until Germany surrendered (May 1945).

    Karl Eisele, Jr. in internment in Sweden at Hummlebacken, near Falun, Sweden. On his 20th mission (over Hamburg), the “Full House” had been hit by flak. 2 engines were damaged, and the pilot flew to the Bulltofta airfield near Malmo, where they crash landed. The co-pilot’s back was broken in the landing, and he died the next day. The rest of the crew were kept in Hummlebacken from that time (Jan. 1945) until Germany surrendered (May 1945).

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  • From the book, _____Making For Sweden_

    From the book, _____Making For Sweden_

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  • From the book _Making for Sweden_

    From the book _Making for Sweden_

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  • 8th Air Corp., 390th Bomb Group, 571 Squadron - 1943-45

    8th Air Corp., 390th Bomb Group, 571 Squadron - 1943-45 "Cabin In The Sky" crew: Leonard B. Welton Jr. (pilot), Lt. Meyer Rothchild (B), Lt. Walter H. Weinberg (CP), Lt. James C. Smith, Sgt. Robert A. Kelly, T. Sgt. Denzel D. Martin (Engineer/Top Turrent Gunner) back row right end, Sgt. John W. Cox, Sgt. Blair L. Weamer, Sgt. Stanley F. Ostrowski.

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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. BIELEFELD/SCHILDESCHE

Description

RAIL VIADUCT

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

3. BOKUM

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

4. HAMBURG

Description

SUBMARINE PENS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

5. HAMBURG/ALBRECHT

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

6. HAMBURG/RHENANIA

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

A mix of 61 P-47s and P-51s escort. Mix not given in available data.

Mission Statistics

7. HARBURG/RHENANIA

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

8. PADERBORN

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes

457th BG MISSION NO. 175 : PADERBORN, GERMANY : 17 JANUARY, 1945

The 457th comprised the 94th A Combat Wing with Lt. Cot. Francis as Air Commander for the Group and the 1st Division's A formation. The primary target was communication centers in Altenbeken.

Combat Wing assembly was accomplished without incident. The Group Leader, having noted bad weather conditions, continued to climb above briefed altitude before reaching the first Control Point.

Division assembly line was flown approximately as briefed. Over the Channel, the formation encountered increasingly difficult weather conditions, which continued from this point to the IP. Course was flown approximately as briefed except for slight deviations to the right and left.

The IP was crossed approximately on course. The G-H equipment malfunctioned on the bomb run and lead was turned over the PEF aircraft after the formation had passed over the primary target. A 360 degree turn to the left was executed and a run in Group formation was made on railway workshops at Paderborn, the secondary target, located halfway between Munster and Kassel. The formation, in the process of turning, was too close to Paderborn for the PFF equipment to pick up the city for a normal PFF run.

Bombs were released on the smoke markers of preceding groups. Cloud coverage was ten tenths and visibility was about three miles. Results were unobserved due to cloud coverage. Flak was moderate with three craft sustaining damage.

Units

  • 1st Air Division

    1st Air Division

    Division
    In December 1944, the 1st Bomb 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

Service

People

  • Jesse Adcock

    Military | Chief Master Sergeant | B-17 Toglier in WWII; Aircraft Maintenance until 1967 retirement | 96th Bomb Group
    Assigned Dec 1944. Flew 55+ missions in B-17 as togglier. Adcock grew up on a farm in Ellisville, Mississippi, USA. He was career Air Force, retiring in 1967 as a Chief Master Sergeant (CMSAF). Born 3/8/1924 Died 3/16/2017

  • Lewis Carter

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Counter Measures/Right Waist Gunner | 452nd Bomb Group
    Prisoner of War (POW) crashed near Zwickau on 19 Mar 45 in B-17 'Daisey Mae' #4338368

  • Richard Dillon

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
    Flew 25 missions, 1 to Berlin and 3 to Merseberg. Was lead navigator for last 6 missions Air Medal w/2 Oak Leaf Cluster; EAME ribbon w 3/battle stars Passed away 25-June-2017, buried in Columbia SC

  • Karl Eisele

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier; Pathfinder Navigator | 93rd Bomb Group
    Initially on B-24 42-95024, the “Gypsy Queen” piloted by Leo Baumann. After its crash, reassigned to other planes. On the 20th mission in January 1945, plane was hit by flak and landed in Sweden. Interned in Sweden until 8 May 1945. B-24 42-51523, the...

  • Thomas Flemming

    Military | Captain | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
    Thomas F Flemming served as a pilot with the 323rd Bomb Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group. ...

  • Robert Holliday

    Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
    Robert Holliday flew his first few missions as the co-pilot with Lt. Shambaugh. He then flew the majority of his missions (18 out of 30) in A/C 44-48431, OR-W, "Cheri II." His co-pilot was Edward Fagnani.

  • Max Huffman

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Armorer Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group

  • Daniel Jaworski

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 95th Bomb Group

  • Harold Krumsiek

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 452nd Bomb Group
    Harold Krumsiek Jr. was born on April 10th 1924 in Worcester, MA. His parents were Harold and Bernice. ...

  • Bernard Kyes

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs

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Aircraft

  • 42-37788 HELL'S MESSENGER

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 28/8/43; Scott 16/9/43; Assigned 544BS/384BG Grafton Underwood 7/11/43; transferred 547BS [SO-N]; transferred to 364FG Leiston, Sfk, UK. 11/43; Returned to the USA Bradley 14/7/45; 4185 BU Independence 17/7/45; Reconstruction Finance...

  • 43-37904 Princess Pat aka Hannah’s Children

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 2/6/44; Hunter 13/6/44; Dow Fd 24/6/44; Assigned 569BS/390BG [CC-L] Framlingham 29/6/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 3/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 4/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)...

  • 43-38333 Heavy Date

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 22/7/44; Kearney 31/7/44; Grenier 9/8/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-H] Horham 12/8/44; with C.E. Willis force landed A-82 Rouvres, Fr 20/2/45; 73m, crash landed base with ?, non op 6/5/45; ditched North Sea with Roger Sundin 26/5/45....

  • 43-38617 New York Express

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 24/8/44; Hunter 7/9/44; Dow Fd 18/9/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-Q] Horham 19/9/44; with W.N. Dunwoody force landed Raydon afb, Suffolk 10/1/45; 80m, Returned to the USA Bradley 24/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 28/6/45;...

  • 44-8210 Sweetheart of Seattle

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Dallas 11/7/44; Langley 8/8/44; Dow Fd 12/9/44; Assigned 332BS/94BG [XM-Z] Rougham 14/9/44; transferred 335BS/95BG [OE-J] Horham 11/44; with L.W. Jensen, Radio Operator: Paul Rupard, Waist gunner: - Olson [2wia] 24/2/45; 53m, RetUS,...

  • 44-8602

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Lincoln 28 October 1944; Grenier 10 December 1944; Assigned 731BS/452BG Deopham Green January 1945. Flew on the Ehrang marshalling yards mission 2 January 1945 (Navigator: Lt LaVerne R. Olson KIA). Battle-damaged Hamburg 17 January 1945 with...

  • 44-8604 Section Eight

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Lincoln 31/10/44; Grenier 15/12/44; Dow Fd 15/12/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-X] Horham 17/12/44;with Bill Dunwoody force landed B-53 Merville Afd, Bel. 19/3/45; battle damaged Holzwickede 23/3/45 with Bill Dunwoody, Co-pilot: M. Burrows,...

  • 42-95021 San Antonio Rose

    B-24 Liberator

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
29 April 2015 11:13:59 general ira snapsorter Changes to event
Sources

Correction to Connection to reflect Bomb Divisions redesignation to Air Divisions from 1 Jan 1945.
Date Contributor Update
29 April 2015 11:05:42 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 18:43:09 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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