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824

9 February 1945

  • Ground crew attend to a crashed P-51 Mustang nicknamed

    Ground crew attend to a crashed P-51 Mustang nicknamed "Baby Jo" of the 357th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: ' Lt Noel Breen ran out of fuel 9 Feb '45.' * * * * * This is P-51-D "Baby Jo" - Serial 44-14884 of 357th Fighter Group / 364th Fighter Squadron. Freeman's "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" : "Orbiting the field after return from the 9 February (1945) escort, one 357FG Mustang ran out of fuel. Lt Noel Breen managed to crash-land, ending up in a farmyard with the tail of his broken fighter resting against the house."

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  • Original caption : The wreckage of a P-51 Mustang of the 357th Fighter Group following a crash landing in a front garden. * * * * * * This is the wreckage of 44-14884 flown by Lt Noel M. BREEN. Freeman's

    Original caption : The wreckage of a P-51 Mustang of the 357th Fighter Group following a crash landing in a front garden. * * * * * * This is the wreckage of 44-14884 flown by Lt Noel M. BREEN. Freeman's "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" has the same photo and this caption : "Orbiting the field after return from the 9 February escort, one 357FG Mustang ran out of fuel. Lt Noel Breen managed to crash-land, ending up in a farmyard with the tail of his broken fighter resting against the house (M. Olmsted)." Handwritten caption on reverse: '9 Feb 1945.'

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  • Page 144 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Page 144 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Show caption About this image
  • Page 145 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Page 145 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

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  • 401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 205, 9 Feb 1945, Lutzkendorf (Primary) Eisenach (T.O.) Germany. The Group was briefed at 0530 hours. Aircraft loading was ten 500 pound GP's and 2,780 gallons of gas. One aircraft, on takeoff, could not unlock its tailwheel u and went off the runway, necessitating a change from Runway 23 to Runway 28. All aircraft were airborne by 0945 hours. Gale warnings were received at 1340 hours, with winds of 50 miles per hour. By 1755 hours, all operational aircraft had returned except three which landed at other bases in England or on the Continent. The 401st provided the three squadrons making up the 94th Combat Wing

    401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 205, 9 Feb 1945, Lutzkendorf (Primary) Eisenach (T.O.) Germany. The Group was briefed at 0530 hours. Aircraft loading was ten 500 pound GP's and 2,780 gallons of gas. One aircraft, on takeoff, could not unlock its tailwheel u and went off the runway, necessitating a change from Runway 23 to Runway 28. All aircraft were airborne by 0945 hours. Gale warnings were received at 1340 hours, with winds of 50 miles per hour. By 1755 hours, all operational aircraft had returned except three which landed at other bases in England or on the Continent. The 401st provided the three squadrons making up the 94th Combat Wing "C" Group on this mission. The target was covered by 8/10's to 10/10th's clouds, but the Lead and Low Squadrons bombed through breaks in the clouds. While the Lead Squadron's photos were obscured by clouds, photos indicated that the Low Squadron's bombs landed in the area of the assigned MPI. The High Squadron was unable to pick up the target but made an excellent PFF (radar) run on a target of last resort, with only partially observed results. No enemy air opposition was encountered by the bomber force, although Allied fighters downed 24 German aircraft. Flak was meager to moderate and resulted in minor damage to seven aircraft. One ship (44-6113) piloted by Lt. Richard R. Scheller, forced landed on the Continent and was abandoned.

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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. ARNSBERG

Description

RAIL VIADUCT

Aircraft type

B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes

Mission #277 (379th BGS)- A. Edwards B-17 Crew:
Mission City: Arnsberg Country: Germany
Mission Target: Viaduct Aircraft: 44-8310
2/9/1945: Michael Rusnak, Harry Chaoona, Wm H. Melvin Jr., Janel D Hamilton, Wallace I Pfieffer, Billy C. Hulsey, Lester W Bohne and Alfred E Edwards Jr.

Units

  • Eighth Air Force

    Eighth Air Force

    Command
    Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force in February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945. ...

  • 379th Bomb Group

    379th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit...

Mission Statistics

3. BIELEFELD/SCHILDESCHE

Description

RAIL VIADUCT

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

4. DULMEN

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

5. EISENBACH

Description

BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

6. EISENBACH

Description

MUNITIONS INDUSTRY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

7. EISLEBEN

Description

BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

8. ERFURT

Description

INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

9. FULDA

Description

MUNITIONS INDUSTRY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

10. GIESSEN

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

11. GOTTINGEN

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

12. JENA

Description

MUNITIONS INDUSTRY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

13. LUTZKENDORF

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

14. MAGDEBURG

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

15. MAGDEBURG/ROTHENSEE

Description

OIL REFINERY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

16. Germany

Description

BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

MONTESADA

Mission Statistics

17. MUNSTER

Description

MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

18. PADERBORN/ALTENBEKEN

Description

RAIL VIADUCT

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

19. QUACKENBRUCK

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

20. TARCHEN

Description

BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

21. WEIMAR

Description

MUNITIONS INDUSTRY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Service

People

  • 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).

  • James Allcroft

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator-Mechanic-Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
    Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Millard French crew. Completed 36 combat missions. Awards: AM (5OLC), GC, WWII Victory, EAME (3 x Battle Stars).

  • John Althoff

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot, Tail Gunner | 401st Bomb Group

  • Howard Anderson

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group

  • Allen Aschenbach

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
    .

  • Robert Atkins

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 453rd Bomb Group
    Robert Atkins served as a tail gunner with the 733rd Bomb Squadron of the 453rd Bomb Group, flying missions out of Old Buckenham, England.

  • Nephi Berkenpas

    Military | Colonel | Aircraft Mechanic, Instructor Pilot for B-24, B-17, B-25, Pilot, Aircraft Commander, Instructor Aircraft Maintenance | 351st Bomb Group

  • Jackie Bishop

    Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 466th Bomb Group

  • Clarence Bitner

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 336BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. 24 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Holzwickede 23-Mar-45. Mid air collision with B-17 44-8754, crashed Campsea Ash, Suffolk. Killed in Action (KIA). Awards: AM (3OLC), GC, PH.

  • Robert Bluford

    Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group
    The Rev. Robert Bluford Jr. has been a B-24 bomber pilot in World War II, preacher, historian, preservationist, a Presbyterian pastor and campus ministry director in the Southeast, and the Virginia Press Association’s Virginian of the Year for 2011. He...

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Aircraft

  • 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...

  • 42-107062 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;...

  • 42-107113 'Miss Aldaflak' 'Section 8'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Tulsa 24/2/44; Gr Island 7/3/44; Grenier 5/4/44; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-J] Deenethorpe 2/5/44; 612BS [SC-O]; Returned to the USA Bradley 6/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 21/10/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for...

  • 42-31072 Betty J.

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    ...

  • 42-31730 'Morning Star', 'Tail End Charlie'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 10/12/43; Kearney 27/12/43; RAF Nutts Corner 15/1/44; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-B] Deenethorpe 31/1/44; 613BS [IN-O]; 112m, Returned to the USA 121 BU Bradley 7/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 9/6/45; 4100 BU Patterson 9/10...

  • 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)...

  • 42-32012 '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...

  • 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. ...

  • 42-39993 'Hells Angels Out Of Chute 13', 'Grossly Inadequate'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Long Beach 26/10/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-C] Deenethorpe 1/1/44; 118m landing accident at base with Jim Nolan 7/5/45; sal 2 SAD Watton, Nfk 8/5/45. HELL’S ANGELS OUT OF CHUTE 13 aka GROSSLY INADEQUATE. ...

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Revisions

Date Contributor Update
12 January 2016 05:07:55 Figmnt Changes to person associations and aircraft associations
Sources

http://www.8thairforce.com/379th/search/crew_member_listing_for_mission....
Date Contributor Update
12 January 2016 05:03:33 Figmnt Changes to event
Sources

http://www.8thairforce.com/379th/search/missions_flown_by.asp?perIdentif...
Date Contributor Update
27 May 2015 14:37:48 jdossetter Changes to event
Sources

http://8thafhs.com/missions.php
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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