14 February 1945
Mission #1 Chemnitz
Crew #664 Elmo Maiden Crew 466th BG - 786th BS Standing Left to Right: Bernard M. Atkins (TG), Vernon R. Hayden (WG), William R. Hoopes (B), Gustave J. Roussel (E), Guerino G. Petti (N), Herbert Rosenkoff (CP), William A. Thomason (TT), Elmo Maiden (P), Kenneth W. Chester (NG), Joseph R. Zebrowski (R/O) B-24J-5-DT #42-51532 Code: U8-W Photo taken on 27 December 1944 after crash landing at an airfield in Belgium.
"Lead crew on bombing mission to Dresden, Germany, in front of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group. England, 14 February 1945." Rear L-R: Capt Norman Nels Jacobsen, 1Lt Rufus S Charlton, Capt Nelson Boyd "Moose" O'Beirne, 1Lt Francis G. Downey, Capt Bernard C. Fontana Front L-R: F/O James Hodges Hardy, S/Sgt Ralph V Evans, T/Sgt Raymond C King, T/Sgt Robert N Perry, T/Sgt Thomas L Weems
8th Air Force mission 830; February 14, 1945; railroad bridge across the Rhine at Wesel, Germany. 447th Bomb Group strike photo
401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 207, 14 Feb 1945, Dresden, Germany. Briefing took place at 0400 hours, as the mission was to be a long one. Pilots were advised that on takeoff they would encounter a 30 degree crosswind at 15-20 miles per hours. Aircraft loading was six 500 pound G.P.'s plus six 500 pound M17's. All operational aircraft were airborne by 0854 hours. Two aircraft were forced to abort, and two spares also returned early. Upon return, several aircraft landed at alternate airfields because they were running low on fuel. The Group put up three squadrons making up the 94th Combat Wing "A" Group on this long mission to eastern Germany. The target was a small marshalling yard in the center of Dresden being used by the Germany Army retreating from the Russian advance. Because of 9/10ths cloud cover, bombing was initiated using PFF (radar) means. However, a break in the clouds enabled the lead bombardier to see railroad tracks and buildings resembling round houses in the target area and, synchronizing, dropped his bombs visually. Although unobserved, results were believed to have been good. No enemy air opposition was encountered. But while flak was described as meager and inaccurate, one 401st ship received major battle damage and four others sustained minor damage.
Mission 830: 1,377 bombers and 962 fighters are dispatched to hit oil and rail targets in Germany; bombing of most targets is by H2X radar; they claim 11-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 bombers and 7 fighters are lost: 1. 461 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Dresden (311); targets of opportunity are Prague (62), Brux (25) and Pilsen (12) in Czechoslovakia and other (25); they claim 1-0-0 aircraft; 5 B-17s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 54 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 15 WIA and 49 MIA. Escorting are 281 of 316 P-51s; 3 are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair. 2. 457 B-17s are sent to hit the marshalling yard at Chemnitz (294); targets of opportunity are Eger Airfield (38), Bamberg (33), Sonneberg (23), Tachau (24), Hof marshalling yard (12) and other (17); 1 B-17 is lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 103 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 4 WIA and 14 MIA. The escort is 224 of 238 P-51s; 2 are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair. 3. 375 B-24s are sent to hit an oil refinery at Magdeburg but are unable to attack due to weather; 340 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Magdeburg; targets of opportunity are Emlicheim (1), Meppen (1), Bodenteich (1) and other (1); 1 B-24 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 16 damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. 253 of 273 P-51s escort; they claim 10-0-3 aircraft; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA). 4. 84 B-17s are sent to hit the Wesel road bridge (37); 35 hit the secondary, the Dulmen oil depot and 1 hits Ahaus, a target of opportunity; 15 B-17s are damaged. 26 of 30 P-51s escort the bombers. 5. 44 of 49 P-47s fly a sweep of the Magdeburg area without loss. 6. 24 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany. 7. 29 of 32 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
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BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
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BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
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BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
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BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
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INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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MARSHALLING YARDS
B-17 Flying Fortress
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Group
The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on 17 August...
Squadron
| Number of aircraft Sent | 38 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 37 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 0 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 0 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 3 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 0 |
MARSHALLING YARDS
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OIL STORAGE DEPOT
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AIRFIELD
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INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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MARSHALLING YARDS
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MARSHALLING YARDS
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OIL REFINERY
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Weather prevents attack on the oil refinery, bombers attack marshalling yards instead.
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
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INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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HIGHWAY BRIDGE
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot, Tail Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Military | Flight Officer | Navigator | 401st Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Togglier | 401st Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Military | Colonel | Aircraft Mechanic, Instructor Pilot for B-24, B-17, B-25, Pilot, Aircraft Commander, Instructor Aircraft Maintenance | 351st Bomb Group
Military | Captain | pilot | 96th Bomb Group
Assigned Jan 1945
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Navigator | 398th Bomb Group
July 4, 1944 on mission to Tours, FR in B-17#42-107114 when engine trouble led to an out of control fire over the Channel. Crew returned to England releasing bombs in a field in Sussex. Crew bailed out. 10 RTD Served on Simeral crew of 600th BS on this...
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;...
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...
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)...
B-17 Flying Fortress
This was the only original aircraft of the 401st BG to return to the USA after the war. The aircraft was named after Lt. Bryan Shotts' Wife "Betty Jean Shotts".
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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.
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...
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)...
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...
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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B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 29/10/43; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-L] Deenethorpe 5/1/44; transferred ATC 30/5/45; retUS 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 11/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 19/6/45. PARIS EXPRESS.
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 14 September 2018 06:05:09 | spiritofmartinez45 | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 February 2018 09:59:08 | 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 |
| 01 July 2017 19:56:19 | Virginiawise50 | Changes to person associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise, B-17 (44--6569) pilot, 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group flew on this mission from Great Ashfield, England to Chemnitz, 14 Feb 1945. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 May 2015 14:40:46 | jdossetter | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
http://8thafhs.com/maps.php?lat=49.795&lon=12.633&target_name=TACHAU+CZE... |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 14 November 2014 13:26:58 | Lucy May | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Updated location from 'EGAN' to 'Eger, Hungary'. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 November 2014 19:06:17 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to name |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Nov-2014. Mission title. |
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| 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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