872

8 March 1945

Description

Mission 872: 1,353 bombers and 326 fighters are dispatched to hit benzol plants, an oil plant and rail targets in Germany using PFF; NO AIRCRAFT ARE LOST AND THERE ARE NO CASUALTIES!

1. 360 B-24s are sent to hit marshalling yards at Betzdorf (70), Siegen (114) and Dillenburg (73); targets of opportunity are Limburg (10) and Frankfurt (10); bombing is by H2X radar; 3 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 99 of 102 P-51s.



2. 526 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Robert Muser (99) and Bruchstrasse (63) benzol plants at Langendreer, the Gneisenau benzol plant at Dortmund (110) and Heddernheim chemical factory at Frankfurt (122); secondary targets are the marshalling yards at Giessen (69) and Frankfurt (18); 13 others hit Wetzlar, a target of opportunity; bombing is with H2X radar; 26 B-17s are damaged. The escort is 95 of 99 P-51s.



3. 458 B-17s are sent to hit the Emil benzol plant at Essen (114), the Mathies Stinnes benzol plant at Bottrop (37), the August Viktoria benzol plant at Huls (111) and the synthetic oil plant at Buer Scholren (75); 109 hit the marshalling yard at Essen, a target of opportunity; bombing is by Micro-H; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair. 93 of 98 P-51s escort.



4. 9 B-17s fly a screening mission.



5. 27 P-51s fly a scouting mission.



Source: Eighth Air Force Operation History - http://www.8thafhs.com/get_one_mission.php?mission_id=1884

Mission Details

BETZDORF

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

BOTTROP/MATHIES STINNES

Description: BENZOL PLANT

BUER SCHOLERN

Description: OIL REFINERY

DILLENBURG

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

DORTMUND/GNEISENAU

Description: BENZOL PLANT

The insignia of the 385th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

ESSEN/EMIL

Description: BENZOL PLANT

ESSEN/EMIL

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

FRANKFURT

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

FRANKFURT

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

The insignia of the 447th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

FRANKFURT/HEDDERNHEIM

Description: CHEMICAL PLANT

GIESSEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Description: BENZOL PLANT

Description: BENZOL PLANT

Description: BENZOL PLANT

LIMBURG

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

SIEGEN

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

WEXLAR

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34725400
  • Role/Job: Toglier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12120324 / O-835109
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12077778
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator-Mechanic-Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot, Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-2057209
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Dynamite John
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Little Kenny
  • Unit: 544th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Midge
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: D-Day Dottie
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Pretty Baby
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributorjhuck
Changes
Sources

John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner

Source: History of the 447th Bomb Group by Doyle Shields; p. 288

Date
Contributorjhuck
Changes
Sources

John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner

Source: History of the 447th Bomb Group by Doyle Shields; p. 288

Date
Contributorjhuck
Changes
Sources

Source: Eighth Air Force Operation History - http://www.8thafhs.com/get_one_mission.php?mission_id=1884

Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Official Website of 385th Bomb Group Association Database-Missions

Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise, who flew as pilot on this mission with Jack Q. Means as co-pilot.

Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise, B-17 (43--38736) pilot 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group, flew on this mission from Great Ashfield, England to Dortmund, 8 Mar 1945.

Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise, B-17 (43-38736), 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group flew on this mission from Great Ashfield, England to Dortmund, 8 Mar 1945.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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'.