12 March 1945
401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 227, 12 March 1945, Swinemunde, Germany. Briefing took place at 0440 hours, pilots being briefed for low visibility take-off procedures. All aircraft were loaded with five 1,000 pound bombs and 2,780 gallons of gas. All aircraft were off by 0832, and two spares returned early as there were no aborts. The 401st flew as the 94th Combat Wing "C" Group on this very long mission to the port of Swinemunde on the Baltic Sea. The weather again failed to cooperate; the Group found the target blanketed by 10/10ths cloud cover. However, because the target was located along the shoreline of the Baltic Sea, the PFF operators had an ideal opportunity to locate prime targets, and subsequent evaluations by the 1st Air Division confirmed that the bombs had been dropped to good effect. The only enemy opposition consisted of meager and inaccurate flak. The 401st suffered no battle damage, and of the 650 B-17's that attacked Swinemunde only one was missing in action and six others suffered damage. All operational aircraft had returned by 1702 hours.
Not yet known
Heavies Hit Near Rhine, Along Baltic
Well over 3,500 heavy bombers and fighters of the 8th and 15th Air Force and the RAF roared over Germany yesterday in attacks that shook the Reich from the Rhine to the Oder and south to Vienna,
The Tremendous blow, spearheaded by the 8th in an assault that spreadeagled both Eastern and Western fronts, gave direct aid to the U.S. and Russian troops battling on both approaches to the heart of Germany.
Half the forces of 1,350 Fortresses and Liberators and 750 escorting fighters split to attack naval and military installations at the Baltic port of Swinemunde. 35 miles north of Stettin, and marshalling yards at six towns in an area about 60 miles long parallel to the Rhine and 40 to 60 miles east of the river opposite Cologne and Coblenz.
RAF Smashes Dortmund
While the 8th was blasting its string of targets in the Rhineland, more than 1,000 Halifaxes and Lancasters of the RAF, protected by a screen of Spitfires and Mustangs, struck 40 miles to the north, bombing the communications center of Dortmund, 15 miles east of Essen, which was still smoking from the RAF's raid the previous day.
The 15th's effort, fashioned by Forts and Libs and a strong shield of fighters, was directed at oil installations in the Vienna area.
The attack on Swinemunde was the closest blow to the Eastern Front the 8th has yet delivered. It fell only 16 miles from where Marshall Zhukov's forces are striking for Baltic port of Stettin. Plans for the attack were laid after photo reconnaissance three days ago showed the one-time seaside resort on the Oder estuary teeming with activity.
Clouds Obstruct View
Specific targets attacked were not disclosed and results were not observed because of heavy cloud. But the port is known to be a strong naval base, with shipyards and oil storage depots, and a likely base for the pocket battleship Adm. Sheers and U-boats which may have left the East Baltic.
The marshalling yards opposite the Rhine were at Siegen, Betzdorf, Dillenburg, Wetzler, Friedburg and Marburg. Here, too, as over Swinemunde, there was heavy cloud. Bombardiers used instruments over the targets.
One bomber and three fighters failed to return.
Last night, German radio broke out with ringing Achtungs, describing a strong force of fast enemy bombers approaching the Hanover-Brunswick area_"bomb alley" to Berlin_ indicating that Mosquitoes were out to hit the capital for the 21st successive night.
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
Not yet known
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
Not yet known
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
Not yet known
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
A nix of 192 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
Not yet known
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
Not yet known
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
Not yet known
MARSHALLING YARDS & PORT
B-17 Flying Fortress
Not yet known
Group
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
Not yet known
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | waist gunner, toggelier, B-17 | 452nd Bomb Group
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
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 21 x combat missions.
Awards: AM (2OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 615BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 28 x combat missions. Michael Kochel crew. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (4OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (3 x Battle Stars)
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).
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).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot, Tail Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Military | Sergeant | Waist gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 21 x combat missions. Harry Ahlers crew.
Awards: AM (2OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
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...
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...
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
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 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...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 18/2/44; Dow Fd 7/3/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 1/5/44; no ops, transferred 614BS/401BG [IW-D] Deenethorpe 21/5/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 5/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 21/10/45; Reconstruction Finance...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 25/2/44; Kearney 17/3/44; Grenier 6/4/44; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-F] Deenethorpe 16/4/44; mechanical fault, with Dave Stauffer, caused fire and burnt out at RAF Saltby 25/43/45; 111m, Salvaged 2 SAD 25/3/45. CHUTE THE WORKS.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 28/11/43; Wendover 12/12/43; Nutts Corner, Belfast, N. I. 20/1/44; Assigned 748BS/457BG Glatton 9/1/44; 749BS; transferred 614BS/401BG [IW-Q] Deenethorpe 11/3/44.
...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 18 September 2018 03:35:35 | spiritofmartinez45 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Newspaper article |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 September 2018 03:09:02 | spiritofmartinez45 | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Owner of source material (newapaper) corresponding with date of mission |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 September 2018 00:50:37 | spiritofmartinez45 | Changes to description and media associations |
| Sources | ||
fixed errors |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 September 2018 00:40:25 | spiritofmartinez45 | Changes to person associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 September 2018 00:39:30 | spiritofmartinez45 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
owner of source material (newspaper) |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 July 2017 03:58:00 | Virginiawise50 | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Official 385th Bombardment Group website Database-Missions |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 July 2017 03:56:45 | Virginiawise50 | Changes to person associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Official 385th Bombardment Group website Database-Missions |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 06 July 2016 02:40:35 | jjaustin0308 | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
My Grandfather flew in this Mission on 12 Mar 1945: |
||
| 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'. |
||
