1st Air Division
Division
In December 1944, the 1st Bomb Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.
892
17 March 1945
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. ALTENBURG
Description
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft type
B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes
457th BG MISSION NO. 211 : ALTENBURG, GERMANY : 17 MARCH, 1945
The primary target was Moblis, the Thermal Electric Plant the aiming poitft. The plant supplied power to industries at Leipzig and Chemnitz, the target of opportunity. The Group comprised the 94th B Combat Wing with Major Maguire as Air Commander. Group formation and Wing assembly were without incident.
The Group was on time, on course, and in second position in Division formation. Division assembly line was flown as briefed.
Route to the IP in trail of the Division leader was flown approximately as briefed. Deviations were necessaiy in order to remain in Division formation. As the Group approached the IP, the PFF equipment on the lead aircraft became inoperative and it was necessary to turn the lead over to the deputy.
The Group went to the briefed altitude plus 800 feet, in order to avoid clouds and contrails. Cloud coverage in the target area varied from eight to ten tenths. Bombing was done in Group formation by means of PFF equipment. Some difficulty was encountered when an unidentified group crossed in front of the formation on the bomb run.
The run was made on the target of opportunity, Altenburg. Bombs were dropped from 27,700 feet. Strike photos of bomb results only showed clouds.
Eleven aircraft landed in France and the remainder returned to base. Flak was light and none of the planes sustained damage.
Units
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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
3. BITTEFELD
Description
OIL REFINERY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
4. BOHLEN
Description
OIL REFINERY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
5. COTTBUS
Description
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
6. ERFURT
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
7. FULDA
Description
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
8. HANNOVER/HANOMAG
Description
TANK FACTORY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
9. HERFORD
Description
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
10. JENA/ZEISS
Description
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
11. MOLBIS
Description
OIL REFINERY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
12. MUNSTER
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
13. PLAUEN/VOMAG
Description
MUNITIONS FACTORY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
14. RUHLAND
Description
OIL REFINERY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
Service
People
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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 -
Elmer Anderson
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group
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William Arntsen
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Assigned to 325BS, 92BG, 8AF USAAF. Hit by flak and landed in Sweden on 18-Mar-45 in B-17 Flag Ship 42-97288 Interned (INT). MACR 13150 Awards: WWII Victory, EAME. -
Robert Birney
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator, Commanding Officer | 384th Bomb Group
Bob Birney was assigned to the 547th Bomb Squadron on 5 February 1945 and completed 26 missions between 19 February 1945 and 20 April 1945. -
John Burk
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 447th Bomb Group
John McKale Burk was born 30 November 1924 in Ventnor, Atlantic County, NJ to Frederick Grater Burk (20 April 1891 Philadelphia, PA -19 June 1948 Philadelphia, PA) and Mary Cunningham McKale Burk (21 February 1895 Philadelphia, PA - 20 October 1990... -
Max Burrows
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
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James Carter
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group
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Cornell Christensen
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Assigned to 325BS, 92BG, 8AF USAAF. Hit by flak and landed in Sweden on 18-Mar-45 in B-17 Flag Ship 42-97288 Interned (INT). MACR 13150 Awards: WWII Victory, EAME. -
Harry Culver
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Assigned to 325BS, 92BG, 8AF USAAF. 33 x combat missions. Hit by flak and landed in Sweden on 18-Mar-45 in B-17 Flag Ship 42-97288 Interned (INT). MACR 13150 Awards: WWII Victory, EAME. -
Fred Eisert
Military | Captain | Pilot | 458th Bomb Group
1Lt Fred J. Eisert and his crew arrived at Horsham St. Faith on September 11, 1944, just as the group was coming off of combat operations for a month in order to ferry gasoline to Patton’s army in France. The crew flew their first mission on October 5...
Aircraft
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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;... -
42-37788 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... -
42-97093 I'll Get By
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 28/1/44; Kearney 14/2/44; Presque Is 20/2/44; Assigned 568BS/390BG [BI-S] Framlingham 3/3/44 DOC'S FLYING CIRCUS, then GIRL OF MY DREAMS; on mission 21/7/44 with ? , Lt Sam Dubin (Killed in Action); severe icing during assembly for... -
42-97288 'Flagship'
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 13/2/44; Rapid City 4/3/44; Gr Island 19/4/44; Dow Fd 21/4/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 24/4/44; no ops, transferred 325BS/92BG [NV-U] Podington 7/5/44; Missing in Action Berlin 18/3/45 with Harry Culver, Cornell Christensen, Bill... -
43-38283
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 17/7/44; Kearney 25/7/44; Grenier 7/8/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-A] Horham 13/8/44; 336BS [ET-A]; with D.L. Pearson force landed Laon, Fr 30/12/44;42m, Missing in Action Ruhland 17/3/45 with Irwin Vermillion, Co-pilot: John... -
43-38776 Passion Wagon/Victory Devils
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Lincoln 20/9/44; Grenier 11/10/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-B] Horham 13/10/44; 67m, Returned to the USA Bradley 26/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 28/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 29... -
43-39014 Hot Shot Charlie
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Hunter 6/11/44; Grenier 14/11/44; Assigned 401BS/91BG [LL-C] Bassingbourn 9/1/45; (flew two POW trips) ; 26m Returned to the USA Bradley 12/7/45; 4185 BU Independence 13/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)... -
44-8540 Round Trip
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 11/10/44; Hunter 1/11/44; with Paul Quinn force landed Dow Fd 18/11/44; Assigned 339BS/96BG [QJ-W] Snetterton 22/1/45; transferred 562BS/388BG Knettishall /45; RetUS, Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)... -
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,... -
44-8652 Drive It Home
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 16/11/44; Hunter 12/12/44; Dow Fd 17/12/44; Assigned 369BS/306BG Thurleigh 6/1/45; Salvaged 9AF Germany 31/7/46. DRIVE IT HOME!
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 29 April 2015 11:40:43 | 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/ |
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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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