1st Air Division
Division
In December 1944, the 1st Bomb Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.
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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 -
Cecil Adkisson
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
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Harry Ahlers
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 21 x combat missions. Awards: AM (2OLC), WWII Victory, EAME. -
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
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Elmer Anderson
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group
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Howard Anderson
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
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John Anderson
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). -
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 42-97288 'Flag Ship', Interned (INT). MACR 13150. Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
Aircraft
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42-102393 Diana Queen Of The Chase
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 27/2/44; Hunter 22/3/44; Grenier 2/4/44; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-R] Deenethorpe 16/4/44; 111m, Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 12/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal... -
42-102398 Dynamite John
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... -
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;... -
42-31662 'Fancy Nancy IV'
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. -
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)... -
42-31983 Mary Alice
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... -
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... -
42-37788 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...
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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