1st Bomb Division
Division
The groups under the command of the 1st Bomb Wing came under the command of the 1st Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.
22 May 1944
Not yet known
From diary of Lt. David W. Leblanc: "Was up at four for a mission to Kiel, Germany. I went as first pilot and Rocky as my co-pilot. Every thing went along swell except at target. Flack was moderate but extremely accurate. Two ships in the lead squadron received direct hits. The flames from one were licking our right wing and we could feel the heat in the cockpit. As far as we know no one got out of either ship. We had several holes in our ship. We flew beautiful formation today. Made a fairly good landing. Hayden - our waist gunner finished up today."
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 12.5 T HE |
HARBOUR INSTALLATION
B-17 Flying Fortress
1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.
3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group.
457th BG - MISSION NO. 48 - MEL, GERMANY
22 MAY, 1944
The 457th Bomb Group led the entire Eighth Air Force, consisting of seven combat wings, on the raid to the submarine yards at Kiel Colonel Hams E. Rogner, flying a PFF ship and later to become the Commanding Officer of the 457th, was Air Commander for the mission. Major George C. Hozier Was Deputy Lead.
The primary target was attacked; however, the bomb results were not good. There was no enemy air opposition. Flak was moderate and inaccurate with two craft sustaining damage.
Division
The groups under the command of the 1st Bomb Wing came under the command of the 1st Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
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...
Tonnage dropped | 623 T HE |
V-1 MISSILE SITES
Not yet known
2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group.
Division
The groups under the command of the 2nd Bomb Wing came under the command of the 2nd Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 2nd Air Division.
Tonnage dropped | 336. 5 T HE |
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 615BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. On 27-Jan-44, while taxiing after landing from a training flight, the landing gear switch of B-17 42-31414 was placed in the up position instead of the flap switch. RTD.
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 94th Bomb Group
Flew 26 missions on 'Mission Bell', was wounded on 26th mission.
Purple Heart, 4 Air Medals
Military | Major | Bombardier | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 615BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 23 x combat missions. Clyde Lewis crew.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (5OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).
Military | Captain | Pilot / Operations Officer | 446th Bomb Group
Military | Captain | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
newly assigned May 1944
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
My dad, Enrico 'Rick' Carpini was from Linden, NJ and served as a radio gunner on a B-17G with the 305th Bomb Group/365th Bomb Squadron. He flew 30 missions from 1/4/44-5/22/44. The pilot was John F. Schleifer from Buffalo, NY.
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Flew on 'Priority Girl' 42-97305 on June 18, 1944.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Sergeant | Flexible Gunner, Tail Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to the 384th BG 547th BS on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #39 dated 27 February 1944, Jack N. McKinney Crew. 33 combat missions.
Wounded on 8th AF mission #361, 22 May 1944.
Military | Captain | Pilot B-17 | 447th Bomb Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 8/3/44; Gr Island 2/4/44; Dow Fd 28/4/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 12/5/44; Missing in Action Dessau 28/5/44 with Art Codding, Co-pilot: Roger Withers, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bob Berg, Radio Operator: Clyde Waite,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 16/3/44; Gr Island 1/4/44; Dow Fd 8/4/44; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-Q] Deenethorpe 3/5/45; Missing in Action Dessau 28/5/44 with Bill Protz, Ball turret gunner: Frank Bartak, Waist gunner: Alby Reinhardt, Waist gunner: Glenn Cliff,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 25/3/44; Kearney 12/4/44; Grenier 29/4/44; Assigned 94BG Rougham 1/5/44; transferred 615BS/401BG [IY-M] Deenethorpe 19/5/44; battle damaged Frankfurt 5/11/44, force-landed at Great Dunmow, U.K. after sustaining extensive battle...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 27/1/44; Kearney 1/2/44; Presque Is 5/3/44; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall 6/3/44; Missing in Action Liege 25/5/44 with Bill Warren, Bombardier: Jerome Fontaine (2 Killed in Action); Navigator: Gene McClellan, Flight engineer/top...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 21/3/44; Kearney 2/4/44; Grenier 14/4/44; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-O/D] Deenethorpe 2/5/44; Missing in Action Oschersleben 30/5/44 with Alpheus Kilmer, Co-pilot: Jim Hunter, Navigator: Bill Griggs, Bombardier: John Wilson`Wounded in...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 14/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 16/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 17/6/43; transferred Aphrodite project, Missing in Action V-sites, Watten 6/8/44 with Lt Joeseph P Andrecheck & T/Sgt Raymond Healy (2...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/10/43; Gr Island 13/11/43; Romulus 25/11/43; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-K] Deenethorpe 14/1/44; Missing in Action Brandenburg 6/8/44 with John Sauerwald, Co-pilot: John Zimmerman, Navigator: Forrest Holmstrom, Bombardier: Cletus...
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...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/11/43; New Castle 10/12/43; Presque Is 15/12/43; Assigned 547BS/384BG [SO-C] Grafton Underwood 21/1/44; sal battle damaged 27/4/44. NEVADA AVENGER.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 12/10/43; Gr Island 5/11/43; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-H] Deenethorpe 2/1/44; 11 x missions; was set for mission to Bernburg 6/7/44 with Russ Lockhart, Co-pilot: Porter Ham, Navigator: Bob Grilley, Bombardier: John Jardine, Flight...
Date | Contributor | Update |
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27 October 2017 00:54:15 | B17VforVictor | Changes to description |
Sources | ||
Not sure if I am doing this correctly. I would like to add a mission narrative (see above) from my Grandfather's diary regarding this mission. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 May 2015 09:46:20 | 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 18:43:06 | 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'. |