8th Air Force 252

8 March 1944
A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group return to base after a mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31761) nicknamed "Rotherhithe's Revenge". Image stamped on reverse: 'Sunday Pictorial for Censor.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 10 Mar 1944.' [stamp] and '310673.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'BACK FROM BERLIN. Scenes this week at a Bomber station of the U.S. Air Force , somewhere in England. The crew of the Flying Fortress "Rotherhithe's Revenge", a British subscribed ship media-380068.jpg FRE 1271 A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group return to base after a mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31761) nicknamed "Rotherhithe's Revenge". Image stamped on reverse: 'Sunday Pictorial for Censor.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 10 Mar 1944.' [stamp] and '310673.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'BACK FROM BERLIN. Scenes this week at a Bomber station of the U.S. Air Force , somewhere in England. The crew of the Flying Fortress "Rotherhithe's Revenge", a British subscribed ship, land after leading a flight to Berlin.' CPT Mel Hecker (right), an original 381st Lead Pilot completed 25 missions leading the Group over Berlin on March 8, 1944. The Group CO is 2nd from right and was co-pilot for the mission. Base is Ridgewell. Roger Freeman Collection

R Hecker

Object Number - FRE 1271 - A bomber crew of the 381st Bomb Group return to base after a mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31761) nicknamed "Rotherhithe's...

Description

The VKF ballbearing factory at Berlin/Erkner is the primary target for 623 heavy bombers despatched by all three Air Divisions. Fighter opposition and anti-aircraft fire are intense. There are so many formation attacking that some divert to other Targets of Opportunity close by to avoid collisions and over-flying of formations. Losses are high but not considered too severe at 5.939%. Bomber gunner claims for all Air Divisions were bundled in source data as 63-17-19 (probably exaggerated. Claims listed under 3AD Mission event). Mission Summary follows:



3rd Air Division: A combined force of 179 B-17s from: 94BG; 95BG; 96BG; 100BG; 384BG; 388BG; 390BG; 447BG; and 452BG are despatched to Berlin/Erkner, 98 are effective on the target; 33 others divert to attack the industrial areas of Wildau, Germany and other Targets of Opportunity. 23 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 41KIA 169POW. 1 aircraft listed by Freeman as DBR was actually repaired - 1KIA 3POW 6RTD. 65 aircraft are damaged (apportioned). 1 airman is KIA and 5 others are WIA in returning aircraft. There are no other losses or casualties.



1st Air Division: A combined force of 235 B-17s from: 91BG; 92BG; 303BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG; 379BG; 381BG; 384BG; 401BG; 457BG; and 482BG are despatched to bomb Berlin/Erkner. Fighter opposition against this force is light. 222 are effective on Berlin/Erkner; 3 others bomb Targets of Opportunity (TOs). 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) (Freeman lists 5, but only 4 could be confirmed from MACR records) - 4KIA 34POW 2EVD. 86 aircraft were damaged (apportioned). 1 airman is KIA and another 2 are WIA in returning aircraft. There are no other losses or casualties.



2nd Air Division: A combined force of 209 B-24s from: 44BG; 93BG; 389BG; 392BG;445BG; 446BG;448G; 453BG; and 458BG are despatched to bomb Berlin/Erkner. 150 are effective on Berlin/Erkner; and 33 divert to bomb Berlin City as a Target of Opportunity (TO). 9 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 40KIA 49POW(1DIC) 2RTD (rescued by ASR). 4 aircraft with battle damage are Damaged Beyond Repair (DRB) in crash landings upon return - 10RTD. 77 aircraft are damaged (apportioned). 1 airman is KIA another 7 are WIA in returning aircraft. There are no other losses or casulaties.

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: It has not been determined which 1st Bomb Division Groups bombed this target.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 6.00
  • Aircraft effective: 3

BERLIN

Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator

Notes: It has not been determined which 2nd Bomb Division Groups bombed this target.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 82.00

BERLIN/ERKNER (Primary)

Description: BALL BEARING FACTORIES

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: The lead aircraft of 45th Combat Bomb Wing (CBW) was hit by an enemy aircraft and turned back, the deputy took over but turned short of the Initial Point (IP) to avoid a collision with another Combat Bomb Wing approaching the IP, so the 45th CBW ended up attacking Wildau. Again, Luftwaffe opposition is fierce, 23 bombers and 16 fighters are lost. However, the bombers and their fighter escort take a terrible toll on the Luftwaffe. Groups participating are all part of 3rd Bomb Division

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 385th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 390th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 447th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
A bomber crew of the 94th Bomb Group stand with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30200) nicknamed "Slo Time Sally" and a bomb inscribed 'Special delivery to Hitler'. Inscription on bomb reads: 'Special delivery to Hitler, From Peggy of St. Louis.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 186.50
  • People killed in action: 43
  • People wounded in action: 5
  • Prisoners of war: 169
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 63
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 17
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 19
  • Aircraft sent: 146
  • Aircraft effective: 98
  • Aircraft missing in action: 23
  • Aircraft damaged: 1

BERLIN/ERKNER (Primary)

Description: BALL BEARING FACTORIES

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 457th BG MISSION NO 9 - BERLIN, GERMANY 8 MARCH 1944 Seventeen aircraft returned to Erkner and the VK.F. ball bearing works, this time with excellent results. Ten combat wings, totaling 620 bombers of the Eighth Air Force, were dispatched, accompanied by 500 fighters, the largest number of fighter escort planes assembled to date to escort the bombers. A total of 470 bombers attacked the primary target. The 457th comprised the low box of the 94th Combat Wing. Major Francis was Air Commander and Lt. Charles D. Brannan was pilot. The route to the target was flown as briefed. The area surrounding the target was clear and bombing was visual. The factory was blanketed with bombs, which covered the target area with fire and smoke. Other smaller industrial buildings were hit and the railway station was destroyed. Again the Group was attacked by enemy fighters; however, the friendly fighter support was excellent. Anti aircraft fire was moderate, with nine aircraft sustaining damage. No aircraft were lost. The lead wing of the 3rd Air Division met fierce fighter Opposition and sustained heavy losses. A total of thirty-eight.

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Unofficial emblem, 305th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 351st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 367.50
  • People killed in action: 4
  • People wounded in action: 2
  • People evaded: 2
  • Prisoners of war: 34
  • Aircraft sent: 235
  • Aircraft effective: 222
  • Aircraft missing in action: 4

BERLIN/ERKNER (Primary)

Description: BALL BEARING FACTORIES

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator

Notes: One Group plus 9 aircraft of another Group from 2nd Bomb Division constituted a second wave in the attack. They had been directed in their target briefing that if they could not hit the ball bearing plant which was their primary target, they were to drop their bombs on the city of Berlin. The commander of this wave was Col. Ardery, and the lead aircraft was that of Major Jack W. Dieterle, his deputy. The first wave completely obliterated the primary target, which was no longer visible from the massive cloud of pitch black smoke rising from it. However, Dieterle's plane did not initiate a bomb run over the center of Berlin as expected. Ardery says in his book (p. 174), "We kept flying over heavily built-up areas. Why didn’t the bombardier in Dieterle’s ship let go? We know now we were only bombing the city, and one place was about as good as another. What were they holding their bombs for? I called Dieterle. 'Why the hell don’t you let them go? We’ll be past the city in another hour of this kind of flying.' 'Sorry, the bombardier wants to bomb the railroad yards. Bomb line almost here.' A few seconds later the bombs were away from the lead ship and in quick succession from every other ship of the gangling formation." This target was thoroughly demolished. Col. Ardery led the formation home after heavy losses from intense anti-aircraft fire and the shooting down of a couple of planes that had fallen behind from engine damage. Losses were less than expected and the mission was considered a success.

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 392nd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
A pathfinder B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-51681) of the 453rd Bomb Group flies in formation with a fellow Liberator of the 453rd and and a pathfinder Liberator of the 445th Bomb Group. Image via Alan Rowsell.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 448th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 346.50
  • People killed in action: 41
  • People wounded in action: 7
  • Prisoners of war: 49
  • People died in captivity: 1
  • People returned to duty: 42
  • Aircraft sent: 209
  • Aircraft effective: 150
  • Aircraft missing in action: 9
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 4

WILDAU (Opportunistic)

Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: Units comprise 45th Combat Bomb Wing of 3rd Bomb Division.

The insignia of the 388th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 452nd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 217.00
  • Aircraft sent: 33
  • Aircraft effective: 33

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: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-739644
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16006483
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31037975 / O-681515
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 328th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-752975 T42 43 A
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator, bombardier, nose gunner
Eleven men in Air Force uniform posed in front of a military airplane.  Five men standing to the rear, six men kneeling in front.  Large canvas bags are on the ground in front of kneeling men.
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-522720
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Co-Pilot / Commander

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Little Sheppard
  • Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Blondie's Folly
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Rough Riders
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Destinys Tot : Angel Pumpkin
  • Unit: 457th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 2 336th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30235) nicknamed "The Zoot Suiters" of the 95th Bomb Group.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lonesome Polecat : The Zoot Suiters
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Richard Dieterle, corrected a typographical error.

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Philip Ardery, Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky: 1978) 168-179.

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Philip Ardery, Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky: 1978) 174. Added by Richard Dieterle.

Date
Changes
Sources

1st Lt. Richard F. Lemanski Pilot Vaierie Lemanski Holley Collection
#42-31576 - B-17G
Group Squadron Sq Code A/C Code
96BG 339BS
MIA 1944-03-08 - MACR #: 3426
Notes 42-31576 Delivered: Denver 20/11/43; Gt Falls 25/11/43; Kearney 22/12/43; Romulus 31/12/43; Presque Is 2/1/44; Assigned: 339BS/96BG [QJ-G] Snetterton 16/1/44; MIA Erkner 8/3/44 Pilot: Dick Lemanski, Co-Pilot: Jim Buttermore, Navigator: Leroy Chappell, Bombardier: Frank Sewell, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Matt Mendys, Radio Operator: Dave Hohm, Ball Turret Gunner: Phil Kierstead, Waist Gunner: Jeff Roberts, Waist Gunner: Edgar Currie, Tail Gunner: Dean Shuck (10POW); Enemy aircraft, crashed between Wegenstedt & Calvorden, 13 miles NE of Helmstadt A/Fd, Germany. MACR 3426.
Source B-17 Master Log - Dave Osbourne

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Corrected typo in 3AD Summary.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Corrected statistics and added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to 3AD element based on "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Added Mission Narrative per "The Mighty EIghth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
Changes
Sources

Mission detail added courtesy of Diane Reese - http://www.457thbombgroup.org/Narratives/ma9.html

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'.

8th Air Force 252: Gallery (7 items)