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8th Air Force 293

9 April 1944

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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. BERLIN/TUTOW (Primary)

Description

AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group.

Units

  • 2nd Bomb Division

    2nd Bomb Division

    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.

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 195T HE 124.5T IB

3. MARIENBURG (Primary)

Description

AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

4. PARCHIM (Secondary)

Description

AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

5. POZNAN (Primary)

Description

FOCKE-WULF AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

The 96th Bomb Group is awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (the 2nd of 2) for its participation in the raid on Poznan. The 96th Bomb Group placed 28% of its bomb drop within 1000 ft of the AP and 71% within 2000 ft. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group.

Units

  • 3rd Bomb Division

    3rd Bomb Division

    Division
    The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.

Mission Statistics

Tonnage dropped 234T HE 81.5T IB

6. RAHMEL (Primary)

Description

AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

40th Combat Bombardment Wing abandoned the mission over England. Several other units abandoned the mission at various points along the route due to poor weather. Some 1st Bomb Division aircraft of Rahmel force dropped 2 seconds early when mistaking the jettison of bombs from a crippled aircraft as the leader's drop.351st Bomb Group placed 86% of its bombs within 1000 ft. of the AP and 35% within 500 ft. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.

457th BG MISSION NO. 23 - GYDNIA, POLAND

9 APRIL, 1944

A large scale attack was launched against the FW-190 eastern complex of aircraft factories in north central Germany and Poland. Twelve Combat Wings were airborne for the deepest penetration to date.

The 457th's target was an aircraft factory, situated at Rahmel, seven miles from the center of Gydnia, that produced FW-190s. The 457th comprised the 94th A Combat Wing, and led the Wing. U. Col. Henry B. Wilson was Air Commander with pilot Lt. J. L. Smith. In addition, the 457th supplied two squadrons for the high box. Major Fred A. Spencer as the high box leader, with Lt. Jerome E. (Jerry) Godfrey as pilot. The flight route took the Group in a northeasterly direction over the North Sea, across Denmark and the Baltic Sea, and to the target area. Bad weather, which had hampered the Group in England and over the North Sea, caused seven planes to become lost and abort the mission. In addition, four more were lost from the high box and two, having failed to assemble with the Group, aborted when the Group they joined abandoned the mission.

The weather had cleared by the time the formations reached the IP.

A good formation produced a good bomb run, and bombing results were good, in spite of enemy fighter attacks along the run. Flak was moderate over the target.

Immediately after leaving the target, the formation was attacked by waves of FW-190s and Me-109s, coming in from the nose and from the tail. Aircraft piloted by Lt. Amos W. Shepard and Lt. Robert K. Walker took direct hits, with both being shot down. One member of Lt. Shepard's crew and three of Lt. Walker's crew, including Lt. Walker, failed to survive. The aircraft piloted by Lt. Stuart James took a direct hit, claiming the life of one crew member.

The attacks continued over the Baltic Sea, where Lt. David P. Parks was shot down and seven crew members lost their lives. The attacks continued over Denmark. Lt. Donald G. Karr crashed his badly damaged aircraft at Woodbndge, an English base near the coast.

Gunners from the 457th received credit for three enemy aircraft destroyed, one probably destroyed and one damaged. The mission required eleven hours. The bombing results drew a commendation from the Division Headquarters.

Units

  • 1st Bomb Division

    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.

  • 457th Bomb Group

    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

Tonnage dropped 263.5T HE 59T IB

7. ROSTOCK/MARIENEHE (Opportunistic)

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

8. WARNEMUNDE (Primary)

Description

HEINKEL AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

Service

People

  • Donald Anderson

    Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator; Bombardier | 401st Bomb Group
    DFC/ AM w/ 5 Oak Leaf Cluster/ Unit Citation w/ Oak Leaf Cluster 1 Damaged

  • Steve Andrychuk

    Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Top turret gunner/ flight engineer | 452nd Bomb Group

  • Charles Atcher

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 401st Bomb Group

  • Patrick Benker

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
    Shot down 9 April 1944 in B-17 #42-31740. POW, Missing Air Crew Report MACR #3953.

  • Henry Benson

    Military | Captain | Navigator, bombardier, nose gunner | 93rd Bomb Group

  • Eugene Budzbanowski

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 563BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. 31 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Warnemunde in B-17 42-107076; Hit by flak, crashed into sea seven miles SE of Nykobing, near Boto, Denmark. 9-Apr-44 Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 3656 ...

  • Burton Bush

    Military | Captain | Pilot/Lead Pilot | 458th Bomb Group

  • Edwin Carmell

    Military | Colonel | Co-Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
    Edwin Carmell served as a co-pilot with the 563rd Bomb Squadron of the 388th Bomb Group, flying missions out of Knettishall, England. Post war: Remained in USAF, serving in Korean and Vietnamese conflicts rising to the rank of Colonel.

  • Loran Caskey

    Military | Sergeant (Technician Fourth Grade) | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 466th Bomb Group
    Shot down 11 April 1944 in B-24 #4252582. Killed in Action (KIA). PH

  • Edward Cisek

    Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 458th Bomb Group
    Shot down 9 April 1944 in B-24 #42-52432. Killed in Action (KIA).

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Aircraft

  • 41-28667 'Jayhawker'

    B-24 Liberator
    Assigned to 752BS, 458BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Tutow, Germany. E/A seen to hit #3 engine which was successfully feathered. Failed to keep up with formation despite jettisoning bombs and headed for neutral territory. Landed at...

  • 41-29387 Snafu Snark

    B-24 Liberator
    The B-24H, named SNAFU Snark, was an original 466th Bomb Group airplane. It flew combat missions from March 24, 1944 through August 8, 1944 when it crash landed at Manston emergency airfield, Kent, on it's return from a mission to Clastres, France. ...

  • 42-107017

    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...

  • 42-31072 Betty J.

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    This was the only original aircraft of the 401st BG to return to the USA after the war. The aircraft was named after Lt. Bryan Shotts' Wife "Betty Jean Shotts". ...

  • 42-31083 Tenny Belle

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 15/9/43; ...

  • 42-31496 Salvo Sadie

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 12/11/43; Kearney 27/11/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-Q] Deenethorpe 1/2/44; Missing in Action Berlin 21/6/44 with Jack Atherton, Co-pilot: Don Awalt, Navigator: Dick Fitzmaurice, Bombardier: John Whelan, Flight engineer/top turret...

  • 42-3158 Max

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 6/3/43; Morrison 31/3/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-Y] Molesworth 2/6/43; Missing in Action Hanover 29/4/44 with Jim Fisher, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Gus Johnson[body recovered from lake 20/5/44] (2 Prisoner of War); Co-pilot:...

  • 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)...

  • 42-32005 'Command Performance II', 'Annie'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Denver 12/1/44; Kearney 28/1/44; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-M] Deenethorpe 7/3/44; Missing in Action St Lo 24/7/44 with Ed Coleman, Navigator: H.E. Kron, Bombardier: E.K. Stout, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: A.T. Lindholm, Radio Operator:...

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Revisions

Date Contributor Update
01 February 2018 00:52:12 TennyBelle Changes to person associations and aircraft associations
Sources

8th AF Database
Date Contributor Update
13 February 2017 07:17:45 Grants Pass Changes to person associations
Sources

MACR 3665
Date Contributor Update
13 May 2015 14:33:36 general ira snapsorter Changes to event
Sources

Mission detail added courtesy of Diane Reese - http://www.457thbombgroup.org/Narratives/MA23.HTML
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:43:12 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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