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.
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30 May 1944
Not yet known
Mission #3. Same target as before. A piece of flak broke the pilots windshield. No-one hurt.
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 12.5 T |
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 115 T |
AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Not yet known
This element concentrates on the German aircraft industry. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.
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.
Tonnage dropped | 190 T |
AIRFIELD
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 103.2 T |
AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 145 T |
AIRFIELD
Not yet known
3rd Bomb Division was made up of 34th Bomb Group, 388 Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Group. The 489th Bomb Group files its first mission and sustains its first loss.
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
Tonnage dropped | 132.8 T |
AIRFIELD
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 3 T |
AVIATION DEPOT
Not yet known
This element concentrates on the German aircraft industry. 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 392 Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group, 492nd 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 | 379 T |
AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
B-17 Flying Fortress
457th BG - MISSION NO. 55 - OSCHERSLEBEN, GERMANY
30 MAY, 1944
For this mission the 457th had to penetrate deep into Germany for the fourth successive day. The target was the FW 190 aircraft assembly plant. The entire Eighth Air Force sent aircraft to similar type facilities to emphasize the determined effort to eliminate fighter plane production in Germany.
The Group provided eighteen ships for the high box of the 94th Combat Wing, fifth in the Division formation. Major William F. Smith was Air Commander, and Captain Clarence E. Schuchmann was pilot.
Because of the concentration of bombers in the area, the 94th Combat Wing was forced to attempt a bomb run on a different heading. This change of plan, together with a faulty gyro, created problems causing a 360 degree turn to be made. Bomb results were poor for the lead box.
While the Wing was rallying, about thirty Me-109s attacked the lead and low boxes and shot down two craft from other groups. Only one pass was made by the enemy fighters on ' the high box.
Flak encountered was moderate and inaccurate, and there Was an absence of flak over the target area.
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.
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 | 118 T |
V-1 MISSILE SITES
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 320 T |
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group, 486th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of split into three elements: Reims/Troyes; Brussels; Pas de Calais
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
Tonnage dropped | 181.5 T |
AVIATION DEPOT
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 428 T |
MARSHALLING YARDS
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 179.5 T |
AVIATION DEPOT
Not yet known
Not yet known
Tonnage dropped | 192.8 T |
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. 20 x combat mission. McCord crew. Munich mission 16-Jul-44, A/C hit by flak causing a failure of the oxygen system to the nose compartment, died of anoxia along with bombardier Irwin Dobrow. Killed in Action (KIA)
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 94th Bomb Group
Flew 26 missions on 'Mission Bell', was wounded on 26th mission.
Purple Heart, 4 Air Medals
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier, Navigator | 401st Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator; Bombardier | 401st Bomb Group
DFC/ AM w/ 5 Oak Leaf Cluster/ Unit Citation w/ Oak Leaf Cluster
1 Damaged
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Shot down by flak and crashed at Gruenewald on 6/21/44 in B-17 #42-31496 Prisoner of War (POW)
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Shot down by flak and crashed at Gruenewald on 6/21/44 in B-17 42-31496. Prisoner of War (POW)
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Crew 302-514: Aerial Armorer Gunner; Tail Gunner; Ball Turret Gunner | 446th Bomb Group
Military | Captain | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 427BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 29 x combat missions.
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 5/2/44; Kearney 24/2/44; Presque Is 11/3/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-O] Horham 11/3/44; with G.M. Jackman force landed B-53 Merville, Belg., 10/5/45; with Lt Henderson force landed A-70 Laon, France 20/5/45; 114m Returned to the USA...
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...
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...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 17/3/44; Gr Island 6/4/44; Dow Fd 28/4/44; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 30/4/44; On a local flight 9/7/44 with Doug McArthur, Co-pilot: Stamos Zades, Navigator: George Mille, Bombardier: Chas Meyer, Flight engineer/top turret...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 6/2/44; Grenier 3/3/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-M] Horham 17/3/44; with R.V. Mercer force landed Framlingham AFB 25/12/44 with engine failure; battle damaged Berlin 3/2/45 with H. Palmer; force landed Charleroi, Bel; 97m, repaired & ret...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 7/3/44; Hunter 15/3/44; Grenier 5/4/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-F] Horham 10/4/44; 412BS [QW-F]; with G.L.Ferguson force landed RAF Woodbridge 16/8/44; with M.R. Scott force landed Framlingham AFB 24/12/44; 109m, Returned to the USA...
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
(GH) Delivered Denver 4/10/43; Grand Island 19/10/43; Romulus 26/10/43; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-Z] Molesworth 18/11/43; Missing in Action Dessau 30/5/44 with Doug Van Weelden, Navigator: Bob Saumsiegle, Bombardier: Ron Vincent, Flight engineer/top...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 13/11/43; Gt Falls 15/11/43; Denver 22/11/43; Kearney 27/11/43; Presque Is 25/12/43; Assigned 569BS/390BG [CC-H] Framlingham 2/1/44; suffered n/battle damaged hitting tree at Grundisburgh Hall, Sfk, being slow timed on 2/6/44, with...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 10/12/43; Kearney 23/12/43; Romulus 7/1/43; Presque Is 9/1/44; Assigned 509BS/351BG [RQ-L] Polebrook 31/1/44; 33m Missing in Action Oschersleben 30/5/44 with Crawford Hicks, Co-pilot: Gene Bianco, Navigator: Hardy Mitchener, Flight...
Date | Contributor | Update |
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23 January 2017 19:25:21 | cmckeever | Changes to description and person associations |
Sources | ||
Daughter - Carol Rollinger McKeever |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 May 2015 10:07:55 | 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'. |