8th Air Force
Eighth Air Force Bomber Command became the Eighth Air Force on February 1944, it oversaw bombardment of strategic targets in Europe until 1945.
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41-29273
B-24 Liberator
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The shark mouth nose of a B-24 Liberator nicknamed "Flak Magnet" of the 458th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '458th B.G.'
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MACR 4180: Spaven's A/C was hit by Flak at approximately 19:38 hours SW of Hamm, Germany. The #2 engine caught fire and the A/C fell out of formation. Four chutes were seen. A/C then was brought under control and Lt George N. Spaven Jr regained altitude and rejoined formation. After an undetermined period of time, A/C was observed to leave formation and head west, still under control. Tailed and shot down by FW190 'Red 23' of Major Heinz Bär of II/JG1. Pilot Spaven was hit by fighter bullets in Heinz Bär's final attack and held the plane steady so his crew could bail out. He was killed in the crash of the plane, 1km North of Hoetmar, 1km from the Hoetmar/Freckenhorst road, 10km SW of Warendorf, Germany. Killed In Action (KIA).
Service
Units
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458th Bomb Group
Group
The 458th Bomb Group (H) entered combat with the 8th Air Force in February 1944. Based at Horsham St. Faith in England, the combat crews participated in the decisive Campaigns 'Big Week', 'Big B', D-Day and the assault on Germany's oil industry waged... -
753rd Bomb Squadron
Squadron
People
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Robert Allin
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 458th Bomb Group
Shot down 22 April 1944 in B-24 #41-29273 'Flak Magnet'. Prisoner of War (POW). -
Cedric Cole
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Radio Operator | 458th Bomb Group
Cedric Cole was Radio Operator on board B-24H #41-28729 when it crashed while attempting to land at Warton (Neaton) upon returning from a combat mission on 8 March 1944. Returned To Duty (RTD). Shot down 22 April 1944 in B-24 #41-29273 'Flak Magnet'.... -
James Fittinger
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 458th Bomb Group
Shot down 22 April 1944 in B-24 #41-29273 'Flak Magnet'. Prisoner of War (POW). -
Peter Kowal
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 458th Bomb Group
Peter Kowal was Navigator on board B-24H #41-28729 when it crashed while attempting to land at Warton (Neaton) upon returning from a combat mission on 8 March 1944. Returned To Duty (RTD). Shot down 22 April 1944 in B-24 #41-29273 'Flak Magnet'.... -
James Mortinson
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 458th Bomb Group
James Mortinson was Bombardier on board B-24H #41-28729 when it crashed while attempting to land at Warton (Neaton) upon returning from a combat mission on 8 March 1944. Returned To Duty (RTD). Shot down 22 April 1944 in B-24 #41-29273 'Flak Magnet'.... -
Herman Peacher
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 458th Bomb Group
Herman Peacher was Tail Gunner on board B-24H #41-28729 when it crashed while attempting to land at Warton (Neaton) upon returning from a combat mission on 8 March 1944. Returned To Duty (RTD). Shot down 22 April 1944 in B-24 #41-29273 'Flak Magnet'.... -
Lawrence Scheiding
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 458th Bomb Group
Lawrence Scheiding was Ball Turret gunner on board B-24H #41-28729 when it crashed while attempting to land at Warton (Neaton) upon returning from a combat mission on 8 March 1944. Returned To Duty (RTD). Shot down 22 April 1944 in B-24 #4129273 'Flak... -
George Spaven
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 458th Bomb Group
Crashed while attempting to land at Warton (Neaton) upon returning from a combat mission in B-24H 41-28729 on 8 March 1944. Returned to duty (RTD). George Spaven was Pilot of 41-29273 'Flak Magnet' on the 22 April 1944 mission. Hit by flak at... -
James Wedding
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 458th Bomb Group
Shot down 22 April 1944 in B-24 #41-29273 'Flak Magnet'. Prisoner of War (POW). -
Robert Zedeker
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 458th Bomb Group
Robert Zedeker was Co-Pilot on board B-24H #41-28729 when it crashed while attempting to land at Warton (Neaton) upon returning from a combat mission on 8 March 1944. Returned To Duty (RTD). ...
Missions
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311
22 April 1944
Places
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Horsham St Faith
Military site : airfield
Horsham St Faith was an RAF Bomber Command Station opened in June 1940. It was home to Bristol Blenheim medium-bombers, and was for a time occupied by fighters, including those of No. 19 Squadron and No. 264 Squadron. From September 1942 the airfield...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Failed to Return (FTR) | Hoetmar, 48231 Warendorf, Germany | 22 April 1944 |
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hit by flak, then by an Fw190 fighter |
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Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 12 April 2020 14:11:28 | ED-BB | Changes to nicknames, markings, description, events and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
MACR 4180 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 21 November 2016 14:55:19 | 466thHistorian | Changes to serial number and nicknames |
| Sources | ||
Chris Brassfield |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 July 2016 17:13:20 | rzedeker | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Rob Zedeker |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 February 2015 14:35:08 | Al_Skiff | Changes to nicknames, markings, events, unit associations, place associations and media associations |
| Sources | ||
Roger Freeman / http://www.458bg.com |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:40:05 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
MACR 4180 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database |
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