8th Air Force 920
31 March 1945Elmo Maiden Crew
466th BG - 786th BS
Standing Left to Right: Bernard M. Atkins (TG), Vernon R. Hayden (WG), William R. Hoopes (B), Gustave J. Roussel (E), Guerino G. Petti (N), Herbert Rosenkoff (CP), William A. Thomason (TT), Elmo Maiden (P), Kenneth W. Chester (NG), Joseph R. Zebrowski (R/O)
B-24J-5-DT #42-51532 Code: U8-W
Photo taken on 27 December 1944 after crash landing at an airfield in Belgium.
Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
ASCHERSLEBEN
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Description: OIL REFINERY
BRANDENBURG
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
BRUNSWICK
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Notes: A mix of 253 of 266 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.
ERFURT
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
GOTHA
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
HALLE
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
LEIPZIG
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
SALZWEDEL
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Notes: Primary – Oil plant about 20 miles west of Brandenburg. Secondary – Brandenburg (Marshalling yards in center of city.) Last Resort – Marshalling yards at Salzwedel (60 miles WSW of Brandenburg) The (primary) target wasn't visual, as per usual, so we proceeded to Brandenburg. I caught a glimpse of it thru the cloud. It looked like pretty nice country with plenty of lakes around. It's only about 20 miles from Berlin, too. We didn't lay any eggs there, however. We wheeled to the left & went on a NW course to hit the last resort.
STENDAL
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
WEIMAR
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
ZEITZ
Description: OIL REFINERY
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32941838
- Highest Rank: Technician Fourth Grade
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33721705
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37632502
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-823910
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Piot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31298209
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Satan's Chillen
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Pro-Kid
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Alex
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Pauline
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Information taken from original, hand-written combat logs dated Feb-Apr 1945.
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'.