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8th Air Force 901

21 March 1945

  • Strike Photo - Hesepe Airfield 21 March 1945 466th BG (see also Achmer Airfield strike photo, same mission)

    Strike Photo - Hesepe Airfield 21 March 1945 466th BG (see also Achmer Airfield strike photo, same mission)

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  • Lt Thomas Elbert Brines co-pilot on B-17 during WWII retired as a Major Air Force Meteorologist. He passed away in 2003 at the age of 79.

    Lt Thomas Elbert Brines co-pilot on B-17 during WWII retired as a Major Air Force Meteorologist. He passed away in 2003 at the age of 79.

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  • Page 96 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Page 96 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8
  • Page 97 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Page 97 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8
  • Page 98 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Page 98 of the 95th Bomb Group unit history. Many of the 8th Air Force Groups produced an unofficial unit history in the months after the war ended in Europe but before they were redeployed out of the ETO (European Theater of Operations). The 95th Bomb Group unit history was published by the Group’s Photographic Section. Resembling a college yearbook, unit histories were an unofficial – and often tongue-in-cheek – record of the unit’s time based in the UK. They include photo montages showing different aspects of base life. Often the servicemen in the photos are unnamed. The American Air Museum hopes that by adding unit histories to the website as individual pages, the men in the photos will be identified and associated to their person entries. Many included lists of personnel and a mailing address, providing a means for servicemen to keep in contact with each other after the war. These lists are now incredibly useful records of where US airmen in England in 1945 called their home.

    Show caption About this image
    1-5 of 8
  • Lt. Thomas C. Brock flew with the 351st FS/353FG from June 10, 1944 until being declared MIA on March 21, 1945 after strafing near Toemmern in his P-51D #44-11698. Exactly one week earlier he shot down his only aerial victory over a ME109.

    Lt. Thomas C. Brock flew with the 351st FS/353FG from June 10, 1944 until being declared MIA on March 21, 1945 after strafing near Toemmern in his P-51D #44-11698. Exactly one week earlier he shot down his only aerial victory over a ME109.

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  • 445th BG - Mission #258 - 21 Mar 45 Achmer, Germany - German airfield 40 acft dispatched; 2 aborts; 38 acft dropped 360x500# GP and 480x100# IB Me-262 airfield in support of Operation Varsity, The Crossing of the Rhine by amphibious and airborne assault

    445th BG - Mission #258 - 21 Mar 45 Achmer, Germany - German airfield 40 acft dispatched; 2 aborts; 38 acft dropped 360x500# GP and 480x100# IB Me-262 airfield in support of Operation Varsity, The Crossing of the Rhine by amphibious and airborne assault

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  • 8th Air Force mission 901; Wittmundhafen; March 21, 1945. 447th Bomb Group strike photo

    8th Air Force mission 901; Wittmundhafen; March 21, 1945. 447th Bomb Group strike photo

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Official description

Mission 901: Preparatory air operations for the forthcoming (23 Mar) crossing of the lower Rhine River by Allied ground forces begin. 1,408 bombers and 806 fighters, in conjunction with Ninth Air Force and RAF aircraft, attack jet fighter bases; with one exception, all attacks are visual; they claim 58-3-49 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 B-17s and 9 P-51s are lost: 1. 107 of 152 B-17s hit the secondary target, the tank factory at Plauen; targets of opportunity are Reichenbach (34) and other (1); they claim 3-3-3 aircraft; 5 B-17s are lost and 48 damaged. The escort is 273 of 314 P-51s; they claim 9-0-0 aircraft in the air and 3-0-0 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair. 2. 129 of 151 B-17s attack Hardorf Airfield; 14 others hit Vorden Airfield, a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 71 damaged. Escorting are 94 of 98 P-51s; they claim 0-0-2 aircraft in the air. 3. 214 B-17s are sent to attack the airfields at Zwischenahn (57), Marx (77) and Wittmundhafen (74); casualties for 1., 2. and 3. above are 7 WIA and 56 MIA. 108 of 109 P-51s escort and claim 2-0-8 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA). 4. 518 B-24s are dispatched to hit airfields at Ahlhorn (61), Hesepe (165), Achmer (180) and Mulheim Airfield at Essen (90); 21 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 95 of 99 P-51s; they claim 35-0-30 aircraft on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA). 5. 373 B-17s are sent to hit airfields at Hopsten (159 using Gee-H) and Rheine (180); targets of opportunity are the airfields at Hesepe (13) and Achmer (12); 1 B-17 is lost and 49 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 3 WIA and 9 MIA. 97 of 102 P-51s escort; they claim 6-0-0 aircraft on the ground. 6. 36 P-51s fly a sweep over Giebelstadt Airfield and claim 0-0-6 aircraft on the ground. 7. 13 P-51s escort 9 F-5s, 1 P-38 and 1 Spitfire on photo reconnaissance missions over Germany. 8. 35 P-51s fly a scouting mission.

Description

Not yet known

Mission details

1.

Description

BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

2. ACHMER

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

3. AHLHORN

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

4. ESSEN/MULHEIM

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

5. GIEBELSTADT

Description

FIGHTER SWEEP

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

6. Germany

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

7. HESEPE

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

8. HOPSTEN

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

9. Wilhelmshaven, Germany

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

10. PLAUEN

Description

TANK FACTORY

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Preparations for the forthcoming crossing (23 Mar 45) of the lower Rhine River begin. This is named OPERATION VARSITY. 1,408 bombers and 806 fighters, in conjunction with Ninth Air Force and the RAF attack jet fighter bases.

Mission Statistics

11. REICHENBACH

Description

INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

12. RHEINE

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

13. VORDEN

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Mission Statistics

14. WITTMUNDHAFEN

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Units

  • 447th Bomb Group

    447th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 447th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses on strategic bombardment missions out of Rattlesden, Suffolk. With their first mission coming on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1943, their main focus was hitting sites that would weaken enemy forces...

Mission Statistics

15. ZWISCHENAHN

Description

AIRFIELD

Aircraft type

Not yet known

Notes

Not yet known

Units

  • 385th Bomb Group

    385th Bomb Group

    Group
    The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...

Mission Statistics

Service

People

  • George Asprocolas

    Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 95th Bomb Group

  • Craig Bennett

    Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 490th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 848BS, 490BG, 8AF USAAF. Attached to 850BS. Member of Schultz crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Plauen 21-Mar-45; mid air collision with Me262, explosion sheared of tail. Sole survivor. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 13556 ...

  • Harry Berger

    Civilian | Flight Engineer/ Gunner | 445th Bomb Group
    Born in 1921; used to say that he was the "old guy" in his unit.. ...

  • Clarence Bitner

    Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 336BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. 24 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Holzwickede 23-Mar-45. Mid air collision with B-17 44-8754, crashed Campsea Ash, Suffolk. Killed in Action (KIA). Awards: AM (3OLC), GC, PH.

  • Frederick Black

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 490th Bomb Group
    Assigned to 848BS, 490BG, 8AF USAAF. Attached to 850BS. Member of Schultz crew. Failed to Return (FTR) Plauen 21-Mar-45; mid air collision with Me262, explosion sheared of tail. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 13556 Awards: AM (OLC), PH.

  • Edward Blattner

    Military | Flight Officer | Bombardier | 447th Bomb Group
    June 1, 1922: Edward Aloysius Blattner (Nickname: "Buddy") was born in Chicago Illinois ...

  • Sabatine Branco

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator; Waist Gunner | 487th Bomb Group
    Flew 34 combat missions from 1/8/45 to 4/21/45. Most of them in a B-17G 'Dinah-Mite' #44-8694.

  • Thomas Brock

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter pilot | 339th Fighter Group
    Assigned to 505FS, 339FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 351FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) strafing mission to Achmer A/D. Whilst strafing airdrome, hit in coolant system by return fire, bellied in Hopsten. Initially reported as MIA on 21-Mar...

  • Charles Bruckman

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 447th Bomb Group
    Damaged 34th BG aircraft (#43-38971) mid-air collision with Ol' Scrapiron (#42-31582). Ol' Scrapiron broke apart at the waist on 23 Mar 1945. Seven crewmen of Ol' Scrapiron killed in Action (KIA) including Bruckman. Two survived (Schlag and Shibble).

  • Max Burrows

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 95th Bomb Group

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Aircraft

  • 42-97392

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 28/2/44; Kearney 16/3/44; Dow Fd 5/4/44; Assigned 711BS/447BG Rattlesden 11/4/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 9/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 21/10/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)...

  • 43-37904 Princess Pat aka Hannah’s Children

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 2/6/44; Hunter 13/6/44; Dow Fd 24/6/44; Assigned 569BS/390BG [CC-L] Framlingham 29/6/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 3/7/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 4/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)...

  • 43-38072

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 22/6/44; Hunter 13/7/44; Grenier 24/7/44; Assigned 848BS/490BG Eye 27/7/44; 850BS; on local flights 18/8/44 with Albert Davis, Co-pilot: Fred Ostler, Navigator: Jenner DeSantis, Bombardier: Rich Wessel, Flight engineer/top turret...

  • 43-38393

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 28/7/44; Hunter 8/8/44; Dow Fd 30/8/44; Assigned 569BS/390BG [CC-V] Framlingham 2/9/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 30/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 6/7/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA)...

  • 43-38933 Dear Mom II/Weary Wolf

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Lincoln 14/10/44; Dow Fd 26/10/44; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 29/10/44; while on navigation exercise 17/5/45 with H.J. Cole, cp V. Ferguson, two navigators and two grounded crew, on as makeshift ttg and r/op (6 Killed in Action); crash...

  • 43-39056

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Hunter 20/11/44; Grenier 2/12/44; Assigned 549BS/385BG [XA-V] Gt Ashfield 3/12/44; when parked at Horsching, Austria was hit by 44-8320 on 20/5/45; Salvaged n/battle damaged 6/9/45.

  • 44-11698

    P-51 Mustang

  • 44-14569 "Lil' Boston Bull"

    P-51 Mustang
    Assigned to 351FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) escort to Achmer A/D Germany. Crashed near Krefeld on 21-Mar-45, pilot F/O Bruce A Eddy Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 13955.

  • 44-8652 Drive It Home

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 16/11/44; Hunter 12/12/44; Dow Fd 17/12/44; Assigned 369BS/306BG Thurleigh 6/1/45; Salvaged 9AF Germany 31/7/46. DRIVE IT HOME!

  • 42-95021 San Antonio Rose

    B-24 Liberator

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Revisions

Date Contributor Update
06 September 2018 01:54:28 jhuck Changes to event
Sources

John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner

Source: History of the 447th Bomb Group by Doyle Shields; p. 298
Date Contributor Update
06 September 2018 01:53:05 jhuck Changes to person associations
Sources

John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner

Source: History of the 447th Bomb Group by Doyle Shields; p. 298
Date Contributor Update
02 July 2017 22:52:15 Virginiawise50 Changes to person associations
Sources

Official Website of 385th Bomb Group Association Database-Missions
Date Contributor Update
02 July 2017 22:26:00 Virginiawise50 Changes to person associations
Sources

Official Websiteof 385th Bomb Group Association Database-Missions
Date Contributor Update
01 July 2017 21:09:44 Virginiawise50 Changes to person associations and aircraft associations
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise, B-17 (43-39056) pilot 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group, flew on this mission from Great Ashfield, England to Zwischenahn, 21 Mar 1945.
Date Contributor Update
01 July 2017 18:09:07 Virginiawise50 Changes to event
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise
Date Contributor Update
23 March 2017 16:51:25 dwgdallas Changes to person associations, aircraft associations and media associations
Sources

The personal collection of Lt. Billy J. Murray
Date Contributor Update
14 November 2014 16:58:38 Lucy May Changes to event
Sources

'HARDORF' was appearing near Adelaide, Australia, so have moved it to 'Germany'.
Date Contributor Update
14 November 2014 16:56:13 Lucy May Changes to event
Sources

Changed location from 'MARX' to 'Wilhelmshaven, Germany'. Marx airfield was 18km south-west of Wilhelmshaven. Source: http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=13978
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:43:13 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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