308A
19 April 1944Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
ESCHWEGE (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 457th BG MISSION NO. 28 ESCHWEGE, GERMANY 19 APRIL, 1944 The target was the Air Park and Airdrome at Eschwege, twenty-six miles east-southeast of Kassel. This was an important center for equipping field-workshop units which went into action on the front lines. The 457th flew with the 40th Combat wing rather than the 94th. Major Rod Francis was Air Commander of the Group, which flew the low box, and Lt. Edward R. Bender was pilot. The primary target was not bombed because of smoke and haze over the target area. Secondary targets and targets of last resort were bombed, with varied bombing results. The 457th bombed an air field at Kassel. Eleven craft sustained battle damage. The 457th furnished four aircraft for Air-Sea Rescue. This assignment was completed without incident.
GUTERSLOH (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
KASSEL/ALTENBAUNA (Secondary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
KASSEL/BETTENHOUSEN (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
KASSEL/WALDAU (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Notes: 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group. This mission was part of the effort to achieve Allied air superiority in advance of the D-Day invasion. These important aircraft factories were all in the Berlin area. Low claims of enemy aircraft by the bomber crews were a testament to the effectiveness of fighter support.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 433.5 T HE 181.1 T IB
KOBLENZ (Secondary)
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
LIPPSTADT (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Notes: 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.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 402.5 T HE 168 T IB
PADERBORN (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
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, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 184.5 T HE 305 T IB
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Werl, Germany
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Note in my father's log.. Horace Turner, states, "Raided Werl, aircraft factory, perfect bombing, flak very light. It was a milk run."
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 365th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-810115
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-694353
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13144874
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Berlin Bessie : I Dood It
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: West End
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Roarin Bill
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wabbit Twacks
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ice Cold Katie
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Added by Karen Turner, daughter of Horace Turner, based on his handwritten log.
Mission details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/
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'.