441
25 June 1944
Object Number - UPL 33845 - "Smoke billows from the Bourges, France airfield about 100 miles south of Paris as 8th USAAF heavy bombers pressed home their attack on 25th June...
Description
From his mission list for the 385th/548th, this is mission #142. The target says "French Supply." He was on Peterson's Crew.
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 105.7 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 26.4 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 24 T
Description: TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 29.6 T
Description: POWER STATION
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, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Group, 491st Bomb Group, 492nd Bomb Group. Airfields, power/transformed stations and an oil depot are the targets Luftwaffe opposition is very light. Most losses attributable to AA fire.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 63.5 T
Description: POWER STATION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 15 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 118.6 T
Description: POWER STATION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 20.7 T
Description: CHEMICAL PLANT
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 3.8 T
Description: BRIDGE
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 36 T
Description: POWER STATION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 18.6 T
Description: POWER STATION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 14.5 T
Description: POWER STATION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 47.8 T
Description: OIL DEPOT
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 457th BG - MISSION NO. 77 - MONTEBARTIER, FRANCE 25 JUNE, 1944 The target was a buried oil dump in southern France, situated in the village of Montebartier on the banks of the Midi Canal, the connecting waterway between the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean Sea. The 457th furnished all 36 craft for the 94th C Combat Wing. Major Leroy Watson was Air Commander with Lt. Dozier as pilot of the lead C box. Lt. Joseph Reilly was Commander of the low C box, with Lt. Harris S. Mathis as pilot. Lt. Max D. Peterson was Commander of the high C box with Captain Donald E. Lady as pilot. Again the route to the target took the Group over the invasion coast. The weather was CAVU over the target and bombing results were good. Bombing was from 15,000 feet. Flak was moderate to heavy and accurate, with four craft suffering damage. Lt. Scott B. Ormsby's plane was hit by a flak burst starting a fire in one engine. Four of his crew bailed out. However, he dropped his bombs in the Channel and returned to the Base. Lieutenants Edwin R. Stevens, SherriH R. Williams and Charles C. Canfield, all flying in the lead box, were hit in their engines and gas tanks and aborted the mission. Capt. Richard E. Hoelzer, flying in the low box, was hit and knocked out of the box, but returned to the Base.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 147 T
Description: POWER STATION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 13.4 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 25.8 T
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 13.5 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-24s is 493rd Bomb Group, 486th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Group
![Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group are attacked by a Nazi Fighter aircraft during a mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-62641 USAF: Nazi fighter plane attacking Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th[sic] Bomb Group, 3rd Bomb Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-408505.jpg.webp?itok=zJwHCUjh)
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Combat organisation
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 132.8 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 26.5 T
Description: POWER STATION
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 21 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 143.5 T
Description: AIRFIELD
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, 382nd Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group, 482nd Bomb Group.
- Unit Hierarchy: Division
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 230.5 T
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-900076
- Highest Rank: General
- Role/Job: Observer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17097931 / O-808295
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18231673
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19079343
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer / Top Turret
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14114980 / O-809562
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Big Dick Hard To Hit
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Old Ironsides
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Fancy Nancy IV
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Shape
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
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'.
