1st Bomb Division
Division
The groups under the command of the 1st Bomb Wing came under the command of the 1st Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.
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746
11 December 1944
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Crew #551 Seward M. Meinstma Crew Standing Left to Right: Jack Veach (R/O), George Wood (BTG), William Osborne (NG), John O'Donnell (FE), Howard Wade (TG), Sherell Campbell (G) Kneeling Left to Right: Seward Meinstma (P), Donald Vanderwall (CP), Eugene Gjertsen (N), Harvey Levine (B) This crew completed a 35 mission tour. Gjertsen transferred to the Welsh Crew of the 784th BS at some point during the tour. Also Daniel Chadbourne replaced O'Donnell as Flight Engineer during the tour.
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The Leo Belskis crew : Top row, from left to right : Pilot Leo Belskis; Co-Pilot Glenn C. Vaugh; Navigator James V. Collett; Bombardier Ross W. Perrin Jr. Bottom, from left to right : Top Turret Gunner Walter R. Newman; Right Waist Gunner Durward V. Suggs; Tail Gunner Robert P. Rogers; Radio Operator Elvis A. McCoy; Ball Turret Gunner Lynn J. Lauret Jr. All except Mc Coy and Lauret were killed on the 11 December 1944 mission to Mannheim – B-17G Serial 43-38780 of 381st Bomb Group / 532nd Bomb Squadron. (Photo via the Perrin family).
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Ross W. Perrin Jr (photo via his nephew, J. Ross Greene)
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Lynn J. Lauret Jr (photo Ms Bettye J. Lauret, sister)
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Robert P. Rogers (Photo via the Perrin family).
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Walter R. Newman (photo Perrin family)
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Overall Missions Map for the 493rd BG - USAAF Station 152 -Debach, UK noting missions flown by the Lt Bernard E Vaughan Crew
Official description
Not yet known
Description
Not yet known
Mission details
1.
Description
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
2. EUSKIRCHEN
Description
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
3. FRANKFURT
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes
This is the largest formation of bombers despatched to date - 1,586 bombers escorted by 841 fighters.
457th BG MISSION NO. 158 : FRANKFURT, GERMANY : 11 DECEMBER, 1944
Striking again at rail facilities supplying the German armies in the West, the 457th attacked the marshalling yards at Frankfurt. The formation of thirty-six craft comprised the 94th C Combat Wing. Captain Dozier was Air Commander and Lt. Seesenguth was pilot. Assembly was at briefed altitude plus 3,000 feet, because of clouds.
The route over England was flown above briefed altitude. While flying over enemy territory, the Group had to make slight deviations in order to remain in Division formation. The Group was about eight minutes early, because winds were not as briefed. At the IP, the Group was to the right of course, but a successful run was made. Complete overcast existed over the target area, and it was necessary to bomb in group formation by means of PFF equipment. Bombs were released from 25,000 feet.
Flak was light and the Group sustained no losses.
Units
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457th Bomb Group
Group
The 457th Bomb Group began combat operations during the Big Week of 20-25 February when American bombers carried out concentrated raids against German aircraft bases, factories and assembly plants. The air crews' targets on that first mission were...
Mission Statistics
4. GIESSEN
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
A mix of 349 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.
Mission Statistics
5. HANAU
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
6. KARLSRUHE
Description
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
7. KOBLENZ
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
8. MANNHEIM
Description
BRIDGES
Aircraft type
B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes
Mitchell Crew
MPI - R.R. Bridge over Rhine
Bombing Altitude - 21,800 ft.
Remarks: "Lousy weather all the way to target. 10/10 cirrus at target. Bombed G-H. Moderate flak at target but inaccurate on us-thank goodness. Results of bombing observed. Good escort. Saw "17" in our grp. go down from flak."
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 2-2000 & 2-1000 G.P. by "Julie Linda" of 535th BG |
9. MAXIMILIANSAU
Description
BRIDGE
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
Service
People
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Curtis Adamy
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 466th Bomb Group
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George Asprocolas
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 95th Bomb Group
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Dale Avers
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
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George Bachman
Military | Technical Sergeant | B17 Engineer | 96th Bomb Group
Parents: George and Pauline (Matthias) Bachman they were married in March 1911 ... -
Leo Belskis
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 381st Bomb Group
Of Lithuanian descent, Leo Belskis loved flying and logged a lot of air time from Scott Field in Madison, Wisconsin before he enlisted in the Air Corps. Always wearing his crusher hat at a jaunty angle, he was loved by his crew who felt they were in... -
Jackie Bishop
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 466th Bomb Group
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John Blumenstock
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 466th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Lt. Colonel -
Peter Brennan
Military | Technical Sergeant | Togglier | 388th Bomb Group
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Rolland Bushner
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 25th Bomb Group
Missions: 1944 - Aug 9 Saarbrucken; 12 Mourmelon sur Marne; 14 Dole/Tauaux/ 16 Madgeburg; 24 Hanover; 26 Dulmen; 30 Mainz; Sep 9 Mainz; 10 Ulm; 11 Madgeburg; Oct 5 Lippstadt; 7 Madgeburg; 9 Koblenz; 22 Hamm; 26 Bottrop; 30 Hamburg; Nov 5 Karlsruhe; 10... -
Charles Cappellino
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Flight Engineer | 95th Bomb Group
Aircraft
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42-107047 The Doodle Bug
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 6/2/44; Grenier 3/3/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-M] Horham 17/3/44; with R.V. Mercer force landed Framlingham AFB 25/12/44 with engine failure; battle damaged Berlin 3/2/45 with H. Palmer; force landed Charleroi, Bel; 97m, repaired & ret... -
42-39993 'Hells Angels Out Of Chute 13', 'Grossly Inadequate'
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 26/10/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-C] Deenethorpe 1/1/44; 118m landing accident at base with Jim Nolan 7/5/45; sal 2 SAD Watton, Nfk 8/5/45. HELL’S ANGELS OUT OF CHUTE 13 aka GROSSLY INADEQUATE. ... -
42-97093 I'll Get By
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 28/1/44; Kearney 14/2/44; Presque Is 20/2/44; Assigned 568BS/390BG [BI-S] Framlingham 3/3/44 DOC'S FLYING CIRCUS, then GIRL OF MY DREAMS; on mission 21/7/44 with ? , Lt Sam Dubin (Killed in Action); severe icing during assembly for... -
43-37971
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 14/6/44; Kearney 21/6/44; Grenier 12/7/44; Assigned 545BS/384BG [JD-T] Grafton Underwood 17/7/44. ... -
43-38333 Heavy Date
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 22/7/44; Kearney 31/7/44; Grenier 9/8/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-H] Horham 12/8/44; with C.E. Willis force landed A-82 Rouvres, Fr 20/2/45; 73m, crash landed base with ?, non op 6/5/45; ditched North Sea with Roger Sundin 26/5/45.... -
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)... -
43-38501 SWEET CHARIOT
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 10/8/44; Kearney 21/8/44; Grenier 7/9/44; Assigned 546th Bomb ... -
43-38780
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Lincoln 21 September 1944; Grenier 7 October 1944; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-J] Ridgewell 14 November 1944; Missing in Action 12m Mannheim 11 December 1944 with Pilot Leo Belskis, Co-pilot Glenn C. Vaughn, Navigator James V. Collett,... -
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... -
44-6509
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Lincoln 28/8/44; Grenier 15/9/44; Assigned 748BS/457BG [H] Glatton 30/9/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; Sth Plains 13/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 25/11/45.
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 20 February 2018 09:41:44 | marshaferraro | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Personal list of 30 missions Lloyd C. Kenagy participated in with the 401st Bomb Group 613th Squadron between Aug 1, 1944 and April 11, 1945. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 May 2016 15:54:23 | WWIIUSflyerfan | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Flight Diary of Jack A. Keating, 1st. Lt., Bombardier, 535th Squadron, 381st BG. I certify that I maintain the original diary and all information is a true and correct copy therefrom. Suzanne E. Keating 5/19/2016 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 April 2015 10:41:34 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Mission details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/ |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:08 | 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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