1st Air Division
Division
In December 1944, the 1st Bomb Division was redesginated the 1st Air Division.
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809
28 January 1945
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Pilot's recollection
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Pilot's recollection. ...."the crew received the news that we carried an unexploded shell without enthusiasm."
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Crew with pieces of an 88mm shell which did not detonate. 351st BG 509th Squadron Cologne January 22, 1945.
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Mission 809 Cologne
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Page 276 of the 401st 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). 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.
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8th Air Corp., 390th Bomb Group, 571 Squadron - 1943-45 "Cabin In The Sky" crew: Leonard B. Welton Jr. (pilot), Lt. Meyer Rothchild (B), Lt. Walter H. Weinberg (CP), Lt. James C. Smith, Sgt. Robert A. Kelly, T. Sgt. Denzel D. Martin (Engineer/Top Turrent Gunner) back row right end, Sgt. John W. Cox, Sgt. Blair L. Weamer, Sgt. Stanley F. Ostrowski.
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. BIELEFELD
Description
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
3. COLOGNE/GREMBERG
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes
457th BG MISSION NO. 179 : COLOGNE, GERMANY : 28 JANUARY, 1945
There had been reports of considerable movement of German troops from the Western Front to the Eastern Front (the German Ardennes Offensive had been crushed). The targets were the vast marshalling yards at Cologne, where massive troop movements could be coordinated.
The 457th comprised the 94th A Combat Wing, with Major Doherty as Air Commander. Combat Wing assembly was accomplished. A wind change interrupted the time schedule and made a deviation in course necessary, placing the Group about seven miles left of course.
Proper position in the Division formation along the Division assembly line was attained.
The route from the end of the Division assembly line to the IP was flown approximately as briefed. Slight deviations in course were caused by the necessity of remaining in Division formation. Just before the IP, the Group swung wide to the right because the flux-gate compass was not functioning normally and some difficulty was experienced with the PFF equipment. However, corrections were made and the Group crossed the IF on course. Cloud coverage was ten tenths and bombing was done by means of G-H equipment in Group formation. The bombs were released from 25,000 feet.
After the bombs were dropped, the plane piloted by Lt. William P. Boyes left the formation near Coblenz, with one engine feathered, but apparently under control. It later crashed near Coblenz. Two crewmen lost their lives, one evaded and six were captured and became prisoners of war.
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. COLOGNE/HOHENZOLLERN
Description
RAIL BRIDGE
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
5. DUIESBERG/RHEINHAUSEN
Description
RAIL BRIDGE
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
6. DUISEBERG
Description
HIGHWAY BRIDGE
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
7. DUISEBURG/HOENBUNDBERG
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
8. FRIEMERSHEIM
Description
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
9. GNEISENAU
Description
OIL REFINERY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
10. GUTERSLOH
Description
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
11. KAISERSTUHL
Description
OIL REFINERY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
12. LIPPSTADT
Description
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
13. NEHEIM
Description
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
Service
People
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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 ... -
Keith Bryant
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator/Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
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Orman Coffin
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 390th Bomb Group
Crew Number 22 -
Luis Coppola
Military | Captain | Pilot on B-17 | 379th Bomb Group
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Arl Cross
Military | Sergeant (Technician Fourth Grade) | Waist Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
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Raymond Detweiler
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Flight Engineer | 95th Bomb Group
Assigned to 336BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Holzwickede 23-Mar-45. Mid air collision with B-17 44-8754, crashed Campsea Ashe, Suffolk. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 16126 Awards: AM (3OLC), PH, GC. -
William Dunwoody
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
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Paul Facteau
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 95th Bomb Group
Assigned to 336BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. 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). MACR 16126 Awards: PH. -
Harry Freivogel
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator. B24. 2nd Air Division, 448th Bomb Group, 714 Bomb Squadron, 29 complete missions | 446th Bomb Group
After marriage in 1941, Harry enlisted for the draft, and in his own words " being patriotic or probably knowing the regular draft would get me sooner or later and I would be drafted into the regular Army, I decided I would enlist in the Army Air Corps... -
Lewis Funk
Military | Master Sergeant | Photographic Chief | 34th Bomb Group
Lew was born in Wattenberg, Colorado, on Jan 30, 1921, to John and Alta Funk. An Eagle Scout who served in the National Guard at Fort Logan, he attended photo school for the Army at Lowry Air Force base. He achieved the rank of Master Sergeant as the...
Aircraft
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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... -
42-97141 'Mary Jane II'
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 30/1/44; Gr Island 15/2/44; Grenier 1/3/44; Assigned 325BS/92BG [NV-A] Podington 22/3/44; battle damaged Soest with Lt Culver 28/1/45, lost 2 engines, force landed continent, T/Sgt Howard B Hovis (WIA) 9 x RTD, 1 x WIA; Salvaged 9/3... -
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)... -
43-38776 Passion Wagon/Victory Devils
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Lincoln 20/9/44; Grenier 11/10/44; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-B] Horham 13/10/44; 67m, Returned to the USA Bradley 26/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 28/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman 29... -
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... -
44-8604 Section Eight
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Lincoln 31/10/44; Grenier 15/12/44; Dow Fd 15/12/44; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-X] Horham 17/12/44;with Bill Dunwoody force landed B-53 Merville Afd, Bel. 19/3/45; battle damaged Holzwickede 23/3/45 with Bill Dunwoody, Co-pilot: M. Burrows,...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 05 June 2017 20:17:39 | jancheta | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
JA Update |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 April 2015 11:16:39 | 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 18:43:09 | 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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