892
17 March 1945Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
ALTENBURG
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 457th BG MISSION NO. 211 : ALTENBURG, GERMANY : 17 MARCH, 1945 The primary target was Moblis, the Thermal Electric Plant the aiming poitft. The plant supplied power to industries at Leipzig and Chemnitz, the target of opportunity. The Group comprised the 94th B Combat Wing with Major Maguire as Air Commander. Group formation and Wing assembly were without incident. The Group was on time, on course, and in second position in Division formation. Division assembly line was flown as briefed. Route to the IP in trail of the Division leader was flown approximately as briefed. Deviations were necessaiy in order to remain in Division formation. As the Group approached the IP, the PFF equipment on the lead aircraft became inoperative and it was necessary to turn the lead over to the deputy. The Group went to the briefed altitude plus 800 feet, in order to avoid clouds and contrails. Cloud coverage in the target area varied from eight to ten tenths. Bombing was done in Group formation by means of PFF equipment. Some difficulty was encountered when an unidentified group crossed in front of the formation on the bomb run. The run was made on the target of opportunity, Altenburg. Bombs were dropped from 27,700 feet. Strike photos of bomb results only showed clouds. Eleven aircraft landed in France and the remainder returned to base. Flak was light and none of the planes sustained damage.
BITTEFELD
Description: OIL REFINERY
BOHLEN
Description: OIL REFINERY
COTTBUS
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
ERFURT
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
FULDA
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
HANNOVER/HANOMAG
Description: TANK FACTORY
HERFORD
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
JENA/ZEISS
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
MOLBIS
Description: OIL REFINERY
MUNSTER
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
PLAUEN/VOMAG
Description: MUNITIONS FACTORY
RUHLAND
Description: OIL REFINERY
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: 447th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 02-068357
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-2009038
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 325th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-771619
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron 755th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-433086
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Dark Angel
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th 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
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Mary Alice
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Shark Tooth
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th 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'.