3rd Bomb Division
Division
The 3rd Bomb Division was Constituted in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 3rd Air Division.
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353
12 May 1944
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The Harold Tucker Crew pictured in front of "Our Baby" in Dalhart, Texas, 1944. Kneeling, from left : Pilot Harold H. Tucker; Copilot Robert A. Greenwood; Navigator Samuel R. Detwiler Jr; Bombardier Walter Slemensky. Standing, from left : Engineer/Gunner Lawrence L. Witt; Radio Operator James A. Davis Jr; Ball Turret Gunner Willis D. Boatright; Top Turret Gunner Lloyd D. Stoller; Tail Gunner Jennings C. Greuter. [ Not pictured : Waist Gunner Lavern R. Maisak ] - Picture courtesy of Laura Edge, daughter of Engineer Lawrence Witt.
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'Columns of black smoke billow up from the oil refinery at Brux, Czechoslovakia after bombs from planes of the 95th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, have struck their target on 12 May 1944'. NARA Ref 342-FH-3A26606-116646AC. Taken by 42-31675 "Berlin Bessie " (95th BG 412th BS QW-W) lost over Ludwigshafen on 27 sept 44.
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Part of the "Lady Stardust II" crew. From left to right: F/O Harold Eastman Jr (Co-Pilot); SSgt Merl D. Orcutt (Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner); SSgt Sam N. Fain (Ball Turret Gunner); 2nd Lt Milan Marecek (Pilot); 2nd Lt Cornelius A. Kohlman (Bombardier). This photo was taken on 11 May 1944. The next day SSgt Orcutt was KIA over Brux, Czechosolvakia.
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12 MAY 1944 Mission Report as reported by George F Weller for Mission 353 389th Bomb Group/564 Bomb Squadron
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Page 190 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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Crew of Bottled in Bond (#42-102584) 94th Bomb Grp, 332nd Bomb Sqd. Kneeling, left to right: Tom Williams, pilot, Edwin (Eddie) Waite, co-pilot, Joe Davis, navigator, Lewis Ranck, bombardier Standing, left to right: Kenneth McLean, engineer, Wayne Waters, waist gunner, Herb Schocket, radio operator, Casimir Skomski waist gunner, JW (Smitty) Smith, tail gunner, Jerry Pasquale, ball turret gunner. Aircraft lost 05-12-1944 on mission to Brux oil refineries. all members of crew survived and were taken as POWs Obtained this photo in 2007 after speaking with surviving crew member Edwin Waite, co-pilot on Bottled In Bond on the mission over to Brux, on the day the plane was downed
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Waist gunner S/Sgt. Casmir Skomski (center) during his training days in Alabama before deployment to England
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2nd Lt. Arnold Freed, navigator on B17 (42-107-198) with the Barry crew, 388thBG, 562BS, 1944. Flew 33 missions. Survived Poltava. Crew: Robert A. Barry (pilot), K.L. Crider (copilot), A. Freed (navigator), W.H. Menger (bombardier), G.K. Hoyt (radio op), W.A. Toles (engineer), RL Barger (ball turret), H.W. Cooper (right waist), H.G. Hampton (left waist), S. Paul (tail gunner).
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8th Air Force mission 353; May 12, 1944; Zwickau, Germany. 447th Bomb Group strike photo
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
| Tonnage dropped | 23.9 T HE |
2.
Description
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 4.6 T HE |
3. BOHLEN (Primary)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 220 T HE |
4. BRUX (Primary)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
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. 3rd Bomb Division came under heavy German fighter attack, 96th Bomb Group lost 12 B-17s and 452nd Bomb Group lost 14 B-17s on theis mission
Units
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 309 T HE |
5. BULLSTADT (Opportunistic)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 1.8 T HE |
6. CHEMNITZ (Opportunistic)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 26.2 T HE |
7. GERA (Opportunistic)
Description
MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 25.2 T HE |
8. HEDRONGEN (Opportunistic)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 3.7 T HE |
9. HOF (Opportunistic)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 28.5 T HE |
10. LUTZKENDORF (Primary)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes
457th BG - MISSION NO. 44 - LUTZKENDORF, GERMANY
12 MAY, 1944
The long awaited blitz on the German synthetic oil refineries occasioned the largest air raid the Eighth Air Force had yet undertaken. The 45 7th furnished the lead and low boxes for the 94th B Combat Wing for the assault on Lutzkendorf, producer of 30,000 tons of petrol and diesel oil annually. The target was six miles west of Merseburg. Major Fred A. Spencer flew as Air Commander of the B lead box with Lt. Jerry Godfrey flying as pilot. Captain Jacob M. Dickinson led the B low box, with Lt. Clarence E. Schuchmann as pilot.
The weather was CAVU, but ground haze and smoke Obscured visibility. Bombing results were fair. No enemy fighter opposition was encountered, and flak was moderate but accurate. Eleven craft sustained damage.
On the return trip to the base, a German operated B-17 joined the formation near Coblenz and continued with the formation to Brussels. Also, the craft piloted by Lt. John Akers encountered engine trouble. His plane began to lag behind the formation and was last seen near Eisenach on the trip back to England. With only one engine providing power and flying at 1,500 feet altitude, the crew bailed out over Belgium and all were taken as POWs. Because of the seriousness of his injuries, Lt. Akers was later involved in a prisoner of war exchange through the International Red Cross and returned to the States. He was hospitalized until May 1946, when he was discharged.
Although the 457th's crews saw no enemy fighters, wings of the 3rd Division met severe attacks, causing the loss of thirty- two bombers. It was reported the Luftwaffe pilots resorted to ramming the B.-17s. Total losses for the Eighth amounted to forty-two craft.
The mission was the first of many to be directed against the synthetic oil refineries.
Meanwhile, on the Base, a lack of military courtesy by members of the command was noted. As a consequence, classes were conducted for all personnel reported for having failed to salute. The course consisted of two one-hour lectures on military customs and courtesies.
The crew of Lt John Akers was lost on this date
Units
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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. -
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
| Tonnage dropped | 168.5 T HE |
11. MERSEBERG (Primary)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
This is the first 8th Air Force attack on oil production targets. Luftwaffe opposition is heavy. However, the missions are escorted by 735 fighters (see VIII Fighter Command FO 337) and they claim 61 enemy aircraft destroyed and 11 damaged. Albert Speer, appointed by Hitler to coordinate all wartime armament production, will later write in his memoirs that this was the date when Germany lost the war. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 3521st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.
Units
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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.
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 430.4 T HE |
12. MERSEBERG (Secondary)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 29 T HE |
13. OSTEND (Opportunistic)
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 2.5 T HE |
14. ZEITZ (Primary)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
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, 492nd Bomb Group.
Units
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2nd Bomb Division
Division
The groups under the command of the 2nd Bomb Wing came under the command of the 2nd Bomb Division in August 1943. In December 1944, the Division was redesginated the 2nd Air Division.
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 256.4 T HE |
15. ZWICKAU (Primary)
Description
OIL REFINERIES
Aircraft type
Not yet known
Notes
Not yet known
Mission Statistics
| Tonnage dropped | 158 T HE |
Service
People
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John Akers
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot - B-17 Flying Fortress | 457th Bomb Group
John Akers Jr grew up in Greenville, TX on a cotton farm. Graduated High School May 1939. His days consisted of working the cotton farm with 2 mules and picking the cotton. After seeing the events of Pearl Harbor during his time in the civilian... -
Placido Andrade
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 452nd Bomb Group
Placido was one of 5 sons of Placido and Diluvina Andrade, a 5-Blue Star Family from Los Angeles, CA. Placido and his brothers, Albert-USA, Leonard-USA, Alfred-USA, and Danny-USN, all served during World War II. Placido was an original crew member of ... -
Milford Andrews
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
Shot down 12 May 1944 in B-17 #4297167. Killed in Action (KIA). Purple Heart -
Robert Atkins
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 452nd Bomb Group
Robert Atkins was Radio Operator on B-17 #42-39941 'Lucky Lady', shot down over Southern Belgium on 12 May 1944. Evaded. AM/ ETO w/ 3 battle stars -
Richard Autry
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 390th Bomb Group
Crew Number 51 -
Robert Baldi
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Tail Gunner | 390th Bomb Group
Crew Number 51 -
Willis Boatwright
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 96th Bomb Group
Willis Boatright was a Ball Turret Gunner in the 96th Bomb Group / 339th Bomb Squadron. Shot down 12 May 1944 in B-17 #42-107123. Prisoner of War (POW). -
Vernon Bohn
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 390th Bomb Group
Crew Number 7 -
George Bouchek
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 452nd Bomb Group
Shot down 12 May 1944 in B-17 #42-31345 'Lady Stardust II'. Plane ditched in Channel. Returned to base. ... -
Bernard Brooks
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
He flew with Pilot Lt. Ray Cambell on 'Ray's Hell' The plane crashed in England but the crew escaped. DFC, purple heart, etc
Aircraft
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42-102584 Bottled in Bond
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 16/3/44; Gr Island 1/4/44; Grenier 7/4/44; Assigned 332BS/94BG [XM- ] Rougham 8/4/44; Missing in Action Brux 12/5/44 with Tom Williams, Co-pilot: Edwin Waite, Navigator: Joe Davis, Bombardier: Lew Ranck, Flight engineer/top turret... -
42-107017
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 27/1/44; Kearney 1/2/44; Presque Is 5/3/44; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall 6/3/44; Missing in Action Liege 25/5/44 with Bill Warren, Bombardier: Jerome Fontaine (2 Killed in Action); Navigator: Gene McClellan, Flight engineer/top... -
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... -
42-107123
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 2 March 1944; Kansas City 7 March 1944; Grenier 21 April 1944. Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 25 April 1944 (no operations). Transferred 339BS/96BG [BX- ] Horham 28 April 1944. Missing in Action Brux, Czechoslovakia, 12 May 1944 with Pilot... -
42-107189 7th Son
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 18/3/44; Kearney 29/3/44; Dow Fd 6/4/44; Assigned 339BS/96BG [QJ-M] Snetterton 11/4/44; Missing in Action Brux 12/5/44 with Bob Simons, Co-pilot: Horace Duncan, Navigator: Garnett Nelson, Bombardier: Jack Russell, Flight engineer/top... -
42-30595 'Gremlin Gus II' "Olin's 69'ers"
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/6/43; Smoky Hill 13/7/43; Kearney 16/7/43; Dow Fd 19/7/43; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall 20/7/43; (34m) transferred Aphrodite project as OLIN'S 69'ERS; when War Weary, fuselage cut down and vehicle windshield fitted before open... -
42-31410 Berlin Bessie, I Dood It
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 31/10/43; Kearney 13/11/43; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-G] Horham 1/1/44; flak damage Berlin 6/10/44 with Lester Lennox, Co-pilot: Bob McCoy (2 Returned to Duty); Navigator: Bill Tate, Bombardier: Dick White, Flight engineer/top turret... -
42-31607 Rose Olive
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 27/11/43; Wendover 12/10/43; Presque Is 19/1/44; Assigned 748BS/457BG [B] Glatton 23/2/44; Missing in Action Merseburg 12/5/44 with John Akers, Co-pilot: Chas Scott, Navigator: Lloyd Dell, Bombardier: Leo Kruszinski, Flight engineer... -
42-31741 Thunderbolt/Hi Fever
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 12/12/43; Kearney 30/12/43; RAF Nutts Corner 14/1/44; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 17/1/44; Missing in Action Liege 25/5/44 with Capt Jim Zengerle, Co-pilot: Albt Millin, Navigator: Walt Travis, Bombardier: Capt Wayne Barnett,... -
42-31892 I'll Be Around
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 31/12/43; Kearney 12/1/44; Assigned 570BS/390BG [DI-H] Framlingham 19/2/44; aircraft suffered oxygen fire while on assembly for Boulogne mission 4/6/44 with Leroy Holmberg, Co-pilot: George Benton, Navigator: Ellis McClintick,...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 02 June 2016 15:13:22 | ED-BB | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Changed key image |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 May 2015 13:32:00 | 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 18:43:06 | 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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