359

20 May 1944
media-24438.jpeg UPL 24438 Crew members of Bomb' N Belle :
Back, left to right : Joseph Keenan; Robert Sasse, Edward Frost and Raymond McCarthy.
Front, left to right : Eugene Szulczewski, Paul Dickerson, Richard Kindig (not Kindic !) and Andrew Marcin (not Marsin !) Hutchinson & Cortright

Corrected 2 names in the crew photo
MACR 4938

Object Number - UPL 24438 - Crew members of Bomb' N Belle : Back, left to right : Joseph Keenan; Robert Sasse, Edward Frost and Raymond McCarthy. Front, left to right : Eugene...

Mission Details

LEIGE (Primary) (RC)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Notes: Mission aborted due to heavy could cover.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 0.00

ORLY (Primary)

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, 384th Bomb Group, 398th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 249 T HE

RHEIMS (Primary)

Description: AIRFIELD AND MARSHALLING YARD

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 389th Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 333.1 T HE

Vélizy, Villacoublay Air Base, France

Description: AIR DEPOT

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 457th BG MISSION NO. 47 - VILLACOUBLAY, FRANCE 20 MAY, 1944 The Eighth Air Force's focus of attention for this mission centered upon French airfields. The targets for the 457th were the aircraft works and airfield at Villacoublay, situated five miles southwest of Paris. The main function of the unit was the repair and maintenance of aircraft, primarily for FW-190s. Major Theodore C. Hoffman led the Group with Lt. Malcolm E. Johnson as pilot. Twelve aircraft were dispatched. Bombing results were good, with the airfield, hangars and other buildings all being successfully hit by the bombs. No enemy fighter opposition was encountered. Flak was moderate but accurate, causing battle damage to eleven aircraft.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 192 T HE

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: AO 748 823 / 6862108
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot/co-pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 709th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13025756
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 486th Bomb Group 835th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37113111
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 571st Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Kentucky Kernel
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortresses nicknamed "London Avenger", nicknamed "Bermondsley Battler", nicknamed "Rotherhithe's Revenge" and nicknamed "Bermondsley" of the 379th Bomb Group, 15 February 1944. Passed for publication 16 Feb 1944. Censor no: 305411. Handwritten caption on reverse: '16/2/44.' Printed caption on reverse: ' CHRISTENS U.S. FORTRESS BOMBER. Feb. 16th, 1944. As an appreciation of £800,000 raised during Bermondsey's Wings for Victory Week., the people of Bermondsey christened a U.S. Fortress bomber "
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Eleanor Maureen : Bermondsey
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 34th Bomb Group 487th Bomb Group 836th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Lead Banana
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Marty
  • Unit: 447th Bomb Group 709th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-37882) of the 95th Bomb Group landing at Colorado in October 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17G-15-DL Denver, Colorada, October 1943.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hard Time : A-Good-Bett : Blues in the Reich
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

Mission details added courtesy of Diane Elizabeth Reese from 457th Bomb Group Mission Documents. http://www.457thbombgroup.org/

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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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