380
30 May 1944Timothy Motz, from Pictorial History of the 447th Bombardment Group (H) https://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/41056
Description
Mission #3. Same target as before. A piece of flak broke the pilots windshield. No-one hurt.
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 12.5 T
BRUSSELS/SCHAERBECK (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 115 T
DESSAU (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Notes: This element concentrates on the German aircraft industry. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 303rd 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: 190 T
DIEPHOLZ (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 103.2 T
HALBERSTADT (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 145 T
MUNSTER/HANDORF (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Notes: 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 34th Bomb Group, 388 Bomb Group, 489th Bomb Group. The 489th Bomb Group files its first mission and sustains its first loss.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 132.8 T
Description: AIRFIELD
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 3 T
OLDENBURG (Primary)
Description: AVIATION DEPOT
Notes: This element concentrates on the German aircraft industry. 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 392 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.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 379 T
OSCHERSLEBEN (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 457th BG - MISSION NO. 55 - OSCHERSLEBEN, GERMANY 30 MAY, 1944 For this mission the 457th had to penetrate deep into Germany for the fourth successive day. The target was the FW 190 aircraft assembly plant. The entire Eighth Air Force sent aircraft to similar type facilities to emphasize the determined effort to eliminate fighter plane production in Germany. The Group provided eighteen ships for the high box of the 94th Combat Wing, fifth in the Division formation. Major William F. Smith was Air Commander, and Captain Clarence E. Schuchmann was pilot. Because of the concentration of bombers in the area, the 94th Combat Wing was forced to attempt a bomb run on a different heading. This change of plan, together with a faulty gyro, created problems causing a 360 degree turn to be made. Bomb results were poor for the lead box. While the Wing was rallying, about thirty Me-109s attacked the lead and low boxes and shot down two craft from other groups. Only one pass was made by the enemy fighters on ' the high box. Flak encountered was moderate and inaccurate, and there Was an absence of flak over the target area.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 118 T
PAS-DE-CALAIS
Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 320 T
RHEIMS (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
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, 486th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of split into three elements: Reims/Troyes; Brussels; Pas de Calais
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 181.5 T
ROTENBURG (Primary)
Description: AVIATION DEPOT
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 428 T
TROYES (Primary)
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 179.5 T
Description: AVIATION DEPOT
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 192.8 T
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-813458
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-802697
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-749187
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12170026
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Swiss Miss
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: El's Belles
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Kenny
- Unit: 544th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Challenger
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Odd Ball : Double In Brass
- Unit: 571st Bomb Squadron 390th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron 95th Bomb Group
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'.