391

4 June 1944
media-33841.jpeg UPL 33841 "Bourges Airdrome was severely damaged 4th June 1944."

Object Number - UPL 33841 - "Bourges Airdrome was severely damaged 4th June 1944."

Official Description

Third mission of the day consists of attacks by 400 Heavy Bombers on 10 targets including Airfields, railway junctions and bridges. No Bombers are lost.

Mission Details

Description: AIRFIELD

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 153.1 T

Description: AIRFIELD

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 150 T

Description: AIRFIELD

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 389th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group,491 Bomb Group, 492nd Bomb Group. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 34th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Group

A formation of B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group enroute to Europe. Printed caption on reverse: '71049 AC- A formation of Consolidated B-24 "Liberators" of the 2nd Bomb Division, roars over Europe en route to the target area. 24 November 1944. US Air Force photo.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation
Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group are attacked by a Nazi Fighter aircraft during a mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-62641 USAF: Nazi fighter plane attacking Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th[sic] Bomb Group, 3rd Bomb Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 28 T

Description: RAILROAD BRIDGE

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 1st Bomb Division was made up of 351st Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 486th Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Group. 457th BG - MISSION NO. 59 - PARIS, FRANCE (MASSEY / PALAISEAU MARSHALLING YARDS) 4 JUNE, 1944 The 457th put an entire Combat Wing into the air, attacking with three 12-ship boxes. The targets were two railroad choke points south of Paris. The targets were purely tactical, part of the plan to disrupt and destroy the German transportation system prior to the invasion. Take off did not occur until late afternoon. Col. Luper led the Wing as Air Commander, with Captain Jerry Godfrey as pilot. Captain Raymond A. Syptak and Major Jacob M. Dickinson lead the other two boxes with Lt. Malcolm E. Johnson and Lt. Edward B. Dozier as pilots. The route to the target took the Group south over the English Channel, crossing the French Coast just north of the British-Canadian beach landing two days hence. All three boxes bombed with excellent results. There was no enemy aircraft opposition and only meager flak, that being in the area of Caen. On the return trip low clouds over the English Channel forced the formation to descend low for the remainder of the mission. The Thames Estuary was crossed andhundreds of invasion craft were observed by the crews. At Glatton, the weather was extremely poor and the aircraft were diverted to other bases. This prevented the Group from flying a mission on June. For his leadership and extraordinary achievements while serving as Air Commander of a combat bombardment wing, Col. Luper was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The citati "For extraordinary achievements while serving as Air Commander of a combat bombardment wing on 4 June 1944, despite the presence of extremely thick overcast, Colonel Luper assembled his Wing. Although a new type of formation was being used for the first time in this theatre, he skillfully assembled his units in their proper positions in the formation. Throughout the entire flight to the target, Colonel Luper maintained the integrity of the formation, thus minimizing vulnerability to attacks from the enemy. A perfect bomb run was made by each of the units in his formation and superior bombing results were achieved. The outstanding success achieved on this mission is directly attributable to the high degree of leadership exhibited by Colonel Luper on this occasion."  

Brigadier-General Frank Alton Armstrong Jr. during a visit to the 305th Bomb Group Official caption on image: "(GPR-83-9305) (18-6-43) (Brig. Gen. Armstrong..."
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group are attacked by a Nazi Fighter aircraft during a mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-62641 USAF: Nazi fighter plane attacking Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th[sic] Bomb Group, 3rd Bomb Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Division
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation
Unofficial emblem of the 457th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 282 T

Description: RAILROAD BRIDGES

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 2.5 T

Description: AIRFIELD

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 216 T

Description: RAILROAD BRIDGE

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 150 T

Description: RAILROAD BRIDGE

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 98 T

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

1 LT Franklin D Abbott, Jr
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 856th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-663450
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36215923 / O-692248
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier, Navigator
  • 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

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Rough House Kate
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 445th Bomb Group 18th Bomb Squadron 391st Bomb Squadron 702nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Diana Queen Of The Chase
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Dynamite John
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Inside Man

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Date
Changes
Sources

USAAF Combat Chronology.

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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