872
8 March 1945Description
Mission 872: 1,353 bombers and 326 fighters are dispatched to hit benzol plants, an oil plant and rail targets in Germany using PFF; NO AIRCRAFT ARE LOST AND THERE ARE NO CASUALTIES!
1. 360 B-24s are sent to hit marshalling yards at Betzdorf (70), Siegen (114) and Dillenburg (73); targets of opportunity are Limburg (10) and Frankfurt (10); bombing is by H2X radar; 3 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 99 of 102 P-51s.
2. 526 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Robert Muser (99) and Bruchstrasse (63) benzol plants at Langendreer, the Gneisenau benzol plant at Dortmund (110) and Heddernheim chemical factory at Frankfurt (122); secondary targets are the marshalling yards at Giessen (69) and Frankfurt (18); 13 others hit Wetzlar, a target of opportunity; bombing is with H2X radar; 26 B-17s are damaged. The escort is 95 of 99 P-51s.
3. 458 B-17s are sent to hit the Emil benzol plant at Essen (114), the Mathies Stinnes benzol plant at Bottrop (37), the August Viktoria benzol plant at Huls (111) and the synthetic oil plant at Buer Scholren (75); 109 hit the marshalling yard at Essen, a target of opportunity; bombing is by Micro-H; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair. 93 of 98 P-51s escort.
4. 9 B-17s fly a screening mission.
5. 27 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
Source: Eighth Air Force Operation History - http://www.8thafhs.com/get_one_mission.php?mission_id=1884
Mission Details
BETZDORF
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
BOTTROP/MATHIES STINNES
Description: BENZOL PLANT
BUER SCHOLERN
Description: OIL REFINERY
DILLENBURG
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
DORTMUND/GNEISENAU
Description: BENZOL PLANT
ESSEN/EMIL
Description: BENZOL PLANT
ESSEN/EMIL
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
FRANKFURT
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
FRANKFURT
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
FRANKFURT/HEDDERNHEIM
Description: CHEMICAL PLANT
GIESSEN
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Description: BENZOL PLANT
Description: BENZOL PLANT
Description: BENZOL PLANT
LIMBURG
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
SIEGEN
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
WEXLAR
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
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: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39616828
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-828170
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-928692
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-2015293
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32931560
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Madame queen
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Swamp Angel
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lady Vivian
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Satan's Chillen
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner
Source: History of the 447th Bomb Group by Doyle Shields; p. 288
John G. Huck, nephew of Edward Blattner
Source: History of the 447th Bomb Group by Doyle Shields; p. 288
Source: Eighth Air Force Operation History - http://www.8thafhs.com/get_one_mission.php?mission_id=1884
Official Website of 385th Bomb Group Association Database-Missions
Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise, who flew as pilot on this mission with Jack Q. Means as co-pilot.
Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise, B-17 (43--38736) pilot 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group, flew on this mission from Great Ashfield, England to Dortmund, 8 Mar 1945.
Virginia Wise, eldest child of Lester Allen Wise, B-17 (43-38736), 8th Air Force, 385th Bomb Group flew on this mission from Great Ashfield, England to Dortmund, 8 Mar 1945.
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'.