DOCUMENT 53706

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401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 212, 22 Feb 1945, Ludwigslust, Germany. Briefing took place at 0445 hours, and all operational aircraft were off by 0905 hours. As there were no aborts, the three spares returned early, and the remainder of the Group had landed by 1629 hours. Taking advantage of good weather and failing German defenses, the 8th Air Force went in at an altitude of between 10,000 and 11,000 feet, rather than the usual 25,000 feet, in a major attack on German road and rail communications facilities known as Operation Clarion. The three squadrons provided by the 401st made up the 94th Combat Wing "A" Group. All three squadron bombardiers hit their MPI's, recording an excellent result in each case. No flak or enemy fighters were encountered.

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Units

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Dynamite John
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: D-Day Dottie
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Factory fresh B-17s
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Baby Lu, Grin N Bear It
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ice Cold Katy
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Betty J.
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

Locations

Mission

  • Date: 22 February 1945
  • Official Description:

Revisions

Date:
Contributoracbernstein1
ChangesCreated entry with caption, unit associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations