736
4 December 1944
Elmo Maiden Crew
466th BG - 786th BS
Standing Left to Right: Bernard M. Atkins (TG), Vernon R. Hayden (WG), William R. Hoopes (B), Gustave J. Roussel (E), Guerino G. Petti (N), Herbert Rosenkoff (CP), William A. Thomason (TT), Elmo Maiden (P), Kenneth W. Chester (NG), Joseph R. Zebrowski (R/O)
B-24J-5-DT #42-51532 Code: U8-W
Photo taken on 27 December 1944 after crash landing at an airfield in Belgium.
Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom
Object Number - UPL 6521 - Crew #664 Elmo Maiden Crew 466th BG - 786th BS Standing Left to Right: Bernard M. Atkins (TG), Vernon R. Hayden (WG), William R. Hoopes (B),...
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Bebra
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Notes: A mix of 290 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data.
FRIEDBURG
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
FULDA
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
GIESSEN
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
KASSEL
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: A mix of 375 P-47s and P-51s provide escort. Mix not given in available data. 457th BG MISSION NO 155 : KASSEL, GERMANY : 4 DECEMBER 1944 The winter weather had become a reality-cold, damp, foggy days with only afew hours of daylight. Coke for heating was rationed, with little available to heat the crew huts. Base personnel, using American ingenuity, resorted to various and sundry means to secure an extra fuel supply, whether it be a raid on the coke storage house, cutting limbs (or entire trees) from the King 's Forest, or burning cardboard or used engine oil. The dismal weather created'a gloomy atmosphere and there was little doubt among the crewmen that the war would extend into 1945. ft was 4 December before a mission could get airborne. When it became apparent that it was impossible to catch the formation, the Group Leader called for fighters to escort the Group to the target. The course was flown approximately as briefed, but the formation lost about seven minutes from the first Control Point to the last turn before the IP, because winds were not as briefed. The 457th succeeded in joining the Division formation between the second and third group, a few minutes before the IP was reached. The IP was crossed on course, and as cloud coverage was ten tenths, it became necessary to make a PFF run on the target. Bombing was done in Group formation with the lead craft performing the sighting operation. Meager, inaccurate flak caused no interference on the bomb run, and bombs were dropped at 25,000 feet. Although photos showed the ground to be obscured by clouds, analysis of the position of the aircraft after bombs away with relationship to the ground as seen through a hole in the undercast, shows that built up areas were definitely hit. All crews returned safely. Although takeoff had been in early morning, the bombers barely returned before the early afternoon darkness.
KOBLENZ
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
MAINZ
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
RHINE RIVER
Description: BARGES
SOEST
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37308723
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 445th Bomb Group 701st Bomb Squadron 703rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33507972 / O-2064220
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 383599659
- Highest Rank: Technician Fourth Grade
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 3rd Bomb Division 45th Combat Bomb Wing 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-825585
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12151230
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Dark Angel
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Cover Girl
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Betty J.
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Old Ironsides
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ol Scrapiron
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 711th Bomb Squadron
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'.