8th Air Force 284
29 March 1944Description
This mission is composed of two separate elements. The first element is a combined force of 238 B-17s of 1st Air Division: 91BG; 92BG; 303BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG; 379BG; 381BG; 384BG; 401BG and 457BG are despatched to bomb the industrial areas of Brunswick, Unterluss and Stedorf, Germany. 193 are effective on Brunswick, Germany; 20 are effective on Unterluss, Germany; 18 are effective on Stedorf, Germany and 2 others bomb Targets of Opportunity (TOs). 305BG/422BS also drops 4,060,000 leaflets. 9 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 27KIA 63POW. 1 aircraft with battle damage is Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in a crash landing upon return - 10RTD. 66 aircraft are damaged. 2 airmen in returning aircraft are KIA and 5 others are WIA. The bomber gunners claim 8-3-6 of attacking German aircraft. There are no other losses, casualties or claims.
The second element is composed of a combined force of 77 B-24s from: 93BG; 446BG and 448BG despatched to bomb the V-Weapon site at Watten, France. Only 30 aircraft are effective on the target due to PFF failures. No aircraft are lost but 2 are Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in a mid-air collision during assembly over Halesworth, UK - 16KIA 3BO/RTD. 6 aircraft are damaged. 2 airmen in returning aircraft are KIA and 1 other is WIA. There no other losses, casualties or claims.
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It has not been determined which Groups from the 1st Bomb Division attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 4.08
- Aircraft sent: 2
- Aircraft effective: 2
Brunswick, Germany
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Groups participating are all of 1st Bomb Division. Bombers also dropped 4,060,000 leaflets. 457th BG MISSION NO. 22 - WAGGUM, GERMANY 29 MARCH 1944 Eighteen aircraft were dispatched to attack the fighter and bomber Aircraft Assembly Factory of the Muhlenbau Industries at Waggum four miles north of Brunswick. The factory produced Me-109s. Major George C. Hozier was Air Commander and Lt. Bender was pilot. The Group comprised the low box of the 94th Combat Wing. Due to heavy clouds, bombing was done by PFF on the secondary target, Brunswick. Bombing results were not observed. Heavy enemy fighter attacks were made on the formation. Flak was moderate but accurate. Battle damage was heavy. Lt. Lewis W. Lennartson, who had successfully ditched Mission No. 13, already lagging behind the formation, was attacked by two Me-109s. With one engine on fire and one feathered, the crew was forced to bail out over Germany. Lt. Lennarton stayed with the plane, keeping it level in order that the crew could bail out. The craft exploded before he could bail out. The ball turret gunner, Sgt. Omer Fontaine, was also killed in action. Three of the crew were injured. Enemy fighter attacks on the first two Wings had been heavy, forty to fifty strong. The attack on the 457th was made by ten fighters. Near Dummer Lake, an enemy operated B-17 was observed flying between the 457th and the wing ahead. Bad weather gave the Group a respite for the remainder of the month. The Group had experienced what would be one of its busiest months of operation, eighteen missions over a twenty eight day period.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 393.72
- People killed in action: 29
- People wounded in action: 5
- Prisoners of war: 63
- People returned to duty: 10
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 8
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 3
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 6
- Aircraft sent: 196
- Aircraft effective: 193
- Aircraft missing in action: 9
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 66
Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It has not been determined which Groups from 1st Bomb Division attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 36.72
- Aircraft sent: 18
- Aircraft effective: 18
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It has not been determined which Groups from 1st Bomb Division attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 40.80
- Aircraft sent: 20
- Aircraft effective: 20
Watten, France
Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: Pathfinder (PFF) failures frustrate the attack.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 115.00
- People killed in action: 16
- People returned to duty: 3
- Aircraft sent: 77
- Aircraft effective: 30
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 2
- Aircraft damaged: 6
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: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20321945
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 39565010
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12185222
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Airplane Armorer / Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 2nd Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 20th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15096513 at enlistment, then O-797215
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32578092
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little America II
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Mrs Geezil
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Red's Rogues
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wampus cat
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 10-Mar-2016. Added 2nd Air Division element to Mission Narrative based on the "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 10-Mar-2016. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft based on the "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 10-Mar-2016. Added Mission Narrative based on the "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Mission detail added courtesy of Diane Reese - http://www.457thbombgroup.org/Narratives/MA22.HTML
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'.