8th Air Force 298

11 April 1944

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Description: INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

BERNBURG (Primary)

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

COTTBUS (Primary)

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

EISLEBEN (Opportunistic)

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

HALBERSTADT (Secondary)

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

OSCHERSLEBEN (Primary)

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 445th Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 453rd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th 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

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 494T HE 173.5 T IB

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

ROSTOCK (Opportunistic)

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Notes: The German aircraft industry is the strategic objective of this 3-fold mission as weel as the destruction of the Luftwaffe in the air. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 388th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group.

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: 453.5T HE 180.4T IB

Sorau, Germany (Zary, Poland)

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Notes: One of the heaviest single-day losses of WWII. However, it is a truly bad day for the Luftwaffe. In addition to the 73-24-23 score of the bombers, the escorts claim 61-5-25 in the air and 65-0-67 on the ground. The bombers also drop 2,400,000 leaflets. Of the group that was despatched to Stettin, 1st Lt. Edward S. Michael, (pilot) of a B-17 assigned to the 364thBS/305thBomb Group was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions. This was the 10th CMOH awarded to a member of the 8th Air Force. 457th BG MISSION NO. 25 - SORAU, GERMANY 11 APRIL, 1944 The target was the eastern complex of the FW-190 aircraft factories located at an airdrome near Sorau. Overall, a thousand heavy bombers and eight hundred escort fighters were involved in the operations of the day. Remembering the occurrences of 9 April, the Group expected a tough mission. The mission was flown at an altitude of sixteen thousand feet. The 457th supplied twenty-four aircraft to compose all the high and part of the lead box of the 94th A Combat Wing. Major Rod Francis was Air Commander of the high box with pilot Lt. Edward M. Bender. On the way to the target, heavy flak was encountered in the Hannover area. Two planes, piloted by Lt. Marsden W. Mattatal and Lt. Adrian W. Seabock, were knocked out of formation and returned to England badly damaged. However, five of Lt. Seabock's crew, including the navigator, parachuted and became prisoners of war. The lead aircraft was hit, had to salvo the bombs, but stayed with the formation. As they emerged from the flak, Me-109s were waiting, but escort fighters and gunners kept them away. The primary target was covered with clouds; so the formation headed north for the Politz Oil Refinery, the secondary target, where clouds and other wings prevented bombing. Targets of opportunity were bombed; and the aircraft took the Baltic Sea, Denmark, North Sea route back to Glatton, completing a ten hour mission. Thirteen craft sustained minor, and eight major, damage.

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
Unofficial emblem of the 457th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 399.1T HE 345.7TIB

STETTIN (Opportunistic)

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Notes: 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st Bomb Group, 92nd Bomb Group, 303rd Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group, 306th Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group, 379th Bomb Group, 381st Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group, 401st Bomb Group, 457th Bomb Group.

Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group 551st Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 6962724
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-735233
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator; Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31037975 / O-681515
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Blonde Bomber
  • Unit: 467th Bomb Group 790th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Wild Irish Rose
  • Unit: 467th Bomb Group 790th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Pretty Baby
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Doodle Bug
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorTennyBelle
Changes
Sources

8th AF Database

Date
Changes
Sources

Relocated incorrect pin location.

Date
Changes
Sources

Mission detail added courtesy of Diane Reese - http://www.457thbombgroup.org/Narratives/ma25.html

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'.