August
1944
August saw the
last of the original lead crew members go home. Some crewmen who had
been shot down and evaded capture were able to return to England, thanks
to the Allied liberation of northern France. Non-combat personnel were
granted 7 day passes. "Tar Heel Baby" ended a streak of 63
consecutive missions without an abort when it was forced to turn back.
"Ronnie" ended a similar streak at 79. The group's motto,
"Voler, Venger, Vaincre" (Fly, Avenge, Vanquish) was decided
by a competition won by S/Sgt Gustave Harcourt, a French native. At
the end of the month, the group began their "grocery run",
delivering food to the beleaguered people of France.
Click on a date
for details
|
Date
|
Target
|
| Aug
1st |
Orleans/Bricy/Melun,
France |
| Aug
2nd |
Peronne,
France |
| Aug
3rd |
Douai,
France |
| Aug
4th |
Rostock |
| Aug
5th |
Fallersleben |
| Aug
6th |
Kiel |
| Aug
7th |
Brussels/Perrone,
France |
| Aug
8th |
Bretigny/Laon-Athies,
France |
| Aug
10th |
Joigny/Laroche,
France |
| Aug
11th |
Coulommiers,
France |
| Aug
12th |
Laon/Couvron
A/F, France |
| Aug
13th |
Brionne
Area, France |
| Aug
14th |
Dijon/Longvic,
France |
| Aug
15th |
Plantlunne,
France |
| Aug
16th |
Magdeburg |
| Aug
24th |
Brunswick |
| Aug
25th |
Rostock |
| Aug
26th |
Ludwigshaven |
| Aug
27th |
Berlin |
Clicking Photos
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here for all photos for August 1944.
August
1: Orleans/Bricy/Melun, France
Several airfields and oil tanks were bombed with fair to good results.
August
2: Peronne, France
3 squadrons attacked a railroad, a bridge, and an airfield. "Tar
Heel Baby" aborted, ending it's streak of 63 consecutive completed
missions.
August
3: Douai, France
335 500 pounders were dropped on an oil refinery with good results.
Flames and thick black smoke were observed.
August
4: Rostock
An aero engine plant was hit with very good results. "Dry Run"
(41-29137) was hit by flak and crashed, killing 3 crewmen, with 7 more
taken prisoner. Photo
August
5: Fallersleben
An aero engine plant was hit with very good results. "Carolyn Sue"
(42-95190) was hit by flak and crashed. 2 crewmen were killed and 9
were taken prisoner. Photo
August
6: Kiel
Oil storage dumps and a jet engine factory were hit by 4 squadrons with
good results. Captain Donald Martin was awarded a cluster to his DFC
for leading his squadron to the target through smoke, after having been
hit by flak.
August
7: Brussels/Perrone
23 planes in 2 squadrons hit the marshalling yards at Brussels, while
6 planes flew with the 93rd to the rail bridges at Perrone.
August
8: Bretigny/Laon-Athies, France
2 airfields were attacked with good results.
August
10: Joigny/Laroche, France
A railroad bridge was hit and, by accident, another was hit as well.
Stray bombs also landed on the marshalling yards and barges.
August
11: Coulommiers, France
28 planes bombed the airfield, including it's dispersal area, runways,
and taxi trucks. Results were very good. There was no opposition.
August
12: Laon/Couvron airfields, France
Very good results were achieved on these 2 airfields.
August
13: Brionne area, France
A variety of targets were hit by the 446th, flying as part of a massive
1,264 plane mission supporting ground troops. Results were fair to good.
August
14: Dijon/Longvic airfield, France
33 planes bombed the airfield with excellent results.
August
15: Plantlunne airfield, France
21 planes hit the airfield, with 10 more bombing Hopsten airfield. Results
were fair to good.
August
16: Magdeburg
32 planes hit the massive refinery through a smoke screen; flames were
seen rising above the smoke.
August
24: Brunswick
39 planes bombed the Waggum airfield with good results. The first leaflet
bombs were dropped on this mission. "Pistol Packin' Bomma II"
(42-51278) received a direct flak hit shortly after dropping; 9 crewmen
were killed and 2 were taken prisoner. "Classy Chassy" (42-95198)
had some kind of serious malfunction. When the pilot yelled "crash",
2 crewmen bailed out immediately. The pilot was able to regain control
of the plane, however, and return to base. The 2 crewmen were taken
prisoner. Photo
August
25: Rostock
36 planes hit the Heinkel aero engine plant, amid accurate flak. Ronnie
ended it's streak of 79 straight successful missions by aborting. "Happy
Go Lucky" (42-52772) crashed into the North Sea, killing all 10
aboard. It is assumed it sufferred engine failure. Another plane (42-51086)
also crashed, killing 4, with 7 others taken prisoner. Photos
August
26: Ludwigshaven
The chemical plant was hit in spite of intense, accurate flak. 3 planes
were lost on this mission to a chemical and lubricating oil plant. An
unnamed plane (42-50318) was hit by flak and crashed, killing 6, with
2 others taken prisoner and 2 evading capture. "Ginger" (41-29177)
was also hit by flak, killing 5 with 5 more taken prisoner. Another
unnamed plane (42-95626) received a direct flak hit and crashed, killing
3, with 5 others taken prisoner and 2 evading capture. Photos
August
27: Berlin
The mission was
recalled.
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