1944-08-09, 12:40h, B24H, 41-29374, 466BG/785BS, 2nd. Lt. E.A.Keyes, Rozenburg (De Beer)

Crash

From statements made by surviving crew members in the MACR (see below) it seem that Lt. Keyes tried to make an emergency landing at the Island of Rozenburg in the Netherlands. He crashed the plane in a part of the Island that was known as "De Beer". This was a desolated part of the Island only occupied by German defense forces. Before the war it was a Bird sanctuary. This place is now known as the "Rijnmond" industrial area.

Lt. Keyes was assisted by his Co-pilot lt. Ormond B.Smith who refused to abandone the aircraft and decided to stay with Keyes. The plane was heavily shot up over the target area by fighters and was running on 1 engine at the time of the landing. The landing obviously did not succeed resulting in the destruction of the plane and the death of both officers.

Mission

The USAAF's Eighth Air Force in England flies 3 missions.

- Mission 533: 824 bombers and 675 fighters, in 3 forces, are dispatched to strategic targets (aircraft and tank factories, airfields and fuel depots) in southeastern Germany; weather deteriorated enroute and many bombers were recalled when confronted with a front rising to 28,000-feet (8,534 m) and most units attacked targets of opportunity; only 25 bombers hit their primary (Sindelfingen); 18 bombers and 3 fighters are lost;

targets were (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of bombers bombing).

(1) Of 359 B-17s, 103 hit Pirmasens; 56 hit Elsenborn, 41 hit Karlsruhe, 30 hit Ulm, 8 hit Spreicher and marshalling yards at Saarbrucken (34) and Luxembourg (29); 11 B-17s are lost. Escort is provided by 243 P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost.

(2) Of 218 B-17s, 16 hit Aachen, 12 hit Eindhoven, 12 hit St Vith marshalling yard and 7 hit targets of opportunity; 3 B-17s are lost. Escort is provided by 162 P-47s and P-51s without loss.

(3) Of 247 B-24s, 147 hit Saarbrucken marshalling yard and 25 hit an aircraft engine plant at Sindelfingen; 4 B-24s are lost. Escort is provided by 165 P-38 Lightnings, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-38 is lost.

• • Mission 535: 3 B-17s fly a Micro H test mission against Aubigny, France airstrip. Escort is provided by 16 P-38s without loss.

  • Mission 536: 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands during the night.

  • 116 P-47s, escorted by 40 P-51s, are dispatched on fighter-bomber missions against communications in France without loss. (Jack McKillop)

Lt.Col. John Murphy (359th FG) on 9 August 1944 (page 187) engaged and shot down a Me 163 (confirmed) while his wingman 1/Lt. Cyril Jones, claimed a second one (which isn't confirmed, but surely damaged).

On 9 August 1944 the US 8th Air Force wanted to attack targets in southern Germany, had, however, to abort the mission due to unexpected bad weather conditions and thus had to look for secondary targets and targets of opportunity. A part of the bombers selected the marshalling yards in Saarbrücken.

Der Angriff (german testemony)

In the morning of Aug. 9th. 1944 more then 800 heavy American bombers with approx. 700 escort fighter were on their way to the area of Stuttgart and Munich. The target were airfields and Industry. But the machines flew right into a bad weather front causing them to loose contact with each other. Therefore most bombers looked for alternative targets to get rid of their load and return to the UK. As a result several planes appeared over Saarbrucke at 11.00hr. were they tried to bomb the Marshalling yard.

At frist a small formation of 34 flying fortresses of 1st BG that returned over Sraßburg dropped their bombs. Then between 10.52hr. and 11.47hr. followed 147 B-24 liberators from 2nd. BG. The airwarning departement called it a very heavy and until then the most severe terror-attack. The damage was huge but only 3 people lost their lives and 1660 lost their homes.

WEDNESDAY, 9 AUGUST 1944

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 533: 824 bombers and 675 fighters are dispatched to strategic targets (aircraft and tank factories, airfields and fuel depots) in SE Germany; weather deteriorated enroute and many bombers were recalled when confronted with a front rising to 28,000-feet (8,534 m) and most units attacked targets of opportunity; only 25 bombers hit their primary (Sindelfingen); 18 bombers and 3 fighters are lost; targets were (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of bombers bombing):

1. Of 359 B-17s, 103 hit Pirmasens; 56 hit Elsenborn, 41 hit Karlsruhe, 30 hit Ulm, 8 hit Spreicher and marshalling yards at Saarbrucken (34) and Luxembourg (29); they claim 1-1-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 11 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 157 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 5 WIA and 96 MIA. Escort is provided by 243 P-47s and P-52s; they claim 33-0-10 aircraft in the air and 24-0-15 on the ground; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA); 2 P-47s and 5 P-51s are damaged beyond repair.

2. Of 218 B-17s, 16 hit Aacen, 12 hit Eindhoven, 12 hit St Vith marshalling yard and 7 hit targets of opportunity; 3 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 94 are damaged; 5 airman are WIA and 18 MIA. Escort is provided by 162 P-47s and P-51s without loss.

3. Of 247 B-24s, 147 hit Saarbrucken marshalling yard and 25 hit an aircraft engine plant at Sindelfingen; 4 B-24s are lost, 2 are damaged beyond repair and 126 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 10 WIA and 39 MIA. Escort is provided by 165 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 6-0-4 aircraft; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA).

Mission 535: 3 of 4 B-17s fly a Micro H test mission against Aubigny, France airstrip. Escort is provided by 16 P-38s without loss. Mission 536: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands during the night.

116 P-47s, escorted by 40 P-51s, are dispatched on fighter-bomber missions against communications in France without loss.

In England, HQ 325th Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance) is activated at High Wycombe; and HQ 25th Bombardment Group (Reconnaissance) and 652d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy, Weather Reconnaissance) with B-24s, the 653d Bombardment Squadron (Light, Weather Reconnaissance) with B-24s and Mosquito XVIs and 654th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy, Reconnaissance, Special) with B-24s, B-26s and Mosquito XVIs are activated at Watton.

466th BG

http://www.466bg.com/

HISTORY:

The group was activated at Alamorgordo, N.M., in September 1943 and received combat training at several locations in the Southwest. In a contest, it was suggested by Gerald Diffenbach that the group be called the Flying Deck,’ with each squadron named alter a different card suit. The 784th, or Red Squadron, was the Clubs: the 785th, or Gold Squadron, was the Diamonds: the 786th, or Blue Squadron, was the Hearts: and the 787th, or White Squadron, the Spades.

Their move to the United Kingdom started in February 1944, and the ground echelon departed New York on the Queen Mary on March 1944. The air echelon with 62 aircraft took the southern route, approximately 10.0(11) statute miles; one crew was lost over the South Atlantic.

After arriving in Scotland, the 466th beaded for Attlebridge and AAF Station #120. All air crews were under the command of the Air Transport Command until they reached Attlebridge.

The group flew its first combat mission on March 22, 1944, for which they received official commendation from Gen. James H. Doolittle for combat achievement to a target in Berlin. It was the longest initial assault ever flown by any unit in the history (if the European Theater and one of the heaviest bombardments on record of the German capital. Due to direct flak hits resulting in a mid-air collision two 786th BS a/c were lost over the target. Of the twenty air crew members. Terry timid the Pirates had five survivors Rebel Gal’ had two. All were POWs — until liberated by General George Patton, April 29, 1945. Fifty-two years later, April 29, 1997. Lou Loevsky (N) and Len Smith (B) of the "Terry" crew and C. Wayne Beigel (CO-P) Rebel Gal" are the only living survivors.

On July 25, 1944, the 466th BG led the entire 8th Air Force to German fortification> around St. Lo to help the Allied ground invasion. The lead pilot, navigator, and bombardier were awarded the Croix de Guerre for their unusual airmanship.

The 466th received a citation from the Headquarters, 2nd Bombardment Division Office of the Commanding General August 12. 1944: "The 466mb BG is cited for distinguished and outstanding performance of dais train March 22 to August 9, 1944. The group attacked 41 targets in Germany and 59 targets in occupied Continental Europe .... During this period the gunners were credited with destroying over 25 enemy aircraft. The devotion to duty, determination and tenacity- exhibited by the ground and combat personnel reflect great credit upon themselves, their group and the U. S. Army Air Force.’

The group flew 231 combat missions with 5,693 sorties, dropping nearly 13,000 tons at bombs. The 466th was one of three groups in the 96th Combat Bomb Wing, which was taken off operations in September 1944 to haut low octane gas to Clastres, Lille, and St. Dizier, France. The total losses for the 466th BG from March 22, 1944 to April 25, 194S, were 333 KIA, 171 POWs, eight evaded and 27 interred. The "Black Cat" was the last ale lost in combat, April 21, 1945.

Another stand-out event took place in February 1945, when the entire 8th Air Force bombed Nuremberg. The flak was intense. A 787th aircraft lost an engine over the target, and the prop was feathered. The plane could not make it back to Attlebridge because of low fuel and headed back alone, landing at an emergency field in Northern France. The plane was ordered to take off after a small amount of refueling. They then flew north at 1,200 feet. Upon reaching the coast, all hell broke loose and cannon shots knocked out the other engine. The prop could not be feathered since all the oil had drained from a hole in the prop hub. It was wind-milling flat. All hydraulics and electricals were lost. The crew prepared for ditching, throwing all loose equipment overboard, and the pilot called Mayday and the radio operator held the key down until the transmitter had to be ditched as well. An RAE crash boat met them halfway across the Channel. The pilot decided to try for Manston but went too low for bailout and crashed on the long runway after the engineer and radio operator had cranked the gear down. After a very long roll, the pilot and co-pilot achieved a miraculous landing. All were safe, This was reported as two emergency landings for one mission.

A third stand-out event took place on March 4, 1945, when England was covered by a thick overcast, and the group was ordered to form over Southern France. While flying through the dense clouds, a B- 17 group flew through the 28-aircraft formation, scattering it. Evasive action was taken to avoid collisions. Despite a call from the leader to abandon the mission, nine aircraft formed a reasonable formation and decided to bomb a target of opportunity. There was uncertainty about whether it was Freiburg, Germany, or Basel. Switzerland. Not all aircraft dropped bombs, but the ones that did were within a 1000-foot circle at 100 percent. The rolling stock in the marshaling yard contained ammunition, something indicated by the tremendous explosions An extensive critique was made of the event cot after the planes returned. Their target was in Switzerland, and the U. S. Government paid $70 million in reparations.

In May 1945, Maj. Gen. William E. Kepner, CG 2nd Air Division, handed user to the City of Norwich a trust of 20,000 pounds sterling that came from all members of the 2nd Air Division. The money was dedicated for the construction and maintenance of a memorial room in the proposed Central Library. The new library was dedicated June 13, 1963.

Constituted as 466th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 19 May 1943. Activated on 1 Aug 1943. Prepared for duty overseas with B-24's. Moved to England, Feb-Mar 1944, and assigned to Eighth AF. Entered combat on 22 Mar 1944 by participating in a daylight raid on Berlin. Operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization, attacking such targets as marshalling yards at Liege, an airfield at St Trond, a repair and assembly plant at Reims, an airdrome at Chartres, factories at Brunswick, oil refineries at Bohlen, aircraft plants at Kempten, mineral works at Hamburg, marshalling yards at Saarbrucken, a synthetic oil plant at Misburg, a fuel depot at Dulmen, and aeroengine works at Eisenach. Other operations included attacking pillboxes along the coast of Normandy on D-Day (6 Jun 1944), and afterward striking interdictory targets behind the beachhead; bombing enemy positions at St Lo during the Allied breakthrough in Jul 1944; hauling oil and gasoline to Allied forces advancing across France in Sep; hitting German communications and transportation during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945; and bombing the airfield at Nordhorn in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine on 24 Mar 1945. Flew last combat mission on 25 Apr 1945, striking a transformer station at Traunstein. Returned to the US in Jul. Redesignated 466th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in Aug 1945. Trained with B-29's. Inactivated on 17 Oct 1945.

Squadrons:

784th: 1943-1945.

785th: 1943-1945.

786th: 1943-1945.

787th: 1943-1945.

Stations:

Alamogordo AAFld, NM, 1 Aug 1943

Kearns, Utah, 31 Aug 1943

Alamogordo AAFld, NM, 24 Nov 1943

Topeka AAFld, Kan, 5-13 Feb 1944

Attlebridge, England, 7 Mar 1944-6 Jul 1945

Sioux Falls AAFld, SD, 15 Jul 1945

Pueblo AAB, Colo, 25 Jul 1945

Davis-Monthan Field, Ariz, 15 Aug-17 Oct 1945.

Commanders:

Maj Beverly E Steadman, 23 Aug 1943

Maj Walter A Smith Jr, 29 Aug 1943

Col Walter G Bryte Jr, 2 Sep 1943

Col Arthur Pierce, 17 Dec 1943

Col Luther J Fairbanks, 1 Aug 1944

Col William H Cleveland, 1 Nov 1944-1945.

Campaigns:

Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.

Group Web Site:

http://www.web-birds.com/8th/466/466th.html

8th AAF Groups Message Board:

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