9 October 1943
Reconnaissance view of the important plant soon after the raid, reveals that it has been entirely devastated. Assembly shops, hangars, and more than a score of smaller structures have been destroyed. Photo from 42-30353 "Ten Knights in a Bar Room" (95th BG). NARA Ref 342-FH-3A21959-C25581AC
B-24 Liberator #42-40610 "Satan's Sister", 409th BS, 93rd BG, 8th AF, 33 Missions Completed, Capt. William M. Bryan Jr
Place where 42-3436 crashed on October 14, 1943 - 13.45 h local time. Tail part in The Netherlands Nose part in Germany Missing - nose - Donald Paul Breeden/co-pilot Probably interred with Martin and/or Manley Source: George Kuhl - Wrong Place! Wrong Time! - page 149 KIA - nose - William James Martin/navigator - Harvey Arlie Manley/bombardier KIA - tail - Leonard Roy Henlin/left waist gunner - Robert G Wells /right waist gunner All others POW Krems /17b - Hosea Crawford - Dominic Lepore - Arthur Linrud - Benjamin Roberts Sagan/3 - Dennis McDarby
Not yet known
This mission is composed of 6 elements. The first element is a combined force of 115 B-17s from: 303BG (20); 379BG (20); 384BG (21); 351BG (21); 91BG 16; and 381BG (16) dispatched to bomb the industrial areas of Anklam, Germany. 106 aircraft are effective on the target. 18 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 89KIA 92POW; 1 aircraft returns but is Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) 10RTD. 51 aircraft are damaged. 25 airmen in returning aircraft are Wounded in Action (WIA). The bomber gunners claim 65-19-47 of attacking German aircraft (probably exaggerated). The 351BG is awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for their actions on this mission (claimed 26-2-16 of enemy aircraft).
The second element is a combined force of 100 B-17s from 385BG (22); 94BG (18); 390BG (21); 100BG (16) and 95BG (23) dispatched to bomb the industrial areas of Marienburg, Germany. 96 aircraft are effective on the target. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 10KIA 10POW 1EVD. 13 aircraft are damaged. 3 airmen in returning aircraft are Wounded in Action (WIA). The bomber gunners claim 9-2-0 of attacking German fighters.
The third element is a small formation of 29 B-24s from 93BG (17); and 389BG (12) dispatched to bomb the U-Boat pens at Danzig, Germany. 23 aircraft are effective on the target.2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 2KIA 19INTin Sweden; 1 aircraft returns and is declared to be Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) 10RTD. 8 aircraft are damaged. 1 airmen is a returning aircraft is Wounded in Action (WIA). The bomber gunners of this element claim 2-0-0 of attacking German aircraft.
The fourth element is a small formation of 22 B-24s from 44BG (8) and 392BG (14) dispatched to bomb the port area of Gydnia, Poland. This is the first combat mission for 44th BG since returning from temporary duty in North Africa. 18 aircraft are effective on the target.11 aircraft are damaged. The bomber gunners calim 5-3-4 of attacking German aircraft.
The fifth element is a combined force of 52 B-17s from: 96BG (18) and 388BG (24) dispatched to bomb the port area of Gydnia, Poland. 51 are effective on the target. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 16KIA 15POW 10INT (in Sweden). 6 airmen in returning aircraft are Wounded in Action (WIA). The bomber gunners in this element claim 30-4-6 of attacking German aircraft.
The sixth element is a combined formation of 112 B-17s from 305BG (18); 92BG (21); and 306BG (21) dispatched to bomb the port area of Gydnia, Poland. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 6KIA 14POW. 2 aircraft return Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) 20RTD. The bomber gunners of this element claim 11-4 of attacking German aircraft.
INDUSTRIAL AREA
B-17 Flying Fortress
351st Bomb Group is awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (2 of 2) for its actions on this raid.
Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Group
The 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit...
Group
The 381st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Ridgewell, Essex between June 1943 and April 1945. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing shipyards at Bremen, whilst under heavy attack, on 8 October 1943 and...
Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
| Tonnage dropped | 185.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 115 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 106 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 18 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 51 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 88 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 25 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 93 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 10 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 65 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 19 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 47 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-24 Liberator
Not yet known
Group
The 389th Bomb Group, known in more familiar terms as "the Sky Scorpions", flew strategic bombing missions in B-24 Liberators from Hethel, England. They also sent detachments to join bases in North Africa at Benghazi No. 10, Libya, between 3 July 1943...
Group
93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1-March-1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15-May-1942 the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida to continue advanced flight training and also to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; they...
| Tonnage dropped | 50.25 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 29 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 23 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 8 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 2 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 1 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 29 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 2 |
PORT AREA
B-17 Flying Fortress
This element is a formation of 1st Bomb Division Bomb Groups (92BG, 305BG, and 306BG) bombing the port area of Gdynia, Poland
Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...
Group
Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...
Group
The 92nd Group's 327th Bomb Squadron was the only Eighth Air Force squadron to fly YB-40s in combat. YB-40s were B-17s modified to fly as a heavily armed escort for other bombers. They were flown on missions between May and June 1943. Between May 1943...
| Tonnage dropped | 147.23 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 60 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 58 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 62 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 6 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 14 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 20 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 11 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 1 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 4 |
PORT AREA
B-17 Flying Fortress
Not yet known
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
Group
The 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945.
...
| Tonnage dropped | 127.27 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 52 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 51 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 4 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 37 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 15 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 6 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 15 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 10 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 30 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 3 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 6 |
PORT AREA
B-24 Liberator
First combat mission for 44th Bomb Group since returning from North Africa.
Group
The 392nd Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators out of Wendling, Norfolk from August 1943 until April 1945. They were the first Group to be given B-24H Liberators, the first B-24 model that was fitted with a nose turret on the production line, an adaptation...
Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
| Tonnage dropped | 36.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 22 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 18 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 11 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 5 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 3 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 4 |
INDUSTRIAL AREA
B-17 Flying Fortress
This element reports excellent bombing results.
Group
"The Bloody Hundredth", so-called because of a reputation for losing a high number aircraft and crews, flew B-17s from Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk. Their losses were not the highest of any Eighth Air Force Group but on several occasions the Group lost many...
Group
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...
Group
The 390th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Framlingham, Suffolk, between July 1943 and the end of the war in Europe. The Group was engaged in strategic missions until the invasion of Europe when its role became more of a tactical one. This...
Group
Activated 15-Jun-1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. Initial organisation and training at Pendleton Field, Oregon on 29-Jun-1942; Primary flight training at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona from 28-Aug-42 to 31-Oct-42 than at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas from...
Group
The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on 17 August...
| Tonnage dropped | 217.90 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 100 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 96 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 13 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 10 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 3 |
| Number of people Evaded | 1 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 10 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 2 |
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
Tail gunner, Loftin crew. 381st BG, 534th BS. Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29958 'Battlin' Bombsprayer'. Mission #37 to the Arado Aircraft components at Anklam, Germany. MACR 886. Killed in Action (KIA). Buried in the Ardennes AMC.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
BTG, Hendricks crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS. Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-30012. Mission #37 to the Focke-Wulf plant at Anklam, Germany. MACR 887. The aircraft left formation with #1 engine smoking and was attacked by fighters, knocking out #2 and ...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 381st Bomb Group
Navigator, Loftin crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29958 'Battlin' Bombsprayer'. Mission #37 to the Arado Aircraft components at Anklam, Germany. MACR 886. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III and Stalag XIIID.
...
Military | Captain | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 385th Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-30336 'Miss Nonalee II.' Aided by the Danish Underground, escaped to Sweden.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 #4230831 'Lazy Baby. ' A/C landed in Switzerland, however, Lt. Bolin was ordered by the pilot to bail out and did so after getting the top turret gunner out of the A/C. He was captured by German soldiers but not before...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
BTG, Yorba crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29803 'Flat Foot Floogie'. Mission #39 to the Kugel-Fisher ball bearing works at Schweinfurt, Germany. MACR 1037. S/Sgt Boylan had reported his ball turret had been hit...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Donald Paul Breeden served as pilot with the 364th Bomb Squadron of the 305th Bomb Group. His B-17 #423436 was shot down 14 October 1943 over the Netherlands and Breeden was declared Missing in Action (MIA).
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Shot down 22 December 1943 in B-17 #4237773 'Full House. ' Plane crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA).
The plane was ditched in the Ijsselmeer, The Netherlands.
AM w/ 2 Oak Leaf Cluster / Purple Heart
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 385th Bomb Group
Born and raised in Kaufman County, Texas, Jim Burch studied for 2 years at the Terrell High School and began working as a salesman in a retail grocery in Terrell, Texas. Enlisting in April 1942, he followed Pilot training courses and was promoted to...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 31/12/42; Salina 7/1/43; Morrison 2/12/43; Homestead 14/2/43; Assigned 423BS/306BG [RD-D] Thurleigh 2/3/43; transferred 358BS/303BG [VK-K] Molesworth 30/7/43; 25m Missing in Action Oschersleben 26/1/44 with Jack Watson (RTD-alone),...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 7/2/43; 94BG Pueblo 18/2/43; Salina 25/2/43; Gulfport 18/3/43; Brookley 28/3/43; Presque Is 10/4/43; Assigned 331BS/94BG [QE-Q] Bassingbourn 17/4/43; Earls Colne 12/5/43; mid-air collision with 42-29733 15 miles from Lowestoft with...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 11/2/43; Rapid City 22/2/43 - original group ship with 95th BG; Kearney 12/3/43; Assigned 412BS/95BG [QW-R] RAF Alconbury; force landed Alconbury after sustaining NBD with Don Eastling 19/5/43; transferred to 337BS/96BG [AW-G]...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 18/2/43; Salina 10/3/43; Smoky Hill 15/4/43; Dow Fd 18/4/43; Assigned 338BS/96BG Grafton Underwood 25/4/43 GREEN FURY; transferred 322BS/91BG [LG-M] Bassingbourn 24/8/43; Missing in Action Anklam 9/10/43. Head-on attack by a Fw190 just...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 17/3/43; Pueblo 8/4/43; Smoky Hill 7/5/43; Dow Fd 21/5/43; Assigned 534BS/381BG [GD-J] Ridgewell 24/5/43 with Alan Tucker, Earl Muchway, Dave Harris, Dick Rylands, Chas Raglin, Bill Savage, Jim Klingenberger, John Willdredge, Grover...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 1/4/43; 2nd AF / 381st BG / 534th BS Smoky Hill 7/5/43 (Squadron original aircraft); Dow Fd 23/5/43; Assigned 8th AF / 1st BW / 103rd CBW (P) / 381st BG / 534th BS [GD-K] Ridgewell 4/6/43 with Bob Fricks, Martin Downey, Ray Lyons,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 2/4/43; Sioux City 13/4/43; Kearney 4/5/43; Bangor 20/5/43; Assigned to the 547BS/384BG [S0-G] Grafton Underwood 24/5/43, then the 546BS [BK-G]; Missing in Action Leverkusen 1/12/43 with Maj Maurice Stanley Dillingham, Co-pilot:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 24/4/43; Sioux City 8/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 14/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 15/6/43.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 14/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 16/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 17/6/43; transferred Aphrodite project, Missing in Action V-sites, Watten 6/8/44 with Lt Joeseph P Andrecheck & T/Sgt Raymond Healy (2...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Gore 9/5/43; Sioux City 10/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 15/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 1/6/43; crashed on take off for Bremen after encountering mechanical problems 13/11/43 with Bob Simons, Co-pilot: Alvin...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2018 18:23:24 | william henry | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Correct typos |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 January 2016 19:56:15 | Mags | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd BG Web Page |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 July 2015 22:18:42 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 July 2015 21:45:57 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to statistics of Anklam per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 July 2015 21:44:52 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to statistics of to Danzig element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 July 2015 21:43:48 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to statistics of Marienburg element attacking Gydnia per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 July 2015 21:42:23 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to statictis of 2BD (44BG & 329BG) element attacking Gydnia per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 July 2015 20:56:57 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to statistics of 3BD (96BG, 388BG) attack on Gydnia per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 July 2015 20:54:31 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims and enemy aircraft to 1BD (92BG,305BG,306BG) statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 May 2015 09:37:33 | jdossetter | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 20 April 2015 20:37:23 | simaguire | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:16 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| 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'. |
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