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11 November 1943
Not yet known
This mission is composed of two element. The first element is a combined force of 167 B-17s of 3rd Bomb Division including: 94BG (21); 95BG (20); 96BG (42-double force); 100BG (20); 385BG (23) and 390BG (21) dispatched to bomb the railroad marshaling yards at Munster, Germany. This formation also included 1 PFF equipped B-17 from 482BG, but the equipment failed the dispatch from 95BG, 96BG, 100BG, and 388BG turned back at the enemy coast. 58 aircraft press on and are effective on the target. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 20KIA 19POW 1EVD. 27 aircraft return damaged and included 4 airmen Wounded in Action (WIA). The bomber gunners of this element claim 10-0-2 of attacking German aircraft.
The second element is a combined formation of 175 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division including: 91BG (18); 92BG (20); 303BG (20); 305BG (19); 306BG (21); 351BG (18); 379BG (21); 381BG (17); and 384BG (21). Also 4 PFF equipped B-17s from 482BG were dispatched with the formations. Weather was so bad that the mission was abandoned. There are no losses or claims, but 1 aircraft is damaged.
MARSHALLING YARDS
B-17 Flying Fortress
Bad weather frustrates assembly. 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group and 388th Bomb Group turn back before reaching the enemy coast because of failure of the Pathfinder (PFF) aircraft. 4 of 5 B-17s equipped with PFF from 482nd Bomb Group aborted due to weather-caused assembly difficulties. 96th Bomb Group flies two formations. The second formation of 21 aircraft turned back after a fire in the lead B-17 caused the pilot to drift off course and lose altitude. When he did that the rest of the formation followed. One B-17 dropped 40 X 100 IBs on CLEVE as a Target of Opportunity.
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 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 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 June 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. Initial organization and training at Pendleton Field, Oregon on 29 June 1942. Primary flight training at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona from 28 Aug. 42 to 31 Oct. 42; then at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas...
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...
Group
The 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945.
...
| Tonnage dropped | 122.10 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 172 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 59 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 4 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 27 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 20 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 4 |
| Number of people Evaded | 1 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 19 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 10 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 2 |
INDUSTRIAL AREA
B-17 Flying Fortress
Entire mission aborted.
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 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 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer...
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 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by...
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...
Group
The 92nd Group sometime after arrivial in the UK converted to the role of in-theater combat crew indocrination and training. For this role, the Group traded its B-17F complement and obtained the B-17E, mostly from the 97th BG which was departing for...
| Tonnage dropped | 0.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 175 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 1 |
Military | Captain | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Colonel
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Photographer/Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) 5 December 1943
AM/ PH
Listed as "photographer" on the crew list on the mission he was KIA. Davis appears to have flown his previous missions as a waist gunner.
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Right Waist Gunner/Flight Engineer - Top Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #4231084. Killed in Action (KIA).
AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster
Flew his first 3 missions (plus 3 aborts) as a waist gunner. Flew the remainder of his tour as Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 560BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. 16-Sep-43 mission to La Pallice. FR, in B-17 42-5904 'Gremlin Gus'. On return, crashed in Devonshire after scraping a hill top.
Awards: AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #4231084. Killed in Action (KIA). Earlier 10/14/43 on takeoff for Schweinfurt in B17#42-30193 'Hard Luck', no. 3 engine caught fire during take off with 10 bombs aboard. Lt. Swith retracted landing gear to avoid trees...
Military | Captain | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Flew 2 tours with the 388th BG. total of 45 missions.
Air Medal w 6/Oak Leaf Cluster; DFC
Military | Captain | Pilot | 94th Bomb Group
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
24 AUG 1943 after takeoff from N. Africa, shuttlerun to Regensburg, A/C B-17 #42-30230 'Homesick Angel' ran out of gas and crashed in cornfield in Suffolk.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 24/4/43; Gore Fd 27/4/43; Cheyenne 2/5/43; Sioux City 13/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 16/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 23/6/43 as CHARLENE; 15m transferred RCM 803BS Sculthorpe 19/1/44; Oulton 16/5/44; 36BS Cheddington...
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...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/6/43; Smoky Hill 13/7/43; Kearney 16/7/43; Dow Fd 19/7/43; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall 20/7/43; (34m) transferred Aphrodite project as OLIN'S 69'ERS; when War Weary, fuselage cut down and vehicle windshield fitted before open...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 28/7/43; Gore 6/8/43; Pendleton 12/8/43; Reno 14/8/43; Pierre 16/8/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 3/9/43; crashed on take off for France 13/8/44 with Leon Sutton, Co-pilot: Harlan Thompson, Navigator: George Healy, Bombardier:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 16/9/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 9/10/43; Missing in Action Bremen 20/12/43 with Ken Eccleston, Co-pilot: Pete Schou, Navigator: John Dorsett, Bombardier: Tom Tollin, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Joe Molinari, Radio...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 5/5/43; Dow Fd 13/7/43; Assigned 570BS/390BG [DI-K] Framlingham 14/7/43.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 30/5/43; Kearney 10/6/43; Dow Fd 7/7/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 11/7/43; Returned to the USA 30/3/44. Salvaged 4/1/46. MR YANK II.
B-17 Flying Fortress
42-30112 Delivered Cheyenne 12/4/43; Gore 21/4/43; Smoky Hill 25/4/43; Walla Walla 30/4/43; Smoky Hill 10/5/43; Dow Fd 29/5/43; Ass 410BS/94BG [GL-Z] Rougham 13/6/43; MIA Merignac 5/1/44 w/Allan Powell, cp-Tom Hudson, ro-Wesley Geist, btg-Goble Miracle...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2018 18:10:44 | william henry | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Correct typo |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 July 2015 19:15:33 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 9-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to Munster element statistics per "The Mighty Eight War Diary", Roger A. Freeman |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 July 2015 18:48:13 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 9-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| 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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