21 January 1944
401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 16, 21 Jan 1944, Pas De Calais. 23 operational aircraft were off by 1230. All planes returned safely by 1554 hours. This short mission was to the French rocket coast. It was a successful mission, with no enemy opposition.
Not yet known
This mission is directed at 36 V-Weapon sites (34 in the Pas-de-Calaise area and 2 in the Chrebourg area of France) 24 of these are bombed successfully. All three Bomb Divisions participate in the attacks and the bomber gunners claimed 5-1-2 of attacking aircraft (statisitics included with 2BD element). 10 aircraft (B-17s) from 1BD, 9 aircraft (B-24s) from 2BD and 5 aircraft (B-17s) from 3BD attacked targets of opportunity which included 2 further V-Weapon sites and 3 airfields. Some of the B-24s of 2BD stayed in the target area too long and a a result their fighter escort was forced to abandon them because of low fuel. 1 target required 10 runs before it was succesfully attacked. 4 airmen aboard a B-24 from 448BG, the lead aircraft, baled out over the English Channel thinking the aircraft was on fire and these were lost in the sea. The despatch was as follows:
1st Bomb Division: A combined force of 306 B-17s were despatched from: 91BG; 92BG; 303BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG; 379BG; 381BG; 384BG and 401BG. Those from 401BG were forced to abort the mission due to weather. 156 aircraft were successful on a target. There were no aircraft losses in this element but 74 aircraft were damaged primarily by AA-fire. 8 airmen in returing aircraft were WIA.
2nd Bomb Division: A combined force of 198 B-24s were despatched from: 44BG; 93BG; 389BG; 392BG; 445BG, 446BG and 448BG. Weather and difficulty to locating sites frustrated bombing attempts with only 77 of this element successfully bombing a target. These groups tarried too long over the target area and their fighter escort was forced to abandon them. As a result 5 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 32KIA 10POW 11EVD. In addition 4 airmen were KIA when they baled out over the English Channel. 2 other airment in retuning aircraft were KIA along with 18WIA. 2 battle damaged aircraft made crash landings upon return 2KIA 17RTD, 3 airment in one of these aircraft baled out over France and were captured - 3POW.
3rd Bomb Division: A combined force of 291 B-17s were despatched from: 94BG; 95BG; 96BG; 100BG; 385BG; 388BG; 390BG and 447BG. 161 of these aircraft were effective on a target. 1 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 4KIA 6POW. 1 aircraft with battle damage made a crash landing near Detling, UK and was considered Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) - 10RTD. 29 other aircraft in this element were damaged and 7 airment in returning aircraft were wounded.
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
B-17 Flying Fortress
10 aircraft from 1st Bomb Division and 5 aircraft from 3rd Bomb Division bomb targets of opportunity two V-Weapons sites and 3 airfields
| Tonnage dropped | 43.44 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 15 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 15 |
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
B-24 Liberator
9 B-24s bomb targets of opportunity two V-Weapons sites and 3 airfields
| Tonnage dropped | 26.06 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 9 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 9 |
V-1 MISSILE SITES
B-24 Liberator
Four crewmen of the lead B-24 from 44th Bomb Group bailed out when a smoke marker ignited in the bay thinking that the aircraft was on fire. These 4 were lost in the English Channel. Two BD B-24s stayed too long in the target area and the escorting P-38s ran low on fuel and had to terminate their escort. This gave opportunity to the German fighters which downed 5 B-24s. All 2nd Bomb Division casualties bundled. Bomber gunner claims for all aircraft that participated in the operation are stated here.
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
The 392nd Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators out of Wendling, Norfolk from August 1943 until April 1945. They were the first Group allocated B-24H Liberators, the first B-24 series fitted with a nose turret on the production line. The adaptation increased...
Group
The 445th Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators from Tibenham, Norfolk. The crews' first mission was bombing U-boat installations at Kiel on 13 December 1943. The Group continued to hit strategic targets in Germany, including the aircraft components factory...
Group
The 446th Bomb Group, who came to be known as "the Bungay Buckaroos" after the name of their Suffolk base, flew B-24 Liberators on strategic, support and interdictory missions over Europe. The Group led the Eighth Air Force and 2nd Bomb Division on the...
Group
The 448th Bombardment Group was organized on 6 April 1943 and activated on 1 May 1943 at Gowen Field, near Boise, Idaho. The initial training of the air crews took place in Florida. The entire group was assembled Wendover Field, Utah. Both air and...
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...
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 | 196.23 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 198 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 68 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 5 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 41 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 39 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 16 |
| Number of people Evaded | 11 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 14 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 17 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 5 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 1 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 2 |
V-1 MISSILE SITES
B-17 Flying Fortress
Aircraft are all part of 3rd Bomb Division.
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...
| Tonnage dropped | 451.78 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 291 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 156 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 6 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 4 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 10 |
V-1 MISSILE SITES
B-17 Flying Fortress
34 V-Weapon sites are targeted. 401st Bomb Group aborted the mission because of weather. Aircraft are all part of 1sr Bomb Division.
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 401st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, from November 1943 to June 1945. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of France planned for the following...
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 | 422.82 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 306 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 146 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 74 |
Military | Captain | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined Sqd 3-Aug-42. ETO/Flight Echelon 2-Oct-42. WIA 6-Dec-42 (Abbeyville). DS/Tunis 16-Sep-43. Trans/Group HQ.
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 95th Bomb Group
Damaged by fighter attacks on the return from a mission to Klein Machow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-31299 'Junior' maintained formation until finally crashing NW of Beilen, Holland after the crew baled out. Prisoner of War (POW).
POW
Military | Staff Sergeant | Togglier, Waist Gunner | 401st Bomb Group
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Don Currie crew. 38 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (1 x Battle Star).
Military | Major | Command Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Assigned to 67BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF.
...
Military | Captain | Pilot / Operations Officer | 446th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
BTG, Mickow crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down by fighters on mission #61 to Frankfurt, Germany on 29 Jan 1944 in B-17G #42-37884. MACR 2241. Killed in Action (KIA).
Groves, TX
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined 67th Bomber Squadron 5 October 1943. Shot down by fighters after bombs away on mission to V-1 sites at Escalles-sur-Buchy on 21 January 1944 in B-24H #42-7635 'Ram It-Dam'It. Evaded (EVD). Stayed with French Underground until 23 April 1944....
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Assigned to 67BS, 44BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Agathe d' Aliermont V1 site mission in B-24J 42-99970 'Liberty Belle' 21-Jan-44; Hit by flak in legs. Wounded in Action (WIA) RTD. MACR 8174.
Awards: PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
RWG, Mohnacky crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down by fighters on mission #61 to the industrial areas of Frankfurt, Germany on 29 Jan 1944 in B-17G #42-38045. MACR 2242. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft IV.
...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 95th Bomb Group
Assigned to 412BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. 25 x combat mission. Loren Seger crew. ETD
Awards: AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).
B-24 Liberator
The B-24D, named, Victory Ship, 41-23813, was assigned to the 8th Air force, the 44th Bomb Group, and the 68th Bomb Squadron in Britain. It took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the mission to destroy the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, on 1 August...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/1/43; Salina 9/2/43; Brookley 3/3/43; Morrison 9/3/43; Assigned Harris Prov. Gp, en route from Marrakech to St Eval, Cornwall, UK 7/4/43 force landed Lytchett Minster, near Poole, Dorset, low on gas with Talmadge Wilson, Co-pilot:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-G] Presque Is 27/11/42; Molesworth 13/12/42; Returned to the USA 2/7/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Arledge 22/11/44. IZA VAILABLE.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 11/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 12/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG [ -T] Knettishall 14/6/43; Missing in Action Bordeaux 27/3/44 with Julius Lederman, Co-pilot: Waite Law, Bombardier: John Luzell (3 Prisoner of War)...
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 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 14/9/43; Gr Island 28/9/43; Assigned 351BS/100BG [EP-D] Thorpe Abbotts 28/9/43; while on training mission on 29/12/43 with Lucius Lacy, Instr pilot-Capt Jack Swartout, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Hugh Smallwood, pass-Lt George...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 15/9/43; Scott 20/10/43; Assigned 615BS/401BG [IY-K] Deenethorpe 11/11/43; Missing in Action Kassel 28/9/44 with Ed Aves, Co-pilot: Clayton Crunk, Navigator: Ralph Mezydlo, Bombardier: John MacDougall, Flight engineer/top turret...
B-17 Flying Fortress
This was the only original aircraft of the 401st BG to return to the USA after the war. The aircraft was named after Lt. Bryan Shotts' Wife "Betty Jean Shotts".
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 17/9/43; Gt Falls 28/9/43; Assigned 612BS/401BG [SC-K] Deenethorpe 26/10/43; Missing in Action Politz 7/10/44 with Tom Hill, Wilbur Schmedel, Theo Block, Junius Chadwick, Jim Mullins, Vic Shewbert, Ed Hellenbeck, Buddy Keith, Omer...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 10 January 2016 22:51:45 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 10-Jan-2016. Added Bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to the statistics of 2nd BD per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 10 January 2016 22:48:01 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to name and description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 10-Jan-2016. Added Mission Narrative per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 29 May 2015 10:19:17 | jdossetter | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
updated location |
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| 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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