22 November 1942
11 HBs attack Lorient-Keroma 17 U-boat base.
The U-Boat pens at Lorient, France are the Primary (P) target of this mission. A combined force of 68 B-17s despatched from 91BG (18), 303BG (18) 305BG (23) and 306BG (9) against the target but a 10/10 could cover prevents all but 11 from 303BG from bombing. The force is also joined by 8 B-24s from 93BG, but they also are prevented from bombing by cloud cover. This is the first bombing mission for 305BG even though they returned to Grafton Underwood with their bomb loads.
U-BOAT PENS
B-17 Flying Fortress
Cloud cover prevents 91st Bomb Group, 305th Bomb Group and 306th Bomb Group from bombing. There is no fighter escort for this mission.
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 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 | 22.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 68 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 11 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-24 Liberator
Cloud cover prevents bombing.
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...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 8 |
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1942 in B-17 41-24566 'Zombie', 303BG/359BS while serving as Radio Operator on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 15593. Participated in 4 Operations (1 was aborted)....
Military | Staff Sergeant | Engineer | 303rd Bomb Group
1 May-42 Assigned as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24612 [GN-R] "The Devil Himself" at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 26-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK on "The Devil Himself".
...
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
1-May-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner to 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, with the rank of Sergeant. 303BG personnel record does not indicate that he was assigned to any particular crew at that time and does not indicate when he arrived at...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
1-May-1942 Assigned as and Aerial Gunner of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 25-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "S-for-Sugar". Apparently he and the crew were re-assigned to B-17F 41-24607 [GN-W] ...
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
10-Jul-42 Assigned as the Tail Gunner of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. Arrived in the UK with the crew of 41-24619 aboard B-17F 42-2966, 303BG/427BS on 28-Oct-43. B-17F 41-24619 was...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
1-May-42 Assigned as Radio Operator of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Bosie, Idaho. 12-Oct-42 Re-assigend to B-17F 41-24569 [GN-V], "Memphis Tot" 303BG/427BS at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. 22-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth...
Military | Captain | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
1-May-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24584 [GN Q] "Susfu", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. Arrived in Molesworth, UK with crew of "Susfu" on 22-Oct-42.
Operational participation UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
Military | Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 3 January 1943 in B-17F 41-24526 'Leaping Liz' while serving as Ball Turret Gunner. Target was U/B yards (submarines) at St. Nazaire, France. Fighters attacked and plane crashed into Bay of Biscay. Killed in Action (KIA). Participated in 6...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
10-Jul-1942 Assigned as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. It appears from available records that he was re-assigned to B-17F 42-2966 at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine on or about 5-Oct...
Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
1-May-1942 Assigned as Navigator of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 25-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "S-for-Sugar". Apparently he and the crew were re-assigned to B-17F 41-24607 [GN-W] "Jerry...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24517 [GN-O] 'Kali' 303BG/427BS assigned with crew on 1-May-42 at Alamogordo Field, Almogordo, New Mexico. Sent with crew to Dow Field, Bangor, Maine for deployment 5-Oct-42. Arrived at Molesworth, UK 24-Oct-42
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24541 "Spook" was assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-G] Kellogg Fd 14-Sep-42; Molesworth 16-Sep-42;The aircraft participated in 12 Operations - 4 Aborted (See Biography events)
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24566 'Zombie' [BN-W] was assigned 303BG/359BS [BN-W] at Alamogordo Field, New Mexico on 23-Jun-42. Stationed at Kellogg Field, Battle Creek, Michigan until 3-Oct-42 when it went to Bangor, Maine for deployment to England.; Molesworth 25-Oct...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather', assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-U] Bangor 9-October-42; Molesworth 25-October-42. The original crew flew to Molesworth 24/25-Oct-42 except for Borysiewicz. The aircraft also carried as a passenger Captain Abraham Black who...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot: [GN:V] was assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-W] Bangor 5-Oct-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24580 "Hellcat Agnes" was assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-C] Bangor 11-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-62. Participated in 6 Operations - 2 Aborts (See Biography events)
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24584 "Susfu" was assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-Q] Bangor 5-Oct-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42; Missing in Action 23-Jan-43 while on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Attacked by German FW-190 fighters and crashed at...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-R] Bangor 22-Sep-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42; First 8th Air Force aircraft to complete 50, then 75 missions- 27-Mar-44; with M/Sgt Buford Pafford as crew chief; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 5-Jun-44; Reconstruction Finance...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24607 [GN-W] "Jerry JinX" was assigned 427BS/303BG at Bangor 24-Sep-42; Molesworth 25-Oct-42; Missing in Action 23-Jan-43 on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Aircraft sustained damage from AA fire over the...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24608 [BN-S] "Yehoodi", 303BG/359BS was assigned with a crew on 10-Jul-42 at Alamogordo Field, Alamgordo, New Mexico, The aircraft was the first of the 303rd to arrive at Moleworth on 12-Oct-42. Participated in 5 Operations (3 Aborted). See...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2019 13:57:57 | Emily | Changes to official description |
| Sources | ||
Air Force Combat Chronology |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 November 2014 17:48:19 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 5-Nov-2014. Mission description based on "Mighty Eighth War Dairy" Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:17 | 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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