26 February 1943
Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel and crew. 364th Squadron, 305th BG. Assembled June 18, 1943 in front of their B-17 #42-29633, nicknamed "SpitzFire" (Personnel noted Back Row Left - Right; Front Row L-R)
Not yet known
After 10 days of weather related delays of the bomber offensive, a mission is organised with the port facilities of Emden, Germany as the primary target. However, Emden is obscured by cloud cover and all formations divert to attack the port facilities at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. 76 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (20); 303BG (19); 305BG (20) and 306BG (17). 59 of this formation are effective on the target but 5 B-17s are MIA.
17 B-24s are also despatched with Emden as the primary, but they too divert to Wilhelmshaven. 44BG (11) and 93BG (6), of these only 6 are effective on the target and 2 from 44BG are MIA. The bomber gunners claim the following against German fighters: 21 destroyed; 9 probably destroyed; and 5 damaged. There is no fighter escort for this mission.
NAVAL BASE
B-24 Liberator
Not yet known
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 | 21.70 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 17 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 9 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 12 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 9 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 10 |
PORT AREA
B-17 Flying Fortress
BREMEN was the primary target but was overcast by clouds. WILHELMSHAVEN chosen at target of opportunity. No fighter escort on this mission. Bomb tonnage includes one X 500GP dropped on a German convoy of ships.
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 | 142.30 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 76 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 59 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 5 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 35 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 14 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 17 |
Military | Captain | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Killed in Action 26-Feb-43 in B-24D 41-23777 'Maisey', 44BG/66BS while serving as Pilot. The aircraft came under almost constant fighter attack from Texel Island, Holland and finally exploded in mid-air near Willbroksmoor, Germany. Journalist Robert...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
On 26-Feb-43 while serving as the Tail Gunner in B-17F 41-24623, 305BG/365BS the aircraft sustained damage from AA fire over the target at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. He was able to bale out and was captured as a Prisoner of War (POW). The aircraft was...
Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) on 26-Feb-43 in B-17F 42-5362 'Short Snorter II' [LL:F], 91BG/401BS while serving as Navigator. The aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the North Sea just west of the Frisian Islands while on a mission to...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
1LT Charles N. Austin was originally assigned to the 92BG and arrived in England in August 1942. On 10-Feb-43 he and his crew were transferred from 92BG to 303BG/358BS as a replacement crew ans assigned to B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga". He participated...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
12-Feb-42 Assigned to 303BG as an Aerial Gunner at Arrived at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 12-Jun-42 Trained at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo New Mexico. 7-Aug-42 Finished Advanced training at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. 24-Aug-42 transferred with Ground...
Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Shot down 26 February 1943 in B-24D 41-23804 'Sad Sack', 44BG/66BS while serving as Waiat Gunner on a mission to bomb the port facilities as Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft was attacked by fighters near the Initial Point (IP) which caused the loss...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Killed in Action (KIA) 26-Feb-43 in B-17F 42-5056 'Devil's Playmate' 305BG/364BS while serving as Pilot. The aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the North Sea between the Frisian Islands and Helgoland, Germany on a mission to...
Civilian | 303rd Bomb Group
Journalist for the New York Herald Tribune, who in 1942 was invited to become a war correspondent, one of eight journalists known as The Writing 69th, sent to the UK to fly with the US Army Air Force on bombing missions over Europe. Bigart was...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) On 26-Feb-43 in B-17F 41-24447 'Kickapoo', 91BG/401BS while serving as Navigator on a mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The aircraft was sshot down by enemy aircraft and crashed into North Sea.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
B-17 41-24447 'Kickapoo' crashed into North Sea on 26 February 1943. Killed in Action (KIA).
B-24 Liberator
B-24D-5-CO 41-23777 was assigned to the 44th Bomb Group/66 Bomb Squadron at Shipdham, UK. On 26-Feb-43 the aircraft was despatched to bomb the shipyards at Bremen, Germany but the target was obscured by clouds so the aircraft diverted to the secondary...
B-24 Liberator
B-24D-5-CO 41-23804 "Sad Sack" was assigned to the 44BG/66BS at Shipdham, UK. The aircraft was despatched on 26-Feb-43 to bomb the docks at Bremen. However, cloud cover obscured the target and the formation diverted to Wilhelmshaven as a target of...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 401BS/91BG [LL-H] Bangor 29-Aug-42; Bassingbourn 1-Oct-42; Missing in Action 11m Wilhelmshafen 26-Feb-44. Flak hit caused fire in #4, crashed North Sea. 10 Killed in Action, Missing Air Crew Report 3575. KICKAPOO.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F-25-BO 41-24558 [VK:F] "Hunga Dunga" was assigned to the 358BS/303BG [VK-F] at Bangor. Maine on 14-Oct-42; arrived at Molesworth, UK on 16-Oct-42; Missing in Action Vegasack 18-Mar-43 when it was attacked by enemy aircraft near Helgoland. Germany...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24559 'Ooold Soljer' was assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-C] Bangor 14-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F-27-BO 41-24604 "Arkie" was assigned 336BS/95BG Presque Isle 19-Oct-42; transferred 366BS/305BG [KY-D] Grafton Underwood 25-Oct-42;transferred with Group to Chelveston 11-Dec-42. Force landed at base with Sydney Smith 26-Jan-42; on 27-Jan-43...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Geiger 1-Sep-42; with George Stallman force landed Hancock Field, NY 5-Oct-42; Assigned 365BS/305BG [XK-V] Presque Isle, Maine 19-Oct-42; Grafton Underwood 25-Oct-42; Chelveston 11-Dec-42; Missing in Action Wilhelmshafen 26-Feb-43. The...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 26/1/43; Salina 12/2/43; Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-H/J/N/D] Chelveston 4/3/43. Completed missions as "Spitz Fire" under command of Lt. Frank R. Spitznagel Jr. until 8/19/43; transferred 381BG Ridgewell 11/9/43 1m; 526BS/379BG [LF-U]...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F-50-BO "Devil's Playmate" was delivered at Cheyenne, WY 9-Sep-42; Presque Isle, ME 19-Oct-4242; Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-C/L] at Chelveston 30-Oct- 42; Missing in Action (MIA) Wilhelmshaven 26-Feb-43. Shot down by enemy aircraft, crashed into...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 27-Oct-42; Bury 6-Dec-42; Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-F] Molesworth 29-Jan-43; Missing in Action Lorient 6-Mar-43. Shot down by enemy aircraft, crashed into the Bay of Biscay, off Penmarch Point. 2KIA 8POW Missing Air Crew Report 15536.
...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 25 February 2018 17:46:11 | Despitz | Changes to person associations and aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
DS 2/25/18 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 18 February 2015 23:57:36 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 18-Feb-2015. Corrected typo in Description |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 24 December 2014 17:52:45 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 24-Dec-2014. Description based on " The Mighty Eighth War Diary" 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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