13 May 1943
Official USAAF photo caption "Sheet metal workers repair the flak-damaged tail of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" (a/c No. 23057) of the 322nd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, based at Bassingbourne, England. 14 May 1943." The damage had probably been suffered on the mission of 13 May to the Meaulte airfield, France.
Captain Norville John Gorse, "Bailout" 13 May 1943
Lt. Carroll Dayle Briscoe flying the Joan of Arc (42-29477), the plane his crew became known for. 1943
Not yet known
The large fighter sweeps of the last several weeks have not been successful in drawing any significant numbers of German fighters in opposition. So, if the German will not send his fighters up for a one-on-one confrontation with the American P-47s, then the strategy is to send the heavy bombers against his aircraft industry, to draw him up, and also target his airfield facilites to either catch his fighters on the ground or deny them them a base of operations. With this thinking in mind, VIII Bomber Command designates three primary target for this mission: the Avions Potez aircraft factory at Meault, France, and two German airfields at St. Omer, France (Longuenesse and Ft. Rouge) which are most likely to scramble fighters against the bombing mission to Meault.
A force of 97 B-17s is despatched by 1st Bomb Wing for the attack on Meault, France: 91BG (25); 303BG (21); 305BG (27) and 306BG (24). 88 of the 97 dispatched are effective on the target. The formation is supported by 124 P-47s from 4FG, 56FG and 78FG but not as a true escort but only along the approach and withdrawl routes. The fighter opposition is moderate. 3 B-17s are MIA. The bomber gunners claim 11-3-1 against the attacking fighters.
In the preceeding month of April 1943 the heavy bomber contingent of 8th Air Force has doubled with the addition of 4 more heavy bomb groups the 94BG, 95BG, 96BG and 351BG. This is the first mission for the lot. These constitute 4th Provisional Wing. 58 B-17s are despatched to attack the Longuenesse German airfield at St. Omer, France: 94BG (19); 95BG (19) and 96BG (20). In addition, 14 B-17s are despatched from 351BG to attack the Ft. Rouge German airfield at St. Omer, France. While there are two targets at St. Omer, the formation begins the journey from Great Britain to the target more or less as a single formation with 94BG and 95BG in the lead and 96BG and 351BG following. In mid-channel the lead aircraft had a mechanical malfunction and had to abort. As a result 96BG and 351BG became disorganised and returned to base. Thus, of the 14 B-17s depatched by 351BG to bomb Ft. Rouge airfield, none are effective; and of the 20 despatched by 96BG to bomb the Longuenesse airfield, none are effective. However, 31 of the 38 despatched by 94BG and 95BG against Longuenesse ar effective. There is only one aircraft from 96BG lost, and that was due to damage caused by an machine gun accident aboard the aircraft shortly after take-off. The aircraft turned back and was ditched into The Wash. All of the crew baled out safely, but the pilot died of hypothermia in the water before he could be rescued.
AVIONS POTEZ AIRCRAFT FACTORY
B-17 Flying Fortress
Not yet known
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 | 218.25 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 97 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 88 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 3 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 11 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 20 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 1 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 12 |
AIRFIELD
B-17 Flying Fortress
The 351st flies its first mission, but the formation is straggling so bad due to a misunderstanding among the formation leaders that the mission is abandoned at mid-Channel. 96th Bomb Group also affected.
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...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 14 |
AIRFIELD
B-17 Flying Fortress
The 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group fly their first mission. Of the 20 aircraft despatched by 96th Bomb Group, none manage to drop on the target. Because they did not drop, their first mission in regarded as being flown on 14-May-43, same with 351st Bomb Group.
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 | 73.35 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 58 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 31 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 1 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 2 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 9 |
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He reported to group on 15 Jan 1943. He was the 35th Officer to complete 25 missions. Reported on 05 Feb 1945 with the 2AF weather scouts. Retired as a Colonel from the USAF in 1972.
...
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 30 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: DSC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medals.
Post war: Remained in USAF, serving in Korean conflict.
Military | Captain | Co-Pilot | 96th Bomb Group
B-17 #4229752 ditched into North Sea 13 May 1943. Gorse and pilot Rogers made a valiant effort to control the plane. Returned to base.
...
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | pilot | 96th Bomb Group
Story of "Mischief Maker" participation on 27 Aug 1943 Regensburg mission in Snetterton Falcons, pg 44.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
in one month Marc flew six combat missions, his final mission he was killed when his aircraft took 3 direct hits from flak, which took out the control cables and put a hole in the tail.
...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Bombardier | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) 19 May 1943 in B-17 #41-24483 'Spirit of Alcohol'. He went to Bassingbourn from MacDill Field about November/December 1942. He was on his 17th mission. The pilot (Lt. Baxley) told his parents in a letter that they were...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 19 May 1943 in B-17 #41-24483 'Spirit of Alcohol'. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Colonel | C/O 331st Bomb Squadron | 94th Bomb Group
Shot down 14 July 1943 in B-17 #4230243 'Good Time Cholly II. ' Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator; Gunner | 387th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) on 9-Sep-43 in B-26B 41-31908 [FW:U] 387BG/556BS while serving as Radio Operator. The aircraft was severely damaged by AA fire and crashed into the English Channel about one mile west of the target at Boulogne, France. The 322nd...
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
Delivered Cheyenne 12/2/43; Walker 26/2/43; Salinas 10/3/43; Presque Is 8/4/43; Assigned 338BS/96BG Grafton Underwood 17/4/43; on assembly crashed in The Wash en route St Omer when controls were damaged and stabilizer shot off accidentally by own waist...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Plane Mischief Maker II entered combat approximately Jun43 under command of Capt V.L. Iverson after the original Mischief Maker was damaged beyond repair. After this crew completed 25 missions Maj. Iverson was retained for HQ USSTAF, the crew...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 5/10/42; Houlton 13/11/42; Assigned 423BS/306BG [RD-B] Thurleigh 24/11/42; Missing in Action Bremen 25/6/43 with Tom Logan, Co-pilot: Mo Davis, Navigator: Gene Dornbrook, Bombardier: Don Cox, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Selden...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 2017 00:39:17 | BobPitts | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 December 2015 04:20:49 | jgorse | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
John G Gorse, Lt Col, Nephew |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 December 2015 04:18:50 | jgorse | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
John G Gorse, Lt Col, Nephew |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 December 2015 04:18:32 | jgorse | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
John G Gorse, Lt Col, Nephew |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 January 2015 19:44:44 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 1-Jan-15. 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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