6 September 1943
A B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Kicking Horse" of the 303rd Bomb Group takes off with a feathered engine. Handwritten caption on reverse: ''Kicking Horse' of 303BG. Received 7/7/1944.' On reverse: Daily Graphic [Stamp, ref. no. M4226L]. The caption above is incorrect. There was no "Kicking Horse" in the 303rd BG. The plane is actually B-17F 42-5483 "Red Ass." This photo was taken 6 September 1943 as the plane returned from 303rd BG Mission #67 to Stuttgart, Germany. Radio operator Eddie Deerfield wrote in his notes: "Our B17F was Red Ass (42-5483) piloted by Robert Cogswell. A 20mm hit by an enemy fighter knocked out our number 1 engine about 15 minutes after leaving the target. We landed with the prop feathered."
A B-17F Flying Fortress (SO-S, serial number 42-5843) nicknamed "Black Ghost" of the 547th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17F-25-VE "Black Ghost" 42-5483 SO*S, 547BS 384BG. Lost Sept 6. 1943, R. Pulcipher crew.' On reverse: From Tim Bivens Collection [Stamp].
Official USAAF caption : "ENGLAND - Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" of the 8th Air Force enroute to bomb Nazi installations - 322BS - 91BG"
Official USAAF photo. Original caption :"Crew of the 407th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" after being rescued and brought to an airbase in England. 11 September 1943..." The legend lists all men as Staff or Technical Sergents, except Pilot Captain Frederick Prasse (standing far right) and has typos in some names. One man is missing from the ten-man crew on board # 42-29965 which had to ditch in the English Channel on return from the 6 September 1943 mission to Stuttgart. Standing, left to right : Tail Gunner S/Sgt Rolland A. Galloway; Radio Operator T/Sgt Laurence E. Dennis; Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Joseph F. Thornton; Bombardier 2nd Lt Fred Champion; Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt Otto F. Trammer; Pilot Captain Frederick T. Prasse. Front, from left to right : Engineer/Top Turret Gunner S/Sgt John Geegee; Ball Turret Gunner John W. Disher; Left Waist Gunner S/Sgt Charles H. Hartnett. (The missing man from the photo is Navigator 2nd Lt David C. Besbris).
Douglas B-17F-65-DL Fortress Ser.# 42-3455 “Lucky 13” 8th Air Force 384th Bombardment Group 546th Bombardment Squadron Original Crew
Not yet known
This mission was planned as massive attack of 338 B-17s on the industrial areas of Stuttgart, Germany and would be supported by a formation of 69 B-24s flying a diversion. This would be the first action from the UK for the B-24 Groups that had recently returned from Temporary Duty (TDY) assignments to North Africa. The bomber formations would be escorted as far as possible by 176 P-47s. This was the first deep penetration of Germany since the fateful Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission of 17-Aug-43. The round trip distance from the East Anglia bases of the 8th Air Force to Stuttgart would be close to 1,300 miles. This was very close to the maximum range for those B-17s that had not been equipped with the long-range "Tokyo Tanks" and this fact would have disastrous consequences for this mission. It was a gamble.
The first element from 1st Bomb Wing was a formation of 181 B-17s from: 91BG (16); 92BG (21); 303BG (19); 305BG (20); 306BG (21); 351BG (23); 379BG (19); 381BG (21); and 384BG (21). The primary target was Stuttgart, Germany. Many of the B-17s in this formation would be "pushing" their maximum range. Everything would have been fine, except "Mother Nature" bought cloud cover over most of NW France and Germany that day. As a consequence the formation became disorganized and separated and the 151 that were effective from this formation bombed various Targets of Opportunity. This made them extremely vulnerable to fighter attack and difficult for the P-47s to cover. 27 aircraft were lost from this formation; 20 because they ran out of gas on the return and were forced to ditch in the English Channel or make forces landings in the fields of England; 3 others managed to make it to Switzerland and were interned with their crews - 16KIA 64POW 44EVD 116RTD (rescued by Air-Sea Rescue and magnificent accomplishment) 30INT; 13 airmen were Wounded in Action (WIA) and 47 aircraft were damaged.. Freeman cites 9 aircraft declared as Category E (Damaged Beyond Repair) losses but only 5 were actually documented for this raid -50RTD. The bomber gunners claimed 32-6-21 of attacking enemy aircraft (exaggerated).
The second element was a combined force of 157 B-17s from: 95BG (23); 100BG (21); 390BG (24); 94BG (21); 96BG (21); 385BG (23); and 388BG (24) dispatched to Stuttgart. This element had somewhat better success but took more punishment from enemy aircraft. 111 of these aircraft managed to bomb at either Stuttgart or other Targets of Opportunity (TO). 18 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) but three of these managed to make it to Switzerland and the aircraft and crews were interned - 39KIA 84POW 18EVD 10RTD (rescued by ASR) 29 interned; 1 aircraft was DBR-10RTD. In addition 2 airmen were KIA and 13 wounded in aircraft that returned to England. 69 aircraft were damaged. The bomber gunners in this element claimed 66-14-29 of attacking enemy aircraft (exaggerated).
The third element was a formation of 69 B-24s from: 44BG (18); 93BG (18); 399BG (15); and 392BG (18). 9 aircraft had to abort the mission due to mechanical failures. There are no losses or claims in this element.
BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
B-17 Flying Fortress
Formations become separated because of heavy clouds. German defences take a heavy toll. Mission considered a fiasco. Of the 12 B-17s that ditched in the sea, all crews (116 men) were rescued.
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 | 348.90 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 181 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 151 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 27 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 9 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 47 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 14 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 14 |
| Number of people Evaded | 42 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 66 |
| Number of people Interned | 41 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 193 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 32 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 6 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 21 |
DIVERSION
B-24 Liberator
B-24s fly the diversion, 392nd Bomb Group flies its first mission. First mission for B-24s of 44th Bomb Group and 93rd Bomb Group since return from North Africa.
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 to be given B-24H Liberators, the first B-24 model that was fitted with a nose turret on the production line, an adaptation...
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...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 69 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 60 |
AIRCRAFT FACTORY/BALL BEARING PLANT
B-17 Flying Fortress
Primary obscured by heavy cloud cover. This hampers mission and many bomb targets of opportunity. Many of the aircraft in this group did not have long-range tanks and as a result ran out of gas and had to ditch or crash-land (reason for 11 Missing in Action (MIA) in 388th Bomb Group). Only one classed as a Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) - Group designation not in source data.
The Stuttgart Mission on 6 September 1943 was disastrous. For the 388th BG this was the worst day and became known as Black Monday. 21 crews were sent and only 13 returned. All 6 aircraft of the 563rd BS were lost. This was Mission #19 (barely 2 months into the war for the 388th BG) and there were 287 more combat missions to go for the 388th BG.
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 | 391.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 157 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 111 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 18 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 69 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 41 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 13 |
| Number of people Evaded | 18 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 84 |
| Number of people Interned | 29 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 10 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 66 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 14 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 29 |
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
Tail gunner, Loftin crew. 381st BG, 534th BS. Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29958 'Battlin' Bombsprayer'. Mission #37 to the Arado Aircraft components at Anklam, Germany. MACR 886. Killed in Action (KIA). Buried in the Ardennes AMC.
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down 6 September 1943 in B-17 #4124507 'Yankee Raider'. Evaded. MACR 772
James E. Armstrong wrote a book, titled "Escape!", describing his wartime service, and his escape and evasion after being shot down.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Major
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 381st Bomb Group
Navigator, Loftin crew. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29958 'Battlin' Bombsprayer'. Mission #37 to the Arado Aircraft components at Anklam, Germany. MACR 886. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III and Stalag XIIID.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Shot down 6 September 1943 in B-17 #42-30203 'Shack-Up'. Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Sergeant (Technician Fourth Grade) | Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #4231084. Killed in Action (KIA).
AM w/ 2 Oak Leaf Cluster
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
David Bresbis was a Navigator in the 92nd Bomb Group/407th Bomb Squadron. He was serving in that function on B-17 #42-29965 when it ditched for lack of fuel in the English Channel on return from the 6 September 1943 to Stuttgart, Germany. All ten men...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
James Blackburn was a Navigator in the 92nd Bomb Group / 407th Bomb Squadron Participating in many operations, he was shot down on the 6 September 1943 mission to Stuttgart, Germany in B-17 42-3428 (camera ship) with Pilot Lt Robert W. Carlson. The...
Military | Captain | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 25 x combat missions. Ditched in North Sea 6-Sep-43 in B-17 42-3002 'Old Squaw'. Picked up by ASR Returned to duty (RTD).* ETD
...
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.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered ? ?; with Jim Dale force landed Berry Fd, Nashville, TN 15/8/42; Assigned 322BS/91BG [LG-P] Westover 16/8/42; Bassingbourn 30/9/42; Missing in Action on the aircraft's 26th mission, to Stuttgart on 6 September 1943 with Pilot William R. Cox;...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned to the 368BS/306BG [BO-G] Westover 25/8/42; Thurleigh 17/9/42; transferred SBA trainer 11/4/43; transferred to the 546th BS, squadron code BK-B, 384th BG, Station 106, Grafton Underwood 23/8/43; transferred to the 545th BS, squadron code JD-B;...
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 17/3/43; Gore 28/3/43; Metropolitan 13/4/43; Presque Is 29/4/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-E] Molesworth 9/6/43; secret mission to North Africa 16/8/43 ret 23/8/43; battle damaged T/Ops 6/9/43 with Jake James, Co-pilot: Howard Ness,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 17/3/43; Pueblo 8/4/43; Smoky Hill 7/5/43; Dow Fd 21/5/43; Assigned 534BS/381BG [GD-J] Ridgewell 24/5/43 with Alan Tucker, Earl Muchway, Dave Harris, Dick Rylands, Chas Raglin, Bill Savage, Jim Klingenberger, John Willdredge, Grover...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 18 March 43; Gore 28 March 1943; Presque Isle 5 May 1943; Assigned 333BS/94BG Earls Colne 12 May 1943; Rougham 13 June 1943; transferred 407BS/92BG [PY-L] Alconbury 26 July 1943; Missing in Action Stuttgart 6 September 1943 with,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 2/4/43; Sioux City 13/4/43; Kearney 4/5/43; Bangor 20/5/43; Assigned to the 547BS/384BG [S0-G] Grafton Underwood 24/5/43, then the 546BS [BK-G]; Missing in Action Leverkusen 1/12/43 with Maj Maurice Stanley Dillingham, Co-pilot:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 5/4/43; Kearney 15/4/43; Wendover 2/5/43; Hill 15/5/43; Wendover 21/5/43; Dow Fd 28/5/43; Assigned 351BS/100BG [EP-D] Thorpe Abbbotts 9/6/43; Missing in Action Stuttgart 6 September 1943 with Pilot Captain Sam R. TurnerWounded in...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 21/4/43; Tinker 27/4/43; Memphis 30/4/43; Presque Is 20/5/43; Assigned 368BS/306BG [BO-D] Thurleigh 23/5/43; Missing in Action Stuttgart 6/9/43 with Wesley Peterson, Navigator: Don Phillips; Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Bill...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 24/4/43; Sioux City 8/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 14/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 15/6/43.
...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2018 17:38:14 | william henry | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Correct typos |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 31 May 2015 20:54:54 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 31-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to Stuttgart statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 31 May 2015 20:53:33 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 31-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to 1BD TO statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 31 May 2015 20:51:42 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 31-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 March 2015 16:38:49 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Information sent by Dick Read relating to Arthur M. Read and the 388th Bomb Group. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:18 | 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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