8th Air Force 200
30 January 1944
Object Number - UPL 19499 - 'Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th AF, are part of a formation en route towards target at Brunswick, Germany. 30 Jan. 1944....
Description
This mission has the aviation industry at Brunswick, Germany as the primary target. The mission is composed of a combined force pf 777 heavy bomber aircraft despatched in three elements: 1st Bomb Division; 2nd Bomb Division and 3rd Bomb Division. The bomber gunner claims of all Bomb Divisions, 51-7-27, were combined in the source data and are reflected in the statistics of the 1BD element. Mission summary as follows:
1st Bomb Division: The element is composed of a combined force of 349 B-17s despatched from: 91BG; 92BG; 303BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG; 379BG; 381BG; 384BG; 401BG; and 482BG. 331 aircraft are effective on this target and 2 bombed nearby Targets of Opportunity. Fighter opposition and anti-aircraft batteries provide heavy opposition. 15 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 74KIA 76POW. 3 aircraft with battle damage made crashlandings in England - 6POW 24RTD. In addition, 1 airman was KIA and 14 were WIA in returning aircraft. 95 aircraft sustain battle damage. Combined bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft from all Air Divisions were 51-7-27.
3rd Bomb Division: This element is composed of a combined force of 274 B-17s despatched from: 94BG; 95BG; 100BG; 385BG; 388BG; 390BG; and 447BG. 3 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) -11KIA 19POW. 1 aircraft with battle damage made a belly landing at Honington, UK as was declared Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) - 10RTD. 9 other aircraft sustained battle damage. In addition, 1 airman aboard a retutning aircraft was KIA.
2nd Bomb Division: This element was composed of a combined force of 154 B-24s despatched from: 93BG; 389BG; 392BG; 445BG; 446BG; and 448BG. Brunswick, Germany was the primary target, but cloud cover, heavy smoke and contrails forced the formations to attack Hannover and nearby Targets of Opportunity. 104 were effective on Hannover and 39 on TOs. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR)- 12KIA 8POW. 11 aircraft sustained battle damage. In addition 2 airmen were KIA aboard returning aircraft.
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Notes: 39 B-24s bomb other targets of opportunity around Hannover, Germany
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 91.88
- Aircraft sent: 39
- Aircraft effective: 39
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 2 B-17s of 1st Bomb Division bombed Targets of Opportunity.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 4.71
- Aircraft sent: 2
- Aircraft effective: 2
Brunswick, Germany
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Aircraft factories at Braunsweig, Germany were the primary targets but cloud cover prevents visual bombing. The city was bombed instead
Brunswick, Germany
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 274 B-17s of 3rd Bomb Division attack industrial areas in and around Brunswick, Germany. 2 aircraft attack Targets of Opportunity (TO).
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 626.70
- People killed in action: 12
- Prisoners of war: 19
- People returned to duty: 10
- Aircraft sent: 274
- Aircraft effective: 266
- Aircraft missing in action: 3
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 9
Brunswick, Germany
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 349 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division attack the aviation industries at Brunswick, Germany.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 779.84
- People killed in action: 75
- People wounded in action: 14
- Prisoners of war: 76
- People returned to duty: 27
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 51
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 7
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 27
- Aircraft sent: 349
- Aircraft effective: 331
- Aircraft missing in action: 15
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 3
- Aircraft damaged: 95
HANNOVER (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: Aircraft factories at Braunsweig were the primary but dense smoke and contrails from B-17 attack prevents visual bombing. Hannover is struck as a Target of Opportunity.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 245.02
- People killed in action: 14
- Prisoners of war: 8
- Aircraft sent: 115
- Aircraft effective: 104
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged: 11
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-735735
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-685365
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35368934
- Highest Rank: Sergeant (Technician Fourth Grade)
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39096585
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18193418
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 17-Jan-2016 Corrected statistics for 2BD element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
Lee Cunningham 17-Jan-2016 Corrected statistics of 1BD element and added bomber gunner claims for ALL Air Divisions per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
Lee Cunningham 17-Jan-2016 Corrected statistics for 3BD element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
Lee Cunningham 17-Jan-2016. This event is erroneous, but couldn't be deleted.
Lee Cunningham 17-Jan-2016. Correcting typo in Mission Description.
Lee Cunningham 17-Jan-2016. Added Mission Narrative per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman; casualties based on MACR documentation and "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
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'.
