8th Air Force 200
30 January 1944
NARA Ref 342-FH-3A19628-61046AC
30 January 1944: Two 91st BG crews start a turn enroute to Brunswick. 1st Lt Ken Sutherland is flying a ship borrowed from the 324th Bomb Sq, B-17G 42-39967 "Mary K" (left), hanging onto the wing of Capt Dave Bramble in B-17F 42-29739 "The Village Flirt" (coded OR-M). Both crews are assigned to the 323rd Bomb Sq.
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).
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.
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.
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: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-665291
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32486862
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 10601362
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-800876
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18191336
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lonesome Polecat : The Zoot Suiters
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: T'aint A Bird II
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 334th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Pistol Packin' Mama
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 401st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Liberty Belle
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Clean Cut
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron 95th Bomb Group 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
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'.