8th Air Force 238
28 February 1944
Object Number - UPL 14556 - Consolidated B-24 Liberator #42-41013 'Trouble' [nearest camera] of 566th Bomb Squadron, 389th Bomb Group over Cognac, France, 8 February 1944.
Description
A combined force of 258 B-17s are despatched from 1st and 3rd Air Divisions to bomb V-Weapon sites around the Pas-de-Calaise area of France. Mission Summary follows>
1st Air Division: 134 B-17s are despatched from: 303BG; 305BG; 306BG; 379BG; and 384BG are despatched to bomb V-Weapon sites in the Pas-de-Calaise area of France. 68 are effective on V-Weapon sites; 10 bomb the road junction east of Yerville, France and the railroad siding at Abbeville, France. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 8 KIA 10 POW 2 EVD. 30 aircraft are damaged. 3 airmen in returning aircraft are WIA .There are no other losses, claims or casualties.
1st Air Division: A combined force of 124 B-17 are dispatched from: 303BG; 305BG; 306BG; 379BG; and 384BG to bomb V-Weapon sites in the Pas-de-Calaise area of France. 41 are effective on V-Weapon sites and 6 others bomb Targets of Opportunity (TOs). 5 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 23 KIA 16 POW 1 EVD 9 RTD (rescued by ASR). 45 aircraft are damaged. 2 airmen in returning aircraft are WIA. There are no other losses, claims or casualties.
Mission Details
Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It has not been determined which 3rd Bomb Division Groups attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 31.63
- Aircraft sent: 6
- Aircraft effective: 6
ABBEVILLE (Opportunistic)
Description: RAIL SIDING
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It has not been determined which 1st Bomb Division Groups attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 20.13
- Aircraft sent: 7
- Aircraft effective: 7
PAS DE CALAIS (Primary)
Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Weather causes many to abort. No claims.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 117.88
- People killed in action: 23
- People wounded in action: 2
- People evaded: 1
- Prisoners of war: 16
- People returned to duty: 9
- Aircraft sent: 115
- Aircraft effective: 41
- Aircraft missing in action: 5
- Aircraft damaged: 45
PAS DE CALAIS (Primary)
Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Heavy cloud cover causes more than half of the bombers despatched to abort. No claims.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 195.00
- People killed in action: 8
- People wounded in action: 3
- People evaded: 2
- Prisoners of war: 10
- Aircraft sent: 117
- Aircraft effective: 68
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged: 30
Description: ROAD JUNCTION
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It has not been determined which 1st Bomb Division Groups attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 28.75
- Aircraft sent: 10
- Aircraft effective: 10
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: 94th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 32353239
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37174496
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19080173
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-686482
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33485877
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Mairsy Doats
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wabbit Twacks
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lassie Come Home
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Belle of the Brawl
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Berlin Bessie
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Corrected a typo in the "Description" - "returning" was misspelled.
Lee Cunningham 11-Feb-2016. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Losses of the 8th & 9th AIr Forces", Roger A. Freeman.
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'.