8th Air Force 280

26 March 1944
Airmen and ground crew of the 448th Bomb Group carefully transfer a flak casualty through the waist gun window of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Official caption printed on image: '(GM-11-2-448)(26-3-44)(Flak Casualty).' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Col Patterson.' media-380616.jpg FRE 1796 Airmen and ground crew of the 448th Bomb Group carefully transfer a flak casualty through the waist gun window of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Official caption printed on image: '(GM-11-2-448)(26-3-44)(Flak Casualty).' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Col Patterson.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 1796 - Airmen and ground crew of the 448th Bomb Group carefully transfer a flak casualty through the waist gun window of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Official...

Description

9 V-Weapon sites in the Pas-de-Calaise, France area and 7 V-Weapon sites in the Cherbourg, France area are the targets of this mission. A combined force of 573 heavy bombers from all three Air Divisions are despatched. Mission Summary follows:



1st AIr Division: 243 B-17s from: 91BG; 303BG; 306BG; 351BG; 379BG; 381BG; 384BG; 401BG; and 457BG are despatched to bomb V-Weapon sites in the Pas-de-Calaise area of France. 234 aircraft are effective on targets. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 9KIA 31POW. 3 aircraft are Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in crash landings upon return - 30RTD. 134 aircraft are damaged, 1 airman in a returning aircraft is KIA and 10 others are WIA. There are no other losses, casualties or claims.



2nd Air Division: A combined force of 185 B-24s from: 44BG; 389BG; 392BG; 445BG; 448BG; 453BG; and 458BG are despatched to bomb V-Weapon sites in the Pas-de-Calaise area of France. 138 are effective on a target. 1 Aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 10KIA. 38 aircraft are damaged. 1airman in a returning aircraft is KIA and 5 others are WIA. There are no other losses casulaties or claims.



3rd Air Division: A combined force of 145 B-17s from: 94BG; 95BG;96BG; 388BG; 390BG;447BG and 452BG are despatched to bomb 7 V-Weapon sites in the Cherbourg area of France. There are no losses. 64 aircraft are damaged. There are no other losses, casualties or claims.

Mission Details

CHERBOURG (Primary)

Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: No bomber gunner claims. Seven sites are hit in this raid. Groups participating are part of 3rd Bomb Division.

The insignia of the 95th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 325.37
  • Aircraft sent: 145
  • Aircraft effective: 128
  • Aircraft damaged: 64

PAS DE CALAIS (Primary)

Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: Nine sites are hit in this raid. No bomber gunner claims. All Groups from 1st Bomb Division participate except 92nd Bomb Group which stands down. 457th BG MISSION NO. 20 - WATTEN, FRANCE 26 MARCH 1944 The Group dispatched thirty-six aircraft to the No Ball anti-invasion fortification at Watton, France, a repeat of mission No. 15. Lt. Col. Wilson was Air Commander and Lt. J. L. Smith, pilot. The weather was clear; bombing results were poor. No enemy fighters were sighted; however, there was intense flak over the target. The lead craft had an engine knocked out on the bomb run, causing it to lose both altitude and power. There were no personnel casualties and all planes returned safely, although many received flak damage. Crew members witnessed a B-17, from another group, explode after taking a direct flak hit. The thirty-six craft put aloft by the Group represented a new high for one mission. The only other occasion to date was the first mission when the A and B Formations were flown. The post exchange announced the opening between hours of 1800 and 2200 daily, except Sunday, of the new beverage bar. One bottle of Coca-Cola per person per week could be purchased by submitting the ration card and paying the nominal sum of three pence for the product. (Same price as back home!)

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 384th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Unofficial emblem of the 457th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 594.83
  • People killed in action: 10
  • People wounded in action: 10
  • Prisoners of war: 31
  • People returned to duty: 30
  • Aircraft sent: 243
  • Aircraft effective: 234
  • Aircraft missing in action: 4
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 3
  • Aircraft damaged: 134

PAS DE CALAIS (Primary)

Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator

Notes: No bomber gunner claims. All Groups are part of 2nd Bomb Division.

Colonel Larry Thomas of the 453rd Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Col Larry Thomas 453BG.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 350.80
  • People killed in action: 10
  • Aircraft sent: 185
  • Aircraft effective: 138
  • Aircraft missing in action: 1

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: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18193418
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32686782
  • Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19193344
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball turret gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 466th Bomb Group 93rd Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron 784th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-747205
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot/Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32363766
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Wabbit Twacks : Homesick Sal
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
A bomber crew of the 388th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30207) nicknamed "Big Red.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Bailey Crew.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Big Red
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30235) nicknamed "The Zoot Suiters" of the 95th Bomb Group.
  • 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: Old 66 / Lady Margaret
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Spook Six
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 457th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 6-Mar-2016. Added Mission Narrative per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman and "Losses of the 8ht & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A Hey MBE.

Date
Changes
Sources

Mission detail added courtesy of Diane Reese - http://www.457thbombgroup.org/Narratives/ma20.html

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
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'.

8th Air Force 280: Gallery (3 items)