8th Air Force 951

15 April 1945
media-19186.jpeg UPL 19186 Consolidated B-24 Liberators drop their bombs on enemy installations at Royan, France. 15 April 1945.
NARA Ref No. - 342-FH-3A19153-75228AC.
Centre of picture is B-24 41-29340 'Yankee Buzz Bomb' 458th BG.

Harry A. Berger logbook

Object Number - UPL 19186 - Consolidated B-24 Liberators drop their bombs on enemy installations at Royan, France. 15 April 1945. NARA Ref No. - 342-FH-3A19153-75228AC....

Mission Details

BORDEAUX/ROYAN

Description: FLAK BATTERIES

Notes: 9 strong points are attacked

GUNZBURG and ULM

Description: ESCORT MISSION

Notes: 107 of 108 8th AF P-51s escort Ninth AF B-26s on raids on marshalling yards

ROYAN

Description: FLAK BATTERIES

Notes: 1,348 unescorted bombers are despatched to attack strong points on the French Atlantic coast. This raid and the one immediately below make the sole instances of the employment of napalm bombs by the 8th AF against German ground installations. The results are negligible and HQ recommends discontinuance of the use of napalm against such targets. 4 strong points are targeted on this raid.

ROYAN

Description: FLAK BATTERIES

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: The mission was very similar – continental assembly, fly over Paris etc. The I.P. was directly east of the target, however. Our target this time was a road junction about 8 miles from the town of Royan. We were carrying these new, fandangled, gasoline incendiaries. One of them was leaking before we took off and there were gas fumes all over the ship. The skipper asked everyone not to smoke. As we approached our target we could see white smoke drifting over the front. We flew right over Point Grave on the south side of the mouth of Gironde & I noticed that it has been thoroughly bombed. On the second run there was smoke all over the place since about 8 squadrons had dropped their eggs. We dropped ours anyway & miss our target by a hell of a ways. I can't see the object of dropping fire bombs on a road junction anyway.

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-928692
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 391st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18162274
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 467th Bomb Group 789th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15322673
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38517916
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Air Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11108137
  • Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
  • Role/Job: Nose Gunner / Navigator

Aircraft

Ten men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of a military airplane parked on grass.  Six men standing to the rear and four men kneeling in front.  Large canvas bags are on the ground.
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Swamp Angel
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lady Vivian
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Heavenly Body
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lucky Sherry : Temptation
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Gentleman Jim

Revisions

Date
ContributorFrankM
Changes
Date
ContributorFrankM
Changes
Date
ContributorVirginiawise50
Changes
Sources

Virginia Wise, eldest daughter of Lester Allen Wise, who flew as pilot on this mission with Jack Q. Means as co-pilot.

Date
Changes
Sources

Information from original, hand-written combat logs of Maj. I.J. Barrios dated Feb-Apr 1945.

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'.

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