VIII Bomber Command 108
4 October 1943
Photo courtesy of Eugene Spearman.
Object Number - UPL 20021 - 42-30043 SO-V, RUTHLESS, Ditched in the North Sea on return from a mission (#108) to Frankfurt, 4 October 1943. Photo courtesy of Eugene Spearman.
Description
This mission is composed of five elements. The first element is a combined force of 104 B-17s from: 306BG (16); 92BG (17); 395BG (17); 303BG (19); 379BG (18) and 384BG (17) despatched to bomb the industrial areas of Frankfurt, Germany. 77 aircraft are effective on Frankfurt; 15 others bomb the industrial areas of Wiesbaden, Germany. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) from Frankfurt. 5KIA 35POW. 1 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) from Wiesbaden 10RTD (rescued by ASR). All tolled 45 aircraft are damaged. 2 airmen are KIA in returning aircraft and 8 are Wounded in Action (WIA) The bomber gunners from this element claim 19-3-15 of attacking German aircraft.
The second element is a combined force of 51 B-17s from: 381BG (17); 351BG (17); and 91BG (17) despatched to bomb the city of Frankfurt. 37 aircraft are effective on the target; 3 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 14KIA 16POW. 1 airman is KIA in a returning aircraft and 2 are WIA; 35 aircraft are damaged. The bomber gunners in this element claim 18-8-22 of attacking German fighters.
The third element is a combined force of 115 B-17s from: 95BG (21); 100BG (25); 390BG (25); 385BG (20); and 94BG (24). 64 aircraft are effective on the industrial areas of Saarlautern, Germany; and 38 aircraft attack the German airfield at St. Dizier/Robinson, France. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 19POW 11EVD and 10RTD (rescued by ASR). The bomber gunners in this element claim 37-7-7 of attacking German fighters.
The fourth element is a combined force of 53 B017s from 96BG (35) and 388BG (18) depatched to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Sarreguemines, France and Saarbrucken, Germany. 47 aircraft are effective on these targets. There are no losses or claims, but 2 aircraft are damaged.
The fifth element is a force of 38 B-24s from 392BG (32) and 44BG (8) despatched to fly a diversion for the B-17s attacking at Franfurt, Germany. 3 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 31KIA. Another aircraft returned to base but 2 of the crew baled out over the sea and were lost. 11 airmen were wounded in returning aircraft. 19 aircraft were damaged. The bomber guuners in this element claim 13-6-3 of attacking German aircraft.
Mission Details
Description: DIVERSION
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- 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: 0.00
- People killed in action: 33
- People wounded in action: 11
- People returned to duty: 8
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 13
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 6
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 3
- Aircraft sent: 38
- Aircraft effective: 38
- Aircraft missing in action: 3
- Aircraft damaged: 19
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 77 aircraft hit Frankfurt, Germany. Mission leaders are 100 miles off course.
- 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: 218.7
- People killed in action: 5
- People wounded in action: 5
- Prisoners of war: 35
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 12
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 3
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 7
- Aircraft sent: 104
- Aircraft effective: 77
- Aircraft missing in action: 4
- Aircraft damaged: 32
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- 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: 88.25
- People killed in action: 15
- People wounded in action: 2
- Prisoners of war: 16
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 18
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 8
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 22
- Aircraft sent: 51
- Aircraft effective: 37
- Aircraft damaged: 35
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
![Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378743.jpg.webp?itok=HBB0lqjl)
- 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: 168.75
- People wounded in action: 6
- People evaded: 5
- Prisoners of war: 15
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 37
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 7
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 7
- Aircraft sent: 71
- Aircraft effective: 67
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 5
/
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- 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: 102.75
- Aircraft sent: 53
- Aircraft effective: 47
- Aircraft damaged: 2
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- 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: 85.25
- People wounded in action: 7
- People evaded: 7
- Prisoners of war: 3
- People returned to duty: 23
- Aircraft sent: 44
- Aircraft effective: 38
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 14
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 15 aircraft hit Wiesbaden, Germany
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 46.50
- People returned to duty: 10
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 7
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 6
- Aircraft sent: 15
- Aircraft effective: 15
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 15
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: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37111609
- Highest Rank: Technician Fourth Grade
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32478396
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-52478
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12127755
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16060366 / O-665661
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Black Diamond Express
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Audrey
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 368th Bomb Squadron 544th Bomb Squadron
![Corporal Murray S. Pearl, of the 303rd Bomb Group, with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24565) nicknamed "Idaho Potato Peeler". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 28 Jan 1943. [stamp] and ‘245656.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Cpl. Murray S. Pearl, serving with the U.S.A.A.F in a bomber squadron, appreciates the heavy fur-lined jerkin issued to him, for, in private life, he was a fur manufacturer at 222 West 28th Stre](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378885.jpg.webp?itok=m0UvJZd-)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Ramblin' Wreck : Idaho Potato Peeler
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Bad Check
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 2-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeeman.
Lee Cunningham 2-Jul-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims on German fighters to statistics for Saarlautern per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 2-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to Wiesbaden statistics per "The Mighty Eight War Diary", Roger A.Freeman
Lee Cunningham 2-Jul-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to tstatisitcs for the element attacking Frankfurt City (51) A/C per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 2-Jul-2015. Correecting statistics on Frankfurt (Primary) attack per "the Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 2-Jul-2015. Added Bomber gunner claims to the B-14 Diversion element statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", 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'.
