VIII Bomber Command 149
5 December 1943
Serial 42-40738, 566BS. Roger Freeman Collection
Associated mission and people on board B-24 42-40738 when this image was taken on 5 December 1943 as per Missing Air Crew Report
Object Number - FRE 7927 - A B-24 Liberator nicknamed "The Oklahoman", piloted by Lieutenant Mason of the 389th Bomb Group bursts into flame during a mission, 5 December 1943....
Description
This mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a combined force of 216 B-17 from 1st Bomb Division that included: 91BG (10); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (21); 351BG (35); 379BG (21); 381BG (30); 384BG (20); and 301BG (20) dispatched to bomb German airfields of La Rochelle-Laleu, St. Jean D'Angely, Ivry-Paris, Bois-Paris and D'Colombes, France. Weather and cloud cover totally disrupted this element and no aircraft were able to bomb. There are no losses or claims but one aircraft from 401BG crashed on take-off at Deenethorpe. 2INJ 8RTD. 1 other aircraft is damaged
The second element was a force of 92 B-24s of 2nd Bomb Division that included: 44BG (25); 93BG (24); 389BG (23); and 392BG (23) dispatched to bomb the German airfield at Cognac-Chateaubernard, France. Wethter and cloud cover frustrated this element also and only 2 B-24 from 389BG were able to drop on St. Nazaire as a target of opportunity. 1 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 9KIA 1POW; 2 airmen in returning aircraft were Wounded in Action (WIA) and 7 aircraft were damaged. There are no claims on enemy aircraft in this element.
The third element was a combined force of 236 B-17s from 3rd Bomb Division that included: 94BG (42); 95BG (24); 96BG (41); 100BG (22); 385BG (21); 388BG (46); and 390BG (40) dispatched to bomb the German air depot at Bordeaux, Merginac, France. Again, weather and cloud cover frustrated bombing attempts. Also, this element encountered fighter resistance. Only 1 aircraft from 96BG was able to bomb the target. 8 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 36KIA 5POW 1EVD 29RTD (Rescued by ASR). 4 airmen in returning aircraft are Wounded in Action (WIA). 1 aircraft is damaged. The bomber gunners in this element claim 21-5-5 of attacking German aircraft.
Mission Details
BORDEAUX/MERIGNAC (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Only one aircraft from 96th Bomb Group was able to bomb in the vicinity of the target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 0.25
- People killed in action: 38
- People wounded in action: 4
- People evaded: 1
- Prisoners of war: 5
- People interned: 10
- People returned to duty: 29
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 12
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 5
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 5
- Aircraft sent: 236
- Aircraft effective: 1
- Aircraft missing in action: 8
- Aircraft damaged: 19
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: 2 from 389th Bomb Group Hit St. Nazaire as a Target of Opportunity.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 4.00
- People killed in action: 9
- People wounded in action: 2
- People returned to duty: 1
- Aircraft sent: 96
- Aircraft effective: 96
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 7
LA ROCHELLE/LALEU (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Weather prevents any from hitting the target. One from 401st Bomb Group crashed on take-off in Deenethorpe. All OK, but bomb load exploded causing damage to the town.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 0.00
- People returned to duty: 10
- Aircraft sent: 216
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 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: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-733729
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 2nd Air Division 392nd Bomb Group 576th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20921265
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-676156
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-680764
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot; Pilot; Personal Equipment Officer
Aircraft
![A bomber crew of the 95th Bomb Group return to Horham following a raid in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31320) nicknamed "I'll Be Around". Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], '809571 [Censor no], 'Passed for publication 5 Mar 1944' [stamp] and 'USA(BRI)CCC' [ written annotation]. Printed caption on reverse: 'WRITE NEW CHAPTER IN BERLIN DIARY, FORTRESSES RAID GERMAN CAPITAL FOR FIRST TIME. Flying Fortresses battling their way through snow and a temperature of nearly "60 be](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379273.jpg.webp?itok=-vg9js87)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: I'll Be Around
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Snafu : Alabama Whirlwind
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 802nd Reconnaissance Group (SP) 94th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Miss Mac
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sequatchiee
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 570th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Patches : The Spotted Cow
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
Related media
- Media Type: Document
- Collection Name: Thomas C Stevens
- Object Number: Document 47012
- Description: 390th Bomb Group, 571st Bomb Squadron, CREW 70 . Personnel Log entry from my uncles journey ,
- Media Type: Document
- Object Number: Document 52934
- Description: 401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 3, 5 Dec 1943, Paris, France. Aircraft 42-39825 crashed on take-off into the village of Deenethorpe. It was believed a...
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 23-Jul-2015. Added target to Mission Narrative of 3BD per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 23-Jun-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to Bordeaux element statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 23-Jun-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "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'.