VIII Bomber Command 14
9 October 1942Official Description
B-24’s join air assault in first US mission in which more than 100 bmrs are dispatched from UK. The principal tgts are the steel and engineering works of the Compagnie de Fives at Lille and the locomotive and freight car works of Ateliers d’Hellemmes at Lille, which are attacked by 69 B-17’s and B-24’s. Other tgts attacked (by 10 HBs) are Courtrai/Wevelghem and Saint-Omer A/Fs and the city of Roubaix.
Description
Bombers are dispatched to bomb the steel and engineering works of the Compagnie de Fives at Lille, France and the locomotive and freight car works of Ateliers d'Hellemmes at Lille which are the Primary (P) targets. Other targets are Courtrai Airfield, Secondary target (S); Roubaix Airfield, Target of Opportunity (O) and Longuenesse Airfield at St. Omer, Target of Last Resort (L).
Mission Details
Description: DIVERSION
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Diversion for Lille raid.
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 7
COURTRAI (Secondary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: This is a secondary target for 306th Bomb Group
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 5.00
- Aircraft sent: 2
- Aircraft effective: 2
LILLE (Primary)
Description: COMPAGNIE DE FIVES STEEL WORKS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: The 306th Bomb Group, flying B-17s, flies its first mission. Largest formation despatched to date. Bomber gunner claims are displayed on this event for statistical purposes and represent the bundled total of all formations despatched on VIII BC Mission 14.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 123.00
- People killed in action: 12
- People wounded in action: 11
- People evaded: 2
- Prisoners of war: 1
- People returned to duty: 20
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 25
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 38
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 44
- Aircraft sent: 89
- Aircraft effective: 69
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 46
LILLE (Primary)
Description: COMPAGNIE DE FIVES STEEL WORKS
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: The 93rd Bomb Group, flying B-24s, flies its first mission. First 8th Air Force B-24 mission and loss.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 25.00
- People killed in action: 6
- People wounded in action: 2
- People evaded: 1
- Prisoners of war: 3
- Aircraft sent: 24
- Aircraft effective: 10
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
ROUBAIX (Opportunistic)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: This is a target of opportunity for 301th Bomb Group.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 2.50
- Aircraft sent: 2
- Aircraft effective: 2
SAINT OMER/ LONGEUNESSE (Last Resort)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: This is a target of last resort for the 92nd Bomb Group.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 12.00
- People killed in action: 5
- People evaded: 1
- Prisoners of war: 3
- Aircraft sent: 15
- Aircraft effective: 6
- 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: 301st Bomb Group 419th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16034372 at enlistment, then O-442744
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14063517
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34241096
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 330th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32174174
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Miss Nonalee II
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 548th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added bundled Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on Lille per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 25-Oct-2014. Mission description based on "USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop.
Lee Cunningham 25-Oct-2014. Description from 'USAAF Combat Chronology) Jack McKillop, http://www.usaaf.net/chron/42/oct42.htm
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'.