VIII Bomber Command 15
21 October 1942
Object Number - UPL 23778
Official Description
VIII BC flies its first mission against submarine bases. 15 B-17’s hit U-boat pens at Lorient—Keroman. 8 HBs strike at Cherbourg/Maupertus A/F. The strike against the sub pens is flown at 17,500-ft level, 5,000 to 10,000 ft lower than usual. 36 FW-190’s intercept; 3 US bmrs are shot down.
Description
German U-Boat pens are Lorient, France are the Primary (P) targets for this mission along with the German airfield at Cherbourg, France. 93BG despatches 24-B-24s to Lorient, but cloud cover prevents them from bombing. The main attack force to Lorient is comprised of 64 B-17s despatched from 97BG (21), 301BG (25) and 306BG (20). 92BG despatches 17 B-17s to bomb the German airfield at Cherbourg, France.
Mission Details
CHERBOURG (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Weather frustrates bombing attempts.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 8.05
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 10
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 4
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 3
- Aircraft sent: 17
- Aircraft effective: 8
LORIENT/ KEROMAN (Primary)
Description: U-BOAT PENS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: The 301st Bomb Group and 306th Bomb Group were prevented from bombing because of clouds. This is the last combat mission for the 97th Bomb Group with the 8th Air Force. Of the 21 B-17s despatched by 97th Bomb Group only 15 were able to hit the target. The 97th Bomb Group have flown 14 missions in 247 sorties and dropped 395 tons of bombs. They reported 14 aircraft Missing in Action (MIA) while serving with 8th Air Force. The group is assigned to the 12th Air Force on 14-Sep-42 and flew with 12th Air Force for a year then was transferred to 15th Air Force in Nov-43 flying from bases in Italy.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
![Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379318.jpg.webp?itok=n7iztoxa)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force Twelfth Air Force Fifteenth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 30.00
- Aircraft sent: 65
- Aircraft effective: 15
- Aircraft missing in action: 3
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
LORIENT/ KEROMAN (Primary)
Description: U-BOAT PENS
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: 36 Luftwaffe Fw 190s attack the bomber force. There is no fighter escort. 8th Air Force bombing missions are suspended by LT GEN Eisenhower until OPERATION TORCH (invasion of North Africa) is begun on 7 Nov 1942.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: None
- Aircraft sent: 24
- Aircraft damaged: 6
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: 303rd Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13035538
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14030942
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 97th Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 414th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-427119
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34199059
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-442752
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Little Bill
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Dottie
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Francis X
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Johnny Reb II, Johnny Reb Jr
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on Cherbourg per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 28-Oct-2014. MIA Aircraft associations.
Lee Cunningham 27-Oct-2014. Mission description based on "Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. freeman and "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'.
