VIII Bomber Command 191
24 January 1944
Witnesses on board swear he flew through the air still in his seat and hanging on to Browning gun handles !!
USAAF Photo.
Object Number - UPL 17089 - B-17 42-39867 'Hang the Expense II' sustained Flak damage on a mission to Frankfurt on 24th Jan 1944. A 88mm Flak shell exploded nearby causing the...
Description
The primary target of this mission was the Zukunft power station at Eschweilier, Germany. The mision was composed of 563 bombers three elements from 1BD, 2BD and 3BD. The despatch from 2BD was recalled due to weather before it could take off. Mission summary as follows:
3rd Bomb Division: 272 B-17s were despatched from: 94BG; 95BG; 96BG; 100BG, 388BG, 390BG and 447BG. Weather hampered bombing and only 56 of this formation were effective on the target. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 5 KIA, 12 POW, 3 EVD. 1 aircraft crashed on takeoff - 1 KIA 9 RTD. 1 airman was KIA in a returning aircraft. The bomber gunners claimed 1-0-3 of attacking German aircraft.
2nd Bomb Division - element recalled before takeoff.
3rd Bomb Division: 291 B-17s are despatched from: 91BG; 351BG; and 381BG. 1 aircraft was Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in a crash landing at Ickelton Abby, UK - 4 KIA, 6 RTD. There were no other losses or claims.
Mission Details
Description: ZUKUNFT POWER STATION
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: All groups in this element were recalled, but 56 managed to bomb the power station.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- People killed in action: 10
- People evaded: 3
- Prisoners of war: 12
- People returned to duty: 15
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 1
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 3
- Aircraft sent: 272
- Aircraft effective: 56
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 2
Eschweiler, Germany
Description: ZUKUNFT POWER STATION
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: A combined force of B-17s and B-24s were despatched to bomb industrial targets around Frankfurt. However, weather frustrated form-up and only 563 of the force were despatched. Eventually all groups were recalled. Only two aircraft from this element managed to drop bombs on the power station.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 143.00
- Aircraft sent: 291
- Aircraft effective: 2
- Aircraft damaged: 5
Frankfurt, Germany
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: All the B-24s were recalled before leaving the ground.
- 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
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: 37187168
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15382852
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12159739
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-747209
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14142726
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Mr Five by Five
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 94th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wolf Pack
- Unit: 94th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Queen Jeanie : Damn Yankee II
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 306th Bomb Group 368th Bomb Squadron 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Situation Normal
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Gorgeous Hussy : Circe : All American
- Unit: 94th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 410th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Corrected a typo in the "Detailed description" - “due” was misspelled.
Lee Cunningham 12-Jan-2016. Corrected aircraft associations of FTRs and DBRs per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
Lee Cunningham 12-Jan-2016. Added bomber gunner claims to statistics of 3BD element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 12-Jan-2016. Added Mission Narrative 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'.