VIII Bomber Command 20

17 November 1942

Official Description

35 HBs pound U-boat pens at Saint-Nazaire with 102 tons of bombs.

Description

The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the Primary (P) target for a combined force of 49 B-17s despatched from 91BG (20), 303BG (16) and 306BG (13). Another element of 14 B-24s despatched from 93BG also joins the bombing force on St. Nazaire. The 303BG made a navigational error and was not able to find the target, so their 16 B-17s were not able to bomb. The German airfield of Maupertus at Cherbourg, France was the Primary (P) target for 6 B-24s despatched from 44BG, but the target was totally obscured by clouds, so they could not bomb. In other action, 10 B-17 despatched from 305BG fly a diversion for this St. Nazaire bombing element. This was 305BG's first mission.

Mission Details

Description: DIVERSION

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: Diversion for St. Nazaire raid.

Mission Statistics

  • Aircraft sent: 10
  • Aircraft effective: 10

CHERBOURG/ MAUPERTUS (Primary)

Description: AIRFIELD

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator

Notes: Target obscured by 10/10 cloud cover.

Mission Statistics

  • Aircraft sent: 6

SAINT- NAZAIRE (Primary)

Description: U-BOAT PENS

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: The 303rd Bomb Group and 305th Bomb Group fly their first mission. 303rd Bomb Group was unable to find the target so none of their 16 B-17s were able to bomb. There is no fighter escort for this mission.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 57.50
  • People killed in action: 1
  • People wounded in action: 3
  • People returned to duty: 9
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 6
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 8
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 2
  • Aircraft sent: 49
  • Aircraft effective: 23
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
  • Aircraft damaged: 9

SAINT-NAZAIRE (Primary)

Description: U-BOAT PENS

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 36.00
  • Aircraft sent: 14
  • Aircraft effective: 12
  • Aircraft damaged: 7

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

Emmett W Ford

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-726139
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Jacob Wayne Fredericks

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 3rd Bomb Division 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-430990
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
Sergeant Bernard Aleys Gergash, of the 303rd Bomb Group, fills a water bucket. Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238749.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: '32a. Filling the bucket is Sgt. Bernard Aleys Gergash, of 1025 Union Ave., Chicago Heights. Aged 24, he worked as a radio operator with the C.A.A.'

Bernard A Gergash

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36302819
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Frank W Greene

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36306227
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner, GC

Charles R Grice

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-728203
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

41-24602

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yardbird II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Ground personnel of the 303rd Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "The Green Hornet". Passed for publication 25 Jan 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'How The Boys Live And Work At Flying Fortress Station In England. Wide World Photo Shows:- Ground crew of "The Green Hornet". Left to right, Cpl. William E. Bowers, Route 1, Elkhart, Ind.; M/Sgt. Joseph R. Dufresne, 30 Lathrop Street, South Hadley Falls, Mass.; M/Sgt. Fletcher Hecton, 518 Twentyfirst Street, Denver, Col.; Sgt. Richard Borgl

41-24603

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Green Hornet
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortresses, including (VK-H, serial number 41-24606) nicknamed "Werewolf", of the 303rd Bomb Group. On reverse: US Army Examiner [Stamp].

41-24606

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Werewolf
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 401st Bomb Group 91st Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Lieutenant Fort W. Lipe of the 303rd Bomb Group, signals 'V for Victory' from the cockpit of his B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-T, serial number 41-24610 ) nicknamed "Joe Btfsplk II". Passed for publication 16 Dec 1942. Printed caption on reverse: 'Lt. Fort W. Lipe, of the Air Corps, of Irving, Illinois was with the Owens-Illinois Glass Co. He is 23 and is engaged to Miss Edith Kesinger, of 314 North-St., Normal, Illinois. His greeting is silent, optimistic and emphatic. As O.P.S. he sends it in the V sign.' On

41-24610

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Joe Btfsplk II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

41-24620

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Snap! Crackle! Pop!
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Air Force Combat Chronology

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on 19BG,303BG,306BG St Nazaire per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Nov-2014. Aulenbach association.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Nov-2014. Corrected place association for 93 BG.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-Nov-2014. Description based on 'Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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'.