VIII Bomber Command 20
17 November 1942Official 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
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33067284
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 1st Bomb Division 303rd Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: O-021505
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Assistant Chief of Staff; Director of Operations; CO
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 91st Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 401st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35160784, O-661530
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-435877
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Revisions
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.
Lee Cunningham 2-Nov-2014. Corrected place association for 93 BG.
Lee Cunningham 2-Nov-2014. Description based on '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'.