VIII Bomber Command 27
30 December 1942Official Description
40 HBs hit submarine base at Lorient, which now shows cumulative effect of repeated bombardment.
Description
The U-Boat pens at Lorient, France are the target for this mission. A combined force of 77 B-17s are despatched by 91BG (19); 303BG (16); 305BG (13) and 306BG (18). Only 40 are effective on the target. All but 1 B-17 from the 18 despatched by 306BG is effective on the target, most returned to base before the mission start. 3 aircraft are MIA and 22 are damaged.
Mission Details
LORIENT/ KEROMAN (Primary)
Description: U-BOAT PENS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Only one aircraft from 306th Bomb Group reached the target, the other 17 returned to base before the mission start point. No fighter escort on this mission.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- 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: 79.60
- People killed in action: 32
- People wounded in action: 7
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 29
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 7
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 3
- Aircraft sent: 77
- Aircraft effective: 40
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged: 22
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 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-435845
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36324682
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-661439
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34235254
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Short Snorter
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Spook
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Memphis Tot
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Susfu
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Bad Check
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Air Force Combat Chronology
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 3-Dec-2014. Added Mission description based on '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'.