VIII Bomber Command 30
23 January 1943
http://www.303rdbg.com/news/2012-07-15.html (The Molesworth Pilot 303rd Bomb Group Newsletter); story by Dawn Furbush
Object Number - UPL 49623 - Jerry Dobbins
Description
The port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France are the primary target for this mission. 305th Bombardment Group is selected as the lead group, but condensation on the bombsight of the lead aircraft in the Group prevents the 305BG from bombing Lorient and they divert to the secondary target of the U-Boat pens at Brest, France. 305BG despatches 22 B-17s and 18 are effective on Brest, France. The remainder of the force despatched to Lorient is comprised of 17 B-17s from 306BG; 13 B-17s from 91BG and 21 B-17s from 303BG. One of the B-17s from 303BG joins th 305BG attack on Brest. A total of 35 B-17s are effecrtive on the target at Lorient, France. 5 aircraft MIA, 2 Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR).
Also, the 44th Bomb Group despatches 17 B-24s to fly a diversion for the force attacking Lorient, France.
Mission Details
Description: DIVERSION
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 17
BREST (Secondary)
Description: U-BOAT PENS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 305th Bomb Group was lead group on the attack to Lorient, but bombed the secondary target at Brest because condensation on the bombsight of the lead aircraft the Group could not hit the primary at Lorient. One of the bombs dropped on Brest pierced the tunnel joining the arsenal to the port. One B-17 from 303rd Bomb Group also bombed Brest.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 45.25
- People wounded in action: 2
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 1
- Aircraft sent: 22
- Aircraft effective: 19
LORIENT/ KEROMAN (Primary)
Description: U-BOAT PENS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 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
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 86.00
- People killed in action: 31
- People wounded in action: 24
- People evaded: 1
- Prisoners of war: 10
- People died in captivity: 1
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 7
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 7
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 4
- Aircraft sent: 51
- Aircraft effective: 35
- Aircraft missing in action: 5
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 2
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 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18058489
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15068650
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39171219
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-379237
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- 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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Taurus; Sad Sack
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Spook
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
![Sergeant Peter Soria of the 303rd Bomb Group swings the propellor of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24567) nicknamed "Beats Me!?". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.’ [stamp], ‘Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942. [stamp] and ‘238766.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Naturally most U.S. boys in Britain wish they were back home and Sergt. Peter Soria of the U.S. Air Corps is no exception. He sends a message to that effect to his home at 172 and Hoyne Aven](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378931.jpg.webp?itok=VX83NyM9)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Beats Me
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th 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: Thumper
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on Lorient per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on Brest per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 20-Dec-2014. Descritpion based on "The Migthy 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'.
