VIII Bomber Command 36

16 February 1943
B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group fly over countryside. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Feb 1943.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: '7-12 Liberator planes of U.S. Bomber Command in flight at the start of an operational patrol from their base "somewhere in England". And February 17th 1943 PN' media-379113.jpg FRE 677 B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group fly over countryside. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Feb 1943.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: '7-12 Liberator planes of U.S. Bomber Command in flight at the start of an operational patrol from their base "somewhere in England". And February 17th 1943 PN' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 677 - B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group fly over countryside. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Feb 1943.'...

Description

The port area and U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are designated as the primary target of this mission of 71 B-17s and 18 B-24s. B-17s are from 91BG (18); 303BG (15); 305BG (18); 306BG (20) of these 59 are effective on the target and 6 are lost. 91st BG reports that two of its B-17s are attacked by FW190s dropping what appear to be cluster bomb munitions just aft of the B-17s.



B-24s are from 44BG (12) and 93BG (6). Only 6 of the 12 despatched by 44BG are effective on the target and 2 are lost in a mid-air collision over the English Channel. None of the B-24s despatched by 93BG are aeffective on the target.

Mission Details

SAINT-NAZAIRE

Description: U-BOAT PENS

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: No fighter escort on this mission for any of the elements. One B-17 from 91st Bomb Group crashed on take-off - Crew OK, but bomber DBR. Luftwaffe uses time-fused fragmentation bombs dropped in clusters from FW-190 fighters.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 143.50
  • People killed in action: 33
  • People wounded in action: 7
  • People evaded: 7
  • Prisoners of war: 23
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 16
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 10
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 2
  • Aircraft sent: 71
  • Aircraft effective: 59
  • Aircraft missing in action: 6
  • Aircraft damaged: 28

SAINT-NAZAIRE

Description: U-BOAT PENS

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator

Notes: 2 B-24s from 44th Bomb Group sustain a mid-air collision over the English Channel near Selsey, England. None of the 6 B-24s of 93rd Bomb Group are effective at the target.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 16.50
  • People killed in action: 20
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 4
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 2
  • Aircraft sent: 18
  • Aircraft effective: 6
  • Aircraft missing in action: 2
  • Aircraft damaged: 2

Connections

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

People

Fred M Billings

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 66th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-411918
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Edward Albert Bradford

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13049248
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner

George V Bryan

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-663232
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Henry M Burman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-437929
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Arnold Robert Carlson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19067357 at enlistment, then O-727172
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Aircraft

Ground crew work of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "The Duchess". Passed for publication 20 Jan 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'Famous Fortresses. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Ground crewmen at work on the Fortress "Duchess", which has already been on 50 missions over enemy territory. They are (left to right, lower): Sgt. Clyde L. Dewald, of 200 E Union St., Schnykill Haven, Penn.; and Sgt. James C. Hicks, of Rowtob, Henderson, K.Y.; (Upper) Cpl. Charles

41-24561

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Duchess, Sure Stuff
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron

41-24562

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Sky Wolf
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (VK-D, serial number 41-24577) nicknamed "Hell's Angel" of the 358th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group in flight. Passed for publication 21 Aug 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Hell's Angel. L1721/29.' Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A Flying Fortress wearing the new recognition symbol of the U.S.A.A.F. and fitted with toughened glass "windows" in the air.' On reverse: The Aeroplane Ltd, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps

41-24577

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hell's Angels
  • Unit: 303rd 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

41-24611

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Boomerang
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to B-24 St. Nazaire event per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to B017 St. Nazaire event per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Dec-2014. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Associated media based on date of image.

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'.

VIII Bomber Command 36: Gallery (1 items)