VIII Bomber Command 41

8 March 1943
media-36982.jpeg UPL 36982 Wreck of the B-24D, Thar She Blows, 41-23658. 8 Mar 43. The plane was on loan. Crew : Pilot Maj. William Cowart - CoPilot Lt. John Kemp - Navigator Lt. James Steeg - Bombardier Lt. Thomas Dick - Radio Operator TSgt John Carroll - Engineer Sgt. Gerard Sullivan - RWGunner SSgt. Merrill Demas - LWGunner SSgt. Lloyd Adelsberger - Top Turret Gunner Sgt. Raymond Wolf - Tail Gunner Sgt. Wilbert Clifford -

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23658 - Thar She Blows

Object Number - UPL 36982 - Wreck of the B-24D, Thar She Blows, 41-23658. 8 Mar 43. The plane was on loan. Crew : Pilot Maj. William Cowart - CoPilot Lt. John Kemp - ...

Description

The railroad marshalling yards at Rennes and Rouen, France are the primary targets for this mission. A formation comprised of 67 B-17s: 91BG (14); 303BG (19); 305BG (16) and 306BG (18) is despatched to bomb at Rennes. Conditions are good with no cloud cover or haze with visibility of ten miles. Flak over Rennes was slight and inaccurate, being generally reported as low. All bursts were black, but one crew reported three high grey bursts. Spitfires of the 4th Fighter Group, along with RAF Squadrons, furnished excellent

escort from Guernsey to the French coast and again from St. Lo to the English coast. Enemy air opposition was moderate to intense, with approximately 35 fighters reported.

FW-190s and some ME-109s were observed from the French coast to the target and back

about ten miles out to sea. During this time there were enemy aircraft attacks from all

directions, but mostly from 11 to 1 o'clock, level or slightly below. Crews reported varied

colors on the FW-190s with yellow noses and silver-grey undersurfaces predominating. @-B-17 are MIA. Bomber gunners claim 14-1-5 on the attacking fighters.



16 B-24s are despatched to bomb the marshalling yards at Rouen, France. 44BG (10) and 93BG (6). The lead aircraft is shot down which resulted in a scattering of bomb drops. Flak is light and fighter opposition is moderate. 2 B-24s are MIA. Bomber gunnerr claim 14-3-3 on the attacking fighters.

Mission Details

RENNES (Primary)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: This mission is escorted by 25 Spitfires from 4th Fighter Group and others provided by RAF squadrons. This is the first time since 2-Oct-42 that fighters have been used specifically as escort for the bombers. Even though GEN Eaker was advised by the War Department on 24-Feb-43 to make bomber escort the primary priority for fighter units, he is still not convinced the bombers actually need such support having lost only 79 bombers in 2,647 sorties - and not all lost to enemy aircraft.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 134.75
  • People killed in action: 11
  • People wounded in action: 8
  • People evaded: 1
  • Prisoners of war: 8
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 14
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 1
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 5
  • Aircraft sent: 67
  • Aircraft effective: 54
  • Aircraft missing in action: 2
  • Aircraft damaged: 9

ROUEN (Primary)

Description: MARSHALLING YARDS

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator

Notes: The lead aircraft and one other is shot down by Luftwaffe fighters.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 39.00
  • People killed in action: 15
  • People evaded: 1
  • People returned to duty: 10
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 14
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 3
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 3
  • Aircraft sent: 16
  • Aircraft effective: 13
  • Aircraft missing in action: 2
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
  • Aircraft damaged: 3

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: 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.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36302819
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 67th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-727336
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14054504 / O-442691
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 487th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 13011194
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer; Top Turret Gunner; Observer

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 26-Dec-2014. Description based on: 303BG Mission Report; "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman and "USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop.

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'.

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