VIII Bomber Command 58

17 May 1943

Description

VIII Bomber Command launches another operation against German U-Boat facilities with three elements. The first element is a formation of 100 B-17s despatched from: 91BG (24); 92BG (10); 303BG (21); 305BG (21) and 306BG (24) to attack the German U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. All but the 92BG have attacked this target many times in the past. Heavy fighter resistance is anticipated and those Groups with the most combat experience will lead the attack. 80 of the 100 despatched are effective on the target. The Bomber gunners claim 27-6-16 on the attacking fighters. 

The second element is a force of 59 B-17s despathced from 94BG (21); 95BG (18) and 96BG (20) to attack the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. This force also encounters stiff Luftwaffe resistance, but only 2 B-17s are MIA. 38 of the 59 B-17s are effective on the target. The bomber gunners in this formation claim 20-2-13 on the attacking fighters. 

The third element is a force of 39 B-24s despatched from: 44BG (21); and 93BG (18) to attack the U-Boat pens at Bordeaux, France. This is the first attack on the U-Boat pens there. The formation approaches at low level across the Atlantic but uses every effort to climb to the 22,000 foot altitude to make the attack 23 minutes later than the attacks on Lorient. The first two elements have drawn most of the German fighter resources so resistance is light. 34 of the 39 aircraft despatched are effective on the target. No aircraft are lost to enemy aircraft, but one has engine trouble on the inbound route and crashlands at Gijon, Spain. The bomber gunners only claim 1 German aircraft as a "Probably destroyed." 

The last operation is a completely separate operation against the power stations at Ijmuiden and Haarlem, Holland by 11 B-26s despatched from 322BG. This is basically a repeat of the operation flown by this Group on 14-May-43, but the Germans are ready for this one. 1 B-26 aborts and the other 10 head for the targets, but fighter opposition and especially AA fire down the remaining 10. A complete disaster, so bad in fact that the 8th Air Force never mounts another attack using the B-26. The resources will be given over to the 9th Air Force in October 1943 and used against tactical targets and support of ground forces following D-Day. 

The planners are rapidly learning that there is much merit in the axiom of "divide and conquer."

Mission Details

Description: PORT AREA - U-BOAT PENS

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator

Notes: B-24 from 44th Bomb Group crash-landed at Gijon, Spain, 10 Returned To Duty (RTD).

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 85.50
  • People wounded in action: 2
  • People returned to duty: 10
  • Aircraft sent: 39
  • Aircraft effective: 34
  • Aircraft missing in action: 2
  • Aircraft damaged: 1

Description: VELSEN POWER STATION

Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder

Notes: 11 B-26s of the 322nd Bomb Group are despatched on a low-level attack on power stations at Haarlem and Ijmuiden. One B-26 aborts and the other 10 are shot down before they reach the target. One of the Missing in Action (MIA)s is Lt. Col Robert M. Stillman, Commanding Officer of the 322th Bomb Group. He is wounded and captured becoming a POW. The lead B-26 is shot down by AA fire and two others suffered a mid-air collision. The explosion from the two that collided brought down another. One B-26 went down in the sea, 4 Killed in Action (KIA) and two rescued two days later by a British destroyer. This mission prompts 8th Air Force to abandon low-level medium bomber attacks. No fighter escort on this mission.

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 34
  • People evaded: 24
  • People returned to duty: 2
  • Aircraft sent: 11
  • Aircraft missing in action: 10

Description: PORT AREA- SHIPPING

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: One battle damaged B-17 from 95th Bomb Group crash-lands at RAF Exeter.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 92.00
  • People killed in action: 3
  • People wounded in action: 1
  • People evaded: 7
  • Prisoners of war: 7
  • People returned to duty: 10
  • Aircraft sent: 59
  • Aircraft effective: 38
  • Aircraft missing in action: 2
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1

Description: U-BOAT PENS

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 305th Bomb Group B-17 loses one down at sea, 5 RTD, 5Missing in Action (MIA) and 3 to AA and enemy aircraft.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 199.00
  • People killed in action: 23
  • People wounded in action: 3
  • People evaded: 1
  • Prisoners of war: 15
  • People returned to duty: 3
  • Aircraft sent: 100
  • Aircraft effective: 80
  • Aircraft missing in action: 4

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 322nd Bomb Group 452nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14058852
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18101835
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11043730
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Photographer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 364th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36321105
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 322nd Bomb Group 452nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19016978
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yo' Brother
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Louise
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Mason's Morons, Shangri-La Lil
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Boot Hill
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 338th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Winsome Winn II
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorMags
Changes
Sources

303rd BG Web Page

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 3-Jan-2014. Correction of typo in description.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 3-Jan-2015. Description based on "USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop and "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.

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'.