VIII Bomber Command 72

10 July 1943
media-23266.jpeg UPL 23266 Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel and crew. 364th Squadron, 305th BG. Assembled June 18, 1943 in front of their B-17 #42-29633, nicknamed "SpitzFire"
(Personnel noted Back Row Left - Right; Front Row L-R)

Ds 6/30/2018

Object Number - UPL 23266 - Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel and crew. 364th Squadron, 305th BG. Assembled June 18, 1943 in front of their B-17 #42-29633, nicknamed...

Description

German airfields at Caen, Abbeville, and Le Bourget at Paris, France are the primary targets for this mission. 112 B-17s form a combined force from 91BG; 92BG; 305BG; 306BG; 351BG and 381BG to bomb the German airfield (Carpiquet) at Caen, France. Cloud cover and poor weather frustrates the bombing attempts. Only 34 aircraft are effective on this target. 91BG; 351BG; and 381BG are unable to bomb. The 14 aircraft contingent from 92BG includes 5 YB-40 gunships as escorts within the bomber formation. 2 of these abort. Only 1 B-17 from 91BG is lost from this element - 8KIA 2POW. The bomber gunners claim 17-7-6 of attacking enemy aircraft. 

A combined force of 64 B-17s from 303BG; 379BG and 384BG are despatched to bomb the German airfield at Abbeville, France. Only 36 aircraft from this element are effective on the target, but there are no aircraft losses. 4 aircraft are damaged. 

The third element of this mission is flown by a combined force of 101 B-17s despatched from 94BG; 95BG; 96BG and 100BG. Cloud cover and poor weather cause this element to be recalled over France. None of the aircraft despatched were able to bomb. 2 aircraft are lost: 1 from 95BG - 6KIA 2POW 2EVD; and 100BG - 8POW 2EVD. The bomber gunners of this element claim 24-8-7 of attacking enemy fighters. 

All elements receive some fighter escort by P-47s

Mission Details

Description: AIRFIELD

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 64.20
  • Aircraft sent: 64
  • Aircraft effective: 36

Description: AIRFIELD

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 92nd Bomb Group despatch includes 5 YB-40s are-assignedas escorts, but two abort. Their effectiveness is doubtful. None of the aircraft despatched by 91st Bomb Group, 351st Bomb Group or 381st Bomb Group were effective on the target due to cloud cover. Missing in Action (MIA) aircraft from 91st Bomb Group. All elements receive fighter escort.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 74.40
  • People killed in action: 8
  • People wounded in action: 1
  • Prisoners of war: 2
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 17
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 7
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 6
  • Aircraft sent: 121
  • Aircraft effective: 34
  • Aircraft missing in action: 1
  • Aircraft damaged: 33

Description: AIRFIELD

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: The one aircraft listed Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) (serial number 42-30305, 100th Bomb Group/349BS) to Paris actually crashed on take-off and crashed at Dickleburg, UK with 7 Killed and 3 Injured. This element abandoned the attack because of cloud cover. However, the bomber gunners claim a good toll on the Luftwaffe.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: None
  • People killed in action: 13
  • People evaded: 3
  • Prisoners of war: 11
  • People returned to duty: 3
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 24
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 8
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 7
  • Aircraft sent: 101
  • Aircraft missing in action: 2
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1

Connections

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

People

Ten men in Air Force uniform posed in two rows in front of an airplane. Five men standing to the rear and five men kneeling in front.  Some of the men are  wearing  cold weather flying gear.
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 0–672341
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37292132
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner / Assistant Radio Operator
Hollywood actor Clark Gable in the waist gun position of a a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 91st Bomb Group. Passed for publication 6 Jun 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'Clark Gable Serves In England: Clark Gable has slipped into this country as Capt. Gable and is serving with the U.S. Army Air Force somewhere in England, as a Gunnery Instructor. He hopes that his movements will not be accompanied by the publicity that he had a while ago, because he wants to get down to the job as others are doing. Keysto
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 351st Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 508th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19125741 at enlistment, then O-565390
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Cameraman, Gunner, Actor
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: T-60057
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
Black and white headshot of man in WWII era Air Force uniform
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-665681
  • Highest Rank: Flight Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Co-Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Snoozin Susan
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Buck-Shot
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Kentucky Babe aka Ain’t it Gruesome
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Speed Ball
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims of enemy aircraft to statistics of Le Bourget/Paris element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to statistics of Caen element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-May-2015. Added Mission description based on "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'.

VIII Bomber Command 72: Gallery (3 items)