VIII Bomber Command 73

14 July 1943
media-25220.jpeg UPL 25220 Lt. Carroll Dayle Briscoe (306thBG, 369thSq) flying the "Carroll Jun," named after his daughter who was born in the middle of his tour.

My grandfather is pictured in this plane, and it was named after my mother.

Object Number - UPL 25220 - Lt. Carroll Dayle Briscoe (306thBG, 369thSq) flying the "Carroll Jun," named after his daughter who was born in the middle of his tour.

Description

The German air depot at Villacoublay, France and the German airfields Amiens/Glisy and Le Bourget at Paris, France are the primary targets for this mission. These attacks are made by three separate elements: 116 B-17s are despatched from 92BG (15); 303BG (19); 305BG (20); 306BG (24); 379BG (20); and 384BG (18). 101 aircraft of this element are effective on the target. 1 B-17 from 303BG was ditched 30 miles off Shoreham and the entire crew was rescued by ASR; 1 B-17 from 305BG was shot down by enemy aircraft - 7KIA 4POW; and one B-17 from 384BG was shot down by enemy aircraft - 4POW 6EVD (No MACR issued). This formation included 5 YB-40 gunships from 92BG and did not receive fighter escort. The bomber gunners of this element claim 15-7-16 of attacking enemy aircraft. 

The second element was a combined force of 64 B-17s from 91BG (20); 351BG (20); and 381BG (24) despatched to bomb the German airfield Amiens/Glisy. 53 of these aircraft were effective on the target. 1 B-17 from 381BG exploded during assembly - 6KIA 4RTD; 3 other B-17s were Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) but all the crews were RTD. The bomber gunners of this element claim 9-0-2 of attacking enemy aircraft. German fighters conducted mainly head-on attacks on the bomber stream. This element received fighter escort. 

The third element was a combined force of 84 B-17s from 94BG (19); 95BG (22); 96BG (21); and 100BG (22) despatched to bomb the airfield of Le Bourget at Paris, France. 52 aircraft of this element were effective on the target. 94BG sustains the significant loss of 4 B-17s - 11KIA 14POW 16EVD. The bomber gunners have a field day against the Luftwaffe, claiming 41-27-32 of the attacking enemy aircraft. This element did not have fighter escort.

Mission Details

Description: AIRFIELD

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 381st Bomb Group had the Missing in Action (MIA), it exploded during assembly. 351st Bomb Group had a Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) crash-landing in southern England, but could not confirm tail number. This element received fighter escort.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 82.95
  • People killed in action: 16
  • People wounded in action: 3
  • Prisoners of war: 4
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 9
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 2
  • Aircraft sent: 64
  • Aircraft effective: 53
  • Aircraft missing in action: 1
  • Aircraft damaged: 34

Description: AIRFIELD

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 122.85
  • People killed in action: 11
  • People wounded in action: 16
  • People evaded: 16
  • Prisoners of war: 14
  • People returned to duty: 10
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 41
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 27
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 32
  • Aircraft sent: 84
  • Aircraft effective: 52
  • Aircraft missing in action: 4
  • Aircraft damaged: 50

Description: 101 of 116 B-17s drop thier bombs on the AIR DEPOT at Villacoublay, France.

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: Despatch by 92nd Bomb Group includes 5 YB-40s.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 232.50
  • People killed in action: 8
  • People wounded in action: 3
  • People evaded: 7
  • Prisoners of war: 7
  • People returned to duty: 10
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 15
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 7
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 16
  • Aircraft sent: 116
  • Aircraft effective: 101
  • Aircraft missing in action: 3
  • Aircraft damaged: 67

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: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18065418 / O-665305
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-793334
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35356281
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flexible Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-735958
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
ten men in Air Force uniform posed in front of an airplane.  Five men standing to the rear, three men kneeling in front.  Flying gear is laying in front of kneeling men
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-665313
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Widget
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Battle Wagon
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Sky Queen
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Liberty Belle
  • Unit: 2nd Strategic Air Depot 384th Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 337th Bomb Squadron 554th Bomb Squadron 803rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ruthless
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Date
ContributorMags
Changes
Sources

303rd BG Web Page

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims t on 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 on enemy aircraft to statistics on the Villacoublay element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

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

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-May-2015. Edited 3rd element Mission Description to include target, "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
ContributorTom
Changes
Sources

Associated aircraft 42-30301. B-17 Fortress at War, Roger Freeman 1977

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 73: Gallery (6 items)