VIII Bomber Command 75
24 July 1943
(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
Three targets in Norway are the primary targets for this first mission flown by 8th AIr Force to Norway. They are the nitrate works at Heroya and the port areas at Trondheim and Bergen. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (22); 92BG (15); 303BG (20); 305BG (19); 306BG (21); 351BG (21); 381BG (21); and 384BG (20). 167 of these aircraft are effective on the target. 92BG compliment included 1 YB-40 gunship. Fighter resistance is light and the bomber gunners claim 9-2-0 of the attacking fighters. 1 battle damaged B-17 form 381BG makes a forced landing at Vannacka, Sweden. All 10 crewmen and the aircraft are interned in Sweden. This is the first aircarft and crew to be interned in Sweden.
The second element is a combined force of 45 B-17s from: 95BG (21) and 100BG (24) despatched to bomb the port area at Trondheim, Norway. 41 of these aircraft are effective on the target. 1 battle damaged B-17 from 100BG makes a crash landing at Fraserburg Airfield, UK. All crew OK, but aircraft is considered to be Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) (Category E loss). The bomber gunners claim 4-2-3 of attacking enemy aircraft.
The third element is a combined force of 84 B-17s from : 94BG (21); 96BG (21); 385BG (21); and 388BG (21) were despatched to bomb the port area at Bergen, Norway. None of this force was able to bomb because the target was totally obscured by cloud cover. All returned to England with their bomb loads.
Mission Details
Description: PORT AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Target obscured by cloud cover.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: None
- People returned to duty: 10
- Aircraft sent: 84
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 2
Description: NITRATE WORKS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: This is the longest mission yet flown by the 8th Air Force (1,900 miles round trip) and the first to Norway. No fighter escort. Despatch from 92nd Bomb Group included one YB-40.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 1657 X 500GP
- People killed in action: 1
- People wounded in action: 3
- People interned: 9
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 9
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 2
- Aircraft sent: 180
- Aircraft effective: 167
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 53
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Description: PORT AREA The target was briefed to members of the 95th BG as the heavy water plant at Rjukan Norway
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: All of these aircraft were equipped with long-range tanks and flew at low altitude until just off the Norway coast to conserve fuel.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 324 X 500GP
- People wounded in action: 3
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 4
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 2
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 3
- Aircraft sent: 45
- Aircraft effective: 41
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 9
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: 100th Bomb Group 418th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-731272
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Navigator
![Staff Sergeant Donald W. Crossley, a tail gunner of the 95th Bomb Group in position inside a B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp] Handwritten caption on reverse: '21/9/43.' A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse of print, this has been lost, however considering the publication date, press agency and subject matter this was likely to have read: 'AWARDS TO THE HIGH-SCORING GUNNER. The Distinguished Flying Cross and an oak leaf cluster- the equivalent](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379270.jpg.webp?itok=7S4HAZqB)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15107390
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39184316
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11055383
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-734654
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Coup de Grace
- 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
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lucifer Jr
- Unit: 509th Bomb Squadron 351st Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Argonaut : Vox Pop II
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Invader
Revisions
Ian L Hawkins (2005). B17s Over Berlin. Washington DC: Potomac. pp100.
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to statistics of Trondheim element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to statistics of Heroya element per "The Mighty EIghth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
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'.