Description

The primary targets for this mission are the port facilities at Kiel, Germany and the Heinkel aircraft factories at Warnemunde, Germany. A combined force of 168 B-17s from: 91BG (18); 92BG (14 these included 1 Y-B40 gunship); 305BG (19); 306BG (18); 351BG (19); 381BG (24); 303BG (20); 379BG (19); and 384BG (17) are dispatcher to Kiel, Germany. 95 were able to bomb the target at Kiel, but 44 others (303BG; 379BG and 384BG) encountered cloud cover and smoke over the target and they ended up attacking targets of last resort. Also this formation dropped 767,000 leaflets over the city. A total of 4 B-17s from the groups that attacked Kiel Failed to Return (FTR) - 21KIA 21POW 1DIC. Another 2 were Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) but these crews all were RTD. The bomber gunners in this formation claimed 33-2-29 of the attacking enemy aircraft; another 2 B-17s from the groups that were forced to divert to other targets Failed to Return (FTR) - 4KIA 16POW. The bomber gunners in this formation claimed 13-4-4 of the attacking enemy aircraft. 

A second element of a combined force of 81 B-17s from: 94BG (15); 95BG (8); 96BG (11); 100BG (21); 385BG (16); 388BG (10). 54 of these were effective on the target. 4 B-17s of this formation Failed to Return (FTR) - 21KIA 10POW 10RTD (Rescued by ASR). Fighter resistance against this group was light. The bomber gunners claimed 0-2-0 of attacking fighters.