VIII Bomber Command 80

30 July 1943
A Dutch soldier surveys the wreckage of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 381st Bomb Group that has crashed near Apeldoorn. First Handwritten caption on reverse: '381BG, 30/7/43 by Fighters.' Second Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-3100, 381 BG, 532 BS. 3 KM SE of Apeldoorn, 30-7-43 10:45 Hrs. RNAF' media-380066.jpg FRE 1269 A Dutch soldier surveys the wreckage of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 381st Bomb Group that has crashed near Apeldoorn. First Handwritten caption on reverse: '381BG, 30/7/43 by Fighters.' Second Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-3100, 381 BG, 532 BS. 3 KM SE of Apeldoorn, 30-7-43 10:45 Hrs. RNAF' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 1269 - A Dutch soldier surveys the wreckage of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 381st Bomb Group that has crashed near Apeldoorn. First Handwritten caption on...

Description

The aircraft factories at Kassel, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. The mission is flown by two elements of B-17s which attack 15 minutes apart. The firts element is a combined force of 119 B-17s from: 91BG (20); 303BG (23); 351BG (21); 379BG (24); 381BG (18); and 384BG (13) despatched to bomb the Bettinhuasen/Fieseler aircraft factory at Kassel, Germany. 94 of these aircraft are effective on the target. 6 B-17s Fail to Return (FTR)-21KIA 29POW 10RTD (Rescued by ASR) another 6 returned to England but were Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR)-11KIA 49RTD 10WIA. This element was escorted by P-47s. Fighter resistance is fierce, the bomber gunners of this element claim 40-7-29 on attacking enemy aircraft. 

The second element is a combined force of 67 B-17s from: 94BG (15); 95BG (6); 96BG (10); 100BG (17); 385BG (7); and 388BG (12) are despatched to bomb the Waldau/Fiesler aricraft factory at Kassel, Germany. 37 aircraft are effective on the target. 6 B-17s Failed to Return (FTR)-10KIA 34POW 1DIC 1EVD 9RTD (Rescued by ASR). This element is also escorted by P-47s. The fighter resistance is not as great against this element as they are attacking 15 miuntes behind the first element. The Bomber Gunners claim 8-6-3 of the attacking fighters.

Mission Details

Description: BETTERNHAUSEN FIESELER AIRCRAFT WORKS

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 107 P-47s with belly tanks escort this mission.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 217.25
  • People killed in action: 42
  • People wounded in action: 10
  • Prisoners of war: 29
  • People returned to duty: 59
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 40
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 7
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 29
  • Aircraft sent: 119
  • Aircraft effective: 94
  • Aircraft missing in action: 6
  • Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 6
  • Aircraft damaged: 64

Description: WALDAU FIESELER AIRCRAFT WORKS

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 1 B-17 from 94th Bomb Group and two B-17s from 100th Bomb Group drop 16 X 250 IB and 20 X 500GP on Targets of Opportunity 37 aircraft hit the primary.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 83.25
  • People killed in action: 10
  • People wounded in action: 3
  • People evaded: 1
  • Prisoners of war: 34
  • People returned to duty: 15
  • Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 8
  • Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 6
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 3
  • Aircraft sent: 67
  • Aircraft effective: 40
  • Aircraft missing in action: 6
  • Aircraft damaged: 18

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: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16051745
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
Captain Dick and Ralph Jarrendt of the 388th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Capt Dick & Ralph Jarrendt.'
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-731474
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-675567
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35384110
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Aircraft

42-29850
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Gremlin's Castle
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Argonaut III
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Snoozin Susan
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
42-29925 "The Duchess" 351st BG, 510th BS
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The Duchess
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Wabbit Twacks : Homesick Sal
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
Contributoracbernstein1
Changes
Date
ContributorARowe95
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Sources

ARowe95

Date
ContributorMags
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Sources

303rd BG Web Page

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 11-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to the Waldau element statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 11-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims against enemy aircraft to the Bettenhausen element statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 11-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
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Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary.

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 80: Gallery (3 items)