VIII Bomber Command 83
16 August 1943
BACK L-R: Robert Kilmer (CP), John Barkley (N), Donald Ogilvie (P), William Wilson (B).
FRONT L-R: Francis Sylvia (FG), Emmett Hood (TT), Louis Ratkiewicz (TG), William Martin (FG), James Murray (RO), James McKeon (BT)
Object Number - UPL 65989 - 384th Bomb Group Lead Crews / 28 July 1943/Kassel. BACK L-R: Robert Kilmer (CP), John Barkley (N), Donald Ogilvie (P), William Wilson (B). FRONT...
Description
This mission consists of two elements of B-17s despatched to bomb the German airfields of Le Bourget (Paris), Poix and Abbeville, France. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (21); 92BG (17); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (20); 351BG (21); 379BG (21); 381BG (20); and 384BG (20) are despatched to bomb at Paris/Le Bourget. 171 B-17s are effective on the target and the formations had fighter escort by P-47s to and from the target. 4 B-17s Failed to Return (FTR), and 46 are damaged. Casualties are: 6KIA 17POW 6WIA 8EVD. The bomber gunners claim 29-3-11 of attacking enemy aircraft.
The second element is a combined formation of 66 B-17s from: 94BG (21); 96BG (24) and 388BG (21) despatched to bomb tw German airfields: one a Poix, France and the other at Abbeville, France. All 66 aircraft are effective but divide their bombs between Poix (65) and Abbeville (64). There are no losses or claims in this formation, although 36 aircraft sustain damage.
Mission Details
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 92nd Bomb Group despatch includes1 YB-40 gunship. This is the last use of the YB-40.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 397.35
- People killed in action: 6
- People wounded in action: 6
- People evaded: 8
- Prisoners of war: 17
- People returned to duty: 10
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 29
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 3
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 11
- Aircraft sent: 179
- Aircraft effective: 171
- Aircraft missing in action: 4
- Aircraft damaged: 46
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Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: These aircraft dropped half their load on Poix Air Field and the other half on Abbeville Ai Field
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 8.95
- Aircraft sent: 66
- Aircraft effective: 66
- Aircraft damaged: 38
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: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-794117
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-734654
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier
![Sergeant Fred Dioquardo of the 303rd Bomb Group stokes the stove inside a hut. Image stamped on reverse: ''Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 28 Jan 1943.' [stamp], '245666.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Stoking the stove in an American Army Air Force hut somewhere in England. Sergeant Fred Dioquardo, of Bayport, Long Island, asked the photographer to send this message back to his parents and fiance Miss H Sherwood , Maple Ave, Long Island: "I will be home when I](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378811.jpg.webp?itok=kZtxwdDu)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 7071292
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- 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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Shady lady
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Linda Ball
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Judy B
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 524th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Flap Raiser aka The Venus
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Speed Ball
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 511th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 17-May-2015. Added WIA count to Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman (cites 4WIA); and the 303BG Mission Report (cites 2 WIA) http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/059.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-May-2015. Corrected EVD statistic and added bomber gunner claims to Le Bouget element statisitics per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Roger A, Freeman. Corrected WIA statistic per 303BG Mission Report: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/059.pdf
Lee Cunningham 17-May-2015. Added the 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'.