8 October 1943
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 388th Bomb Group fly over Nazi smoke screens. Printed caption on reverse: '73228 AC- The Nazis have released smoke screens in an effort to hide their railroad yards as Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" fly over the target at Bremen, Germany, prior to the release of the bombs. 8 October 1943.'
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group fly in formation after bombing the target area. Handwritten caption on reverse: '9/10/43.'
2nd Lt. Neal Lenti 1943 was shot down with his plane the Lucky Tiger, a B-24 D #63958, on 08 October 1943 over Vegesack/Bremerhaven.
Crew of the Lucky tiger, B-24D #63958, shot down over Germany 08 Oct 1943
John "Jack" Voehringer, c. 1942 Jack was cousin to my grandfather, John Schofield, who gave me this portrait years ago as I do a lot of family history. Jack never married nor had children, so it's an absolute honor to update his profile here and to add this wonderfully romantic picture of him. I'm assuming it was taken in the U.S. before he went to Thurleigh.
John "Jack" Voehringer, buried between his parents, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Greensboro, North Carolina
Place where 42-3436 crashed on October 14, 1943 - 13.45 h local time. Tail part in The Netherlands Nose part in Germany Missing - nose - Donald Paul Breeden/co-pilot Probably interred with Martin and/or Manley Source: George Kuhl - Wrong Place! Wrong Time! - page 149 KIA - nose - William James Martin/navigator - Harvey Arlie Manley/bombardier KIA - tail - Leonard Roy Henlin/left waist gunner - Robert G Wells /right waist gunner All others POW Krems /17b - Hosea Crawford - Dominic Lepore - Arthur Linrud - Benjamin Roberts Sagan/3 - Dennis McDarby
Exterminator (42-7470) at Wendling, England (image courtesy of www.b-24.net)
T/Sgt Charles E. Zschiesche
Crew of Exterminator
Not yet known
The shipyards and industrial areas of Bremen, Germany are the primary targets for this mission, but cloud cover causes some formations to bomb targets of opportunity. The attacking elements have been summarized below:
The first element is a combined force of 118 B-17s from: 91BG (16); 381BG (21); 351BG (19); 379BG (21); 384BG (21) and 303BG (20) dispatched to bomb the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. 105 aircraft are effective on various targets, 44 of these actually drop on Bremen. 9 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 33KIA 57POW. 2 other airmen in returning aircraft are KIA and 18 are Wounded in Action (WIA). 61 aircraft are damaged. The bomber gunners claim 42-2-28 of attacking German fighters. The 381BG is awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for their actions on this mission.
The second element is a combined force of 56 B-17s from: 305BG (17); 306BG (20); and 92BG (19). 53 aircraft are effective on targets; 33 of these bomb the industrial area of Bremen and 19 drop on Vegesack. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 12KIA 22POW 1DIC 1EVD. 44 aircraft are damaged. 1 other airman is KIA in returning aircraft and 12 are Wounded in Action (WIA). The bomber gunners in this element claim 24-7-17 of attacking German fighters.
The third element is a combined force of 170 B-17s from: 388BG (21); 94BG (21); 96BG (42); 385BG (22); 100BG (22); 390BG (21); and 95BG (21) dispatched to bomb any available target at Bremen, Germany. 156 aircraft are effective on some target with 97 of the 156 actually bombing Bremen, Germany. 14 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 54KIA 87POW 1EVD; 2 other aircraft are listed as returning so damaged as to be considered Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) one from 100BG (confirmed 1DOI 10RTD) and one from 95BG (actually repaired 10RTD); 110 aircraft are damaged. 21 airmen in returning aircraft are Wounded in Action (WIA). The bomber gunners in this element claim 84-12-33 of attacking German fighters.
NOTE: Bomber gunner claims on attacking German aircraft are most often exaggerated due to the pandemonium of the action experienced during the attacks. However, even so, the formations attacking at Bremen certainly gave the Luftwaffe a "bad day."
The fourth element was a combined force of 55 B-24s from: 389BG (18); 93BG (19); and 392BG (18) dispatched to bomb the U-Boat pens at Vegesack, Germany. 43 are effective on the target. 3 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 21KIA 9POW; 1 other airman in a returning aircraft was KIA and 5 were Wounded in Action (WIA). 21 aircraft were damaged. The bomber gunners in this element claim 17-1-7 of attacking German fighters.
INDUSTRIAL AREA
B-17 Flying Fortress
3 aircraft drop 12 X 500GP and 72 X 100 IB on Meppen, Germany as a Target of Opportunity.
Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...
Group
Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...
Group
The 92nd Group sometime after arrivial in the UK converted to the role of in-theater combat crew indocrination and training. For this role, the Group traded its B-17F complement and obtained the B-17E, mostly from the 97th BG which was departing for...
| Tonnage dropped | 81.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 56 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 53 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 3 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 44 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 13 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 12 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 27 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 24 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Fighter Command | 7 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Fighter Command | 17 |
SHIP YARDS
B-17 Flying Fortress
The 381st Bomb Group is awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (2nd of 2). Clouds hamper target acquisition. 19 aircraft drop 228 x 500GP on Vegesack as a Target of Opportunity, another 18 aircraft drop 676 x 100 IB on Oldenburg as a Target of Opportunity. First use by 8th Air Force of airborne transmitters (Carpet equipment) to jam Germany radar.
Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Group
The 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer...
Group
The 381st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Ridgewell, Essex between June 1943 and April 1945. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing shipyards at Bremen, whilst under heavy attack, on 8 October 1943 and...
Group
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by...
Group
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
| Tonnage dropped | 130.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 118 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 105 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 9 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 61 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 35 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 18 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 57 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 42 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 2 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 28 |
INDUSTRIAL AREA and BTO
B-17 Flying Fortress
2nd wave on Bremen and Targets of Opportunity.
Group
"The Bloody Hundredth", so-called because of a reputation for losing a high number aircraft and crews, flew B-17s from Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk. Their losses were not the highest of any Eighth Air Force Group but on several occasions the Group lost many...
Group
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
Group
The 390th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Framlingham, Suffolk, between July 1943 and the end of the war in Europe. The Group was engaged in strategic missions until the invasion of Europe when its role became more of a tactical one. This...
Group
Activated 15 June 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. Initial organization and training at Pendleton Field, Oregon on 29 June 1942. Primary flight training at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona from 28 Aug. 42 to 31 Oct. 42; then at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas...
Group
The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on 17 August...
Group
The 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945.
...
| Tonnage dropped | 233.25 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 170 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 156 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 14 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 110 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 54 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 21 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 87 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 20 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 84 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 12 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 33 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-24 Liberator
First mission for 93rd Bomb Group and 389th Bomb Group since their return from North Africa. No fighter escort.
Group
The 389th Bomb Group, known in more familiar terms as "the Sky Scorpions", flew strategic bombing missions in B-24 Liberators from Hethel, England. They also sent detachments to join bases in North Africa at Benghazi No. 10, Libya, between 3 July 1943...
Group
The 392nd Bomb Group flew B-24 Liberators out of Wendling, Norfolk from August 1943 until April 1945. They were the first Group allocated B-24H Liberators, the first B-24 series fitted with a nose turret on the production line. The adaptation increased...
Group
The 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1 Mar 42 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15 May 42. the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida, to continue advanced flight training and also to fly antisubmarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico. They...
| Tonnage dropped | 143.81 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 55 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 43 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 3 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 21 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 21 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 5 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 8 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 17 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 1 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 7 |
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Major
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
RWG, Pry crew. 381st BG, 532nd BS. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-30009 'Feather Merchant'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 1397. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft XVIIB.
POW
Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer | 381st Bomb Group
ETTG, Sample crew. 381st BG, 532nd BS. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29854 'Ole Flak Sack'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 1395. Killed in Action (KIA). The aircraft went out of control, started to spin and exploded....
Military | Captain | Command Pilot, Pilot, Mission | 100th Bomb Group
Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-5864 'Piccadilly Lily', Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
LWG, Manchester crew. 381st BG, 535th BS, 8th AF. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-29941 'Tarfu'. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 884. The aircraft was on fire and exploded, splitting in half at the ball turret. S/Sgt Berk was...
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 381st Bomb Group
Bombardier, Cormany crew. Member of the Manchester crew. 381st BG, 535th BS. Shot down 8 October 1943 in B-17 #42-30864. Mission #36 to the shipyards at Bremen, Germany. MACR 885. Killed in Action (KIA).
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 351st Bomb Group
Shot down 9 October 1943 in B-17 #4230876. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot; Commanding Officer | 100th Bomb Group
Career Officer in the USAF.
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Colonel
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 #42-30831 'Lazy Baby'. A/C landed in Switzerland, however, Lt. Bolin was ordered by the pilot to bail out and did so after getting the top turret gunner out of the A/C. He was captured by German soldiers but not before...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 422BS/305BG [JJ-O] Presque Is 22/9/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/9/42; transferred 547BS/384BG [SO-Y] Grafton Underwood 14/10/43; Missing in Action Ludwigshafen 7/1/44 with Walter Ernest Garner, Co-pilot: Philip Bern, Bombardier: James Daigle,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 31/12/42; Salina 7/1/43; Morrison 2/12/43; Homestead 14/2/43; Assigned 423BS/306BG [RD-D] Thurleigh 2/3/43; transferred 358BS/303BG [VK-K] Molesworth 30/7/43; 25m Missing in Action Oschersleben 26/1/44 with Jack Watson (RTD-alone),...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-G] Presque Is 27/11/42; Molesworth 13/12/42; Returned to the USA 2/7/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Arledge 22/11/44. IZA VAILABLE.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 15/2/43; Walker 27/2/43; Salina 10/3/43; Presque 5/4/43; Assigned 95BG SWEET 17 Framlingham17/4/43; transferred 338BS/96BG Grafton Underwood 18/4/43; Andrews Fd 13/5/43; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 533BS/381BG [VP-R] Ridgewell 14...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Production-block:
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 26/2/43; Casper 13/3/43; Tinker 10/4/43; Memphis 17/4/43; Presque 27/4/43; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-B] Ridgewell 4/5/43; in landing accident at base with Leo Jarvis 7/8/43; Missing in Action 1+m Bremen 8/10/43 with Art Sample,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 15/3/43; Smoky Hill 26/3/43; Dow Fd 12/4/43; Assigned 337BS/96BG Grafton Underwood 18/4/43 TARFU; Andrews Fd 13/5/43; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 535BS/381BG [MS-R] Ridgewell 15/7/43 TS TARFU; Missing in Action 15m Bremen 8/10/43...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 22/3/43; Cheyenne 31/3/43; Smoky Hill 5/4/43; Dow Fd 15/4/43; with Rich Jerger force landed Meeks Fd, Iceland 17/4/43; Assigned 545BS/384BG [JD-Y] Grafton Underwood 28/6/43; transferred 367BS/306BG [GY-X] Thurleigh 22/8/43. Missing in...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 25/3/43; Pueblo 8/4/43; Hobbs 6/5/43; Presque Is 21/5/43; Dow Fd 23/5/43; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-G] Ridgewell 25/5/43 with Leo Jarvis, Gene Mancinelli, Dick Riley, Bill Lockhart, Harry Seymore, Warren Heintz, Harry Strecher, Chas...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 1/4/43; Sioux City 13/4/43; Kearney 4/5/43; Bangor 20/4/43; Assigned 534BS/381BG as BATTLE WAGON but not to UK; transferred 546BS/384BG [BK-J] 29/5/43; Returned to the USA 13/7/43; 4100 BU Patterson 31/7/43; 4000 BU Patterson 5/12/43...
Crash site
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2018 17:54:38 | william henry | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Correct typos |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 January 2016 19:52:41 | Mags | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd BG Web Page |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 July 2015 17:59:17 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 3-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to the statistics of the Vegesack (B-24) element per "The Mighty EIghth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 July 2015 17:57:09 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 3-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to the 156 aircraft attacking Bremen City per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 July 2015 17:55:12 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 3-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to the statistics of the 105 aircraft attacking the Bremen shipyards per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 July 2015 17:53:12 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 3-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on German fighters to the statistics of the 53 aircraft attacking the Bremen industrial areas per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 July 2015 17:49:58 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 3-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 November 2014 11:45:44 | Emily | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:16 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| 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'. |
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