VIII Bomber Command 2

19 August 1942

Official Description

22 B-17’s drop 34 tons of bombs on Abbeville/Drucat airfield causing extensive damage. This mission is flown to occupy enemy fighters and prevent them from opposing an invasion by over 5,000 Allied troops, mostly Canadians, who raid Dieppe.

Description

Bombers from 97th Bombardment Group are despatched to bomb the German airfield Drucat at Abbeville, France. This mission is flown to occupy the Luftwaffe and to try to prevent them from opposing the invasion of Dieppe, France by over 5,000 allied troops (mostly Canadians). 97BG also despatches 6 B-17s to fly a diversion for the Abbeville raid.

Mission Details

Description: DIVERSION

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: 97th Bomb Group flies a diversion for Abbeville raid.

Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im

97th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Aircraft sent: 6
  • Aircraft effective: 6

Description: FIGHTER INTERCEPT

Aircraft Type: Spitfire

Notes: Scramble to intercept enemy aircraft reported off of Northern Ireland. No enemy aircraft were sighted. This is the first operation by VIII Fighter Command units under VIII Fighter Command operational control and the first operational sortie by 52nd Fighter Group. 2nd Lt. Samuel F. Junkin, 309FS/31FG (RAF), flying a Spitfire Mk V shoots down a German fighter. This is the first aerial victory by an 8AF pilot flying from the UK. VIII FC gains full control of 8AF fighter resources, until this date the VIII FC only had administrative control. It will not be until April 1943 that VIII FC will begin issuing its own Field Orders independent of RAF Fighter Command.

Mission Statistics

  • Aircraft sent: 4

ABBEVILLE/ DRUCAT

Description: AIRFIELD

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress

Notes: This mission is flown to occupy the Luftwaffe and to try to prevent them from opposing the invasion of Dieppe, France by over 5,000 allied troops (mostly Canadians).

Ground personnel of the 97th Bomb Group reservice a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9023) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle", following the raid on Rouen. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Aug 1942.' [stamp], 'Air=SER (Boeing).' [written annotation] and '216112.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'U.S FLYING FORTRESSES RAID ROUEN IN DAYLIGHT. Associated Press Photo Shows: No sooner had one of the huge Fortresses landed after the raid than ground crew im

97th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 37.53
  • Aircraft sent: 24
  • Aircraft effective: 22
  • Aircraft damaged: 3

ABBEVILLE/ DRUCAT

Description: FIGHTER SUPPORT. 11 missions are flown by 31st Fighter Group using Spitfires in support of the landings at Dieppe, France. 123 aircraft participate and 8 are MIA.

Aircraft Type: Spitfire

Notes: 2nd Lt. Samuel F. Junkin, 309th Fighter Squadron/31st Fighter Group (RAF), flying a Spitfire Mark V shoots down a German fighter. This is the first aerial victory by an 8th Air Force pilot flying from the UK. VIII Fighter Command gains full control of 8th Air Force fighter resources, until this date the VIII Fighter Command only had administrative control. It will not be until April 1943 that VIII Fighter Command will begin issuing its own Field Orders independent of RAF Fighter Command.

Mission Statistics

  • People killed in action: 4
  • People wounded in action: 2
  • Prisoners of war: 2
  • People returned to duty: 2
  • Enemy aircraft destroyed by fighter: 1
  • Enemy aircraft probably destroyed by fighter: 1
  • Enemy aircraft damaged by fighter: 5
  • Aircraft sent: 123
  • Aircraft missing in action: 8

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

Samuel S Junkin

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 31st Fighter Group 309th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Ewart Theodore Sconiers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 97th Bomb Group 414th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-724720
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by Carter / Mueller, the Office of Air Force History,

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Oct-2014. Mission description based on "USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Oct-2014 Connection to Lewis Wells data.

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'.