VIII Bomber Command 45
18 March 1943
(Personnel noted Back Row Left - Right; Front Row L-R)
Ds 6/30/2018
Object Number - UPL 23266 - Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel and crew. 364th Squadron, 305th BG. Assembled June 18, 1943 in front of their B-17 #42-29633, nicknamed...
Description
The U-Boat pens at Vegesack-Bremen are the primary target of this mission. 76 B-17s are despatched: 91BG (18); 303BG (20); 305BG (18) and 306BG (20). These are joined by 17 B-24's: 44BG (9) and 93BG (15). Of the 103 aircraft despatched 97 are effective on the target. 1 B-17 from 303BG is MIA (flown by a 92BG crew - Combat Crew Replacement Center- 5KIA 5POW) and 1 B-17 from 303BG is DBR. The single KIA casualty from 303BG was the Lead Bombardier, 1Lt Jack V. Mathis flying in B-17 41-24561 "The Dutchess". He is posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the first to be awarded to a member of the 8th Air Force. The citation may be viewed at: http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2864/mathis-jack-w.php 1 B-24 is MIA. Fighter opposition is heavy and the bomber gunners claim 52-20-23 on enemy aircraft (results probably exaggerated, but significant none the less).
Mission Details
VEGESACK (Primary)
Description: U-BOAT PENS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: First use of autopilot linked to bombsight. 1st Lt. Jack V. Mathis (Lead Bombardier) 359BS/303rd Bomb Group is awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor during this action. He was flying in B-17 , serial number 41-24561, "The Duchess". 1st CMOH awarded to a member of the 8th Air Force. 1st Lt. Mathis was the single Killed in Action (KIA) on this mission. No fighter escort. Seven U-Boat hulls reported damaged. 91st Bomb Group, 323rd Bomb Squadron - Five ships from our squadron, piloted by Capt. Dwyer and Clancy; Lt. Giauque, Rand and Walker took part in the extremely successful bombing of the submarine building yards at Vegasack, Germany. Approaching from a northeasterly direction and flying across the narrow direction of the target. The bombing was well directed and concentrated, securing praise from all high commands, including Winston Churchill. Seven nearly completed submarines on the ways are believed destroyed. This was the largest effort of US bombers so far, with ninety-seven ships over the target. Three tons of bombs were carried for the first time on a big mission.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 198.86
- People killed in action: 6
- People wounded in action: 8
- Prisoners of war: 5
- People returned to duty: 10
- Aircraft sent: 76
- Aircraft effective: 69
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 9
VEGESACK (Primary)
Description: U-BOAT PENS
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 69.17
- People killed in action: 9
- People wounded in action: 8
- Prisoners of war: 1
- Aircraft sent: 27
- Aircraft effective: 24
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 14
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Squadron Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-726994
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 423rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14070626 at enlistment, then O-793065
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37202734
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Hell's Angels
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Knock-out Dropper
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Joe Btfsplk II
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
![Captain Albert W. Dieffenback, a bombardier of the 303rd Bomb Group, admires Bugs Bunny painted onto the nose of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed as censored 9 May 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '14. Captain Albert W. Dieffenbach, of Garrett Park, Md., and the bomber in which he flies as group bombardier.' On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407609.jpg.webp?itok=_FHnam-K)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: S For Sugar
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The 8 Ball MK II
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 31-Dec-2014. Added link to Mathis CMOH citation, Congressional Medal of Honor Society, http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2864/mathis-jack-w.php
Lee Cunningham 27-Dec-2014. Description 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'.