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17 April 1943
Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel and crew. 364th Squadron, 305th BG. Assembled June 18, 1943 in front of their B-17 #42-29633, nicknamed "SpitzFire" (Personnel noted Back Row Left - Right; Front Row L-R)
Harold W. Whiteman (photo Whiteman family > http://www.wwiimemorial.com/Registry/plaque.aspx?honoreeID=450900 )
Not yet known
The largest mission to date, 117 B-17s, are despatched to bomb the primary target of the Focke-Wulf Aircraft factory at Bremen, Germany: 91BG (32); 303BG (29); 305BG (28) and 306BG (26). The German Luftwaffe is learning fast and mounts a fierce and effective attack on the formation with well-coordinated attacks by waves of FW-190 fighters. The lead formation of 306BG has 10 B-17s MIA and the 91BG has 6 B-17s MIA. These losses are the greatest to date for a single mission (13.9%). Even so, 107 of the 115 despatched are effective on the target, and the bomber gunners fight back valiantly claiming 65-15-17 on the attacking fighters. The losses are an eye-opener to those VIII Bomber Command Officers that still believe that the "Flying Fortress", alone but attacking in formation, is more than a match for fighter opposition. The loss of 16 crews has a definite impact on the morale of the "Mighty Eighth" and heavy bombing operations are suspended until 1-May-43.
FOCHE-WULF AIRCRAFT FACTORY
B-17 Flying Fortress
Largest mission to date. Strong opposition from fighters. Largest one mission loss to date. One aircraft bombs a target of opportunity. 306th Bomb Group loses 10 of 26 aircraft. The Commanding general, VIII Fighter Command, expresses the need to have 20 fighter groups to neutralize growing German fighter opposition to the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO).
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 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 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 | 265.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 115 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 107 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 16 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 39 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 64 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 4 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 101 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 63 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 15 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 17 |
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA). Shot down 17 April 1943 in B-17 41-24459 'Hellsapoppin. ' According to Havelaar, the target was the Focke Wulf aircraft factory. Fighters and flak were heavy and the 401st BS was hit especially hard.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA). Shot down 17 April 1943 in B-17 41-24459 'Hellsapoppin. ' According to Havelaar, the target was the Focke Wulf aircraft factory. Fighters and flak were heavy and the 401st BS was hit especially hard.
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Part of an original contingent, Bader flew B-17 F 41-24482 'Heavyweight Annihilators' in November and December of 1942. According to Plane Names, the last mission for the plane was January 3, 1943, to St. Nazaire which the group called 'flak city'....
Military | Captain | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Crash landed in B-17 41-24439 'Chief Sly’ while serving as pilot on return from target Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20-Dec-42. Co-pilot was 2nd Lt. Arthur J. Reynolds. Aircraft was DBR and salvaged. No injuries reported...
Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 17 April 1943 in B-17 #4124459 'Hellsapoppin. ' According to Havelaar, the target was the Focke Wulf aircraft factory. Fighters and flak were heavy and the 401st BS was hit especially hard. Prisoner of War (POW) put in Stalag Luft 3.
POW
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Beasley's crew claimed to shoot down 4 German fighters on a mission over Paris on 4 April 1943, they then claimed a further fighter on a mission over Antwerp the following day.
...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Aerial Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
18 November 1942 in 'Fury' B-17 #41-2499 bombs could not be released so were jettisoned in an open field. On return, 10 miles SW of Exeter, A/C collided with #41-24553 which was able to land safely; however Fury landed at RAF Turweston and was salvaged.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 13 May 1943 in B-17 42-5406. Killed in Action (KIA).
AM w. Oak Leaf Cluster, PH
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA). Shot down 17 April 1943 in B-17 41-24459 'Hellsapoppin. ' According to Havelaar, the target was the Focke Wulf aircraft factory. Fighters and flak were heavy and the 401st BS was hit especially hard.
Purple Heart
Military | Master Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Assigned to 401BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 17-Apr-43 in B-17 42-5070 'Invasion II'. Plane was on fire when all crew parachuted to safety. Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 15519
Awards: PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-T] Bangor 10/9/42; Molesworth 16/10/42; 59m transferred 1 Base Air Depot (sic),* Burtonwood 7/7/44; Returned to the USA Altus 18/8/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 14/8/45. Over...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-P] Bangor 5/10/42; Molesworth 25/10/42; Missing in Action 45m Oschersleben 11/1/44 with George McClellan, Co-pilot: Bill Fisher, ex B-26 pilot on his 1st mission, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dave Tempesta, Radio Operator...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned to the 359BS/303BG [BN-R] Bangor 22-Sep-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42; First 8th Air Force aircraft to complete 50, then 75 missions- 27-Mar-44; with M/Sgt Buford Pafford as crew chief; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 5-Jun-44; Reconstruction Finance...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-O] New Castle 6/10/42; Molesworth 21/11/42. Flown by Captain William R. Calhoun on the 4 May 1943 mission to the Ford and General Motors works, Antwerp, Belgium, with Clark Gable on board for his first mission (slightly damaged...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 42-29631 'Unmentionable' was delivered Cheyenne 18-Jan-43; Salina 3-Feb-43; Morrison 25-Feb-43; Assigned 423BS/306BG [RD- ] Thurleigh 25-Mar-43; shot down 17-Apr-43 by enemy aircraft, crashed near Bruchhausen-Vilsen, Germany while on a mission to...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 17/9/42; New Castle 11/10/42; Assigned 401BS/91BG [LL-A] Bassingbourn 14/12/42; Missing in Action 18m Bremen 17/4/43 with Capt Oscar O'Neill, Co-pilot: Bob Friehofer, Navigator: Capt Edwin Carmichael, Bombardier: Capt Edwin Bush,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 6/10/42; New Castle 19/10/42; Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-U] Molesworth 1/2/43; battle damaged Bremen 28/11/43 with Harry Bolsover, Co-pilot: Chas Rice, Navigator: Byron Clark, Bombardier: Chas McLain, Flight engineer/top turret gunner:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 14/10/42; Salina 31/1/43; Morrison 4/3/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-Z] Molesworth 8/4/43; 25m Missing in Action Anklam 9/10/43 with Bernard Clifford, Co-pilot: Chas Jahn, Navigator: Chas Stata, Bombardier: Bob Bruce, Flight engineer/top...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 2/11/42; Saline 15/12/42; Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-J] Molesworth 1/2/43; landing accident with Bob O’Connor 31/5/43; battle damaged over Oschersleben 11/1/44 with John Henderson, Co-pilot: Walter Ames, Navigator: Warren Wiggins,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 26/11/42; Berry 31/12/42; Morrison 6/2/43; Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-E] Molesworth 25/2/43; 15 x missions; Missing in Action Wangerooge Is, Holl. 25/6/43 with Dave Mack, Co-pilot: Ragnar Barhuag, Navigator: Roland Smith, Bombardier:...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2016 19:03:45 | Mags | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd BG Web Page |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 December 2014 20:04:15 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 30-Dec-2014. Correction of typo in description. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 December 2014 20:02:21 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 30-Dec-2014. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:17 | 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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