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29 June 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)
Mission 70 report, unknown a/c, 306th BG/368th BS
"A crew of the 379th Bomb Group poses beside a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" at an 8th Air Force base in England, 29 June 1943." Rear L-R: Maj Andrew K. Dutch III, Unkn. Col Louis W Rohr, Unkn. Lt Col Joseph A. Brown, Col Maurice A. Preston Front L-R: Garland H Morgan. Harold E Forrest. Robert J Redmon. Robert H Fernstaedt. Unkn.
Not yet known
1st Bomb Wing despatches two formations: one has the air depot at Villacoublay, France as their primary; and one has the Luftwaffe airfield at Tricqueville, France as their primary.
The first formation consists of 108 B-17s from: 92BG (14); 303BG (19); 305BG (20); 306BG (21); 379BG (16); and 384BG (18) despatched to Villacoublay. 2 of the 14 despatched by 92BG are YB-40 gunships. The target is totally obscured by clouds and none of the Bomb Groups are able to bomb. There is little fighter opposition and the bomber gunners only claim 0-3-3 of enemy fighters.
The second formation is a force of 40 B-17s from 91BG (19); 361BG (7) and 381BG (14) despatched to bomb the Luftwaffe airfield at Tricqueville, France. This group also finds the target completely obscured by clouds and none of the force is able to bomb. There are no losses or claims.
4th Bomb Wing despatches a force of 84 B-17s from: 94BG (21); 95BG (21); 96BG (21) and 100BG (21) to bomb the aircraft factories at Le Mans, France. 2 of the aircraft bomb the marshalling yards as Le Mans as a target of opportunity. 76 of the 84 B-17s despatched are effective on a target. There are no losses or claims.
AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY
B-17 Flying Fortress
The aircraft industry at Le Mans, France is the primary target of the 84 B-17s despatched, but 2 of the B-17s unload on the railroad marshalling yards as a target 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
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 | 181.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 84 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 76 |
AIRFIELD
B-17 Flying Fortress
Not yet known
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 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 | None |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 40 |
AIR DEPOT
B-17 Flying Fortress
There is no fighter escort for this mission. However, two YB-40s flying with the 92nd Bomb Group are-assignedescort duties. Both are forced to abort. This pretty much ends the experiment with these aircraft as escorts. 10/10 cloud cover causes abort.
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 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit...
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 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 | None |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 108 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 14 |
Military | Master Sergeant | Flight Engineer/Waist Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
Assigned to 335BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
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 | Technical Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
Served 3 March 1942-1 January 1946. Flew 9 missions, not all on Our Bay-Bee. WIA 26 Jul 1943 B-17 #42-30274. Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #42-30274 'Our Bay-Bee', Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag 17B, Krems. Also wounded while POW, shot when 2 other...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner/Waist Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 42-30231. Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Air Gunner, Togglier/Bombardier | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 26 November 1943 in B-17 #42-30832, Prisoner of War (POW). He was a POW from 26 Nov 1943 to 04 May 1945 at Stalag 17B, Krems, Austria. Prisoner of War (POW) no. 100388.
POW
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #41-24564 'Patches', Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 30 x combat missions. ETD.
Awards: DSC, AM (3OLC), WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medals.
Post war: Remained in USAF, serving in Korean conflict.
Military | Captain | Pilot | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #423231 'The Inferno. ' Prisoner of War (POW).
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Colonel
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot/Command Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Tail Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
Crossley was credited with 12 confirmed e/a kills. A record for 8th AF gunners.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 365BS/305BG [XK-S] Presque Is 19/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/10/42; transferred 544BS/384BG [SU-J] Grafton Underwood 19/9/43; detailed Bremen 13/11/43 but recalled with Ralph Connell, Co-pilot: Albt Doman, Navigator: Larry Angthius, Bombardier...
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
Delivered Denver 12/2/43; Walker 23/2/43; Smoky Hill 28/3/43; Presque 8/4/43; Assigned 413BS/96BG Grafton Underwood 18/4/43 MOOR-FIDITE; Andrews Fd 13/5/43; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 532BS/381BG [VE-E] Ridgewell 16/7/43; Missing in Action...
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...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 2/4/43; Sioux City 13/4/43; Kearney 4/5/43; Bangor 20/5/43; Assigned to the 547BS/384BG [S0-G] Grafton Underwood 24/5/43, then the 546BS [BK-G]; Missing in Action Leverkusen 1/12/43 with Maj Maurice Stanley Dillingham, Co-pilot:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 6/4/43; Gore 14/4/43; Kearney 16/4/43; Wendover 2/5/43; Hill 16/5/43; Kearney 22/5/43; Dow Fd 30/5/43; Assigned 413BS/96BG [MZ-X] Andrews Fd 2/6/43; RUM BOOGIE II; transferred 418BS/100BG [LD-U] Thorpe Abbotts 9/6/43; as war weary F...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Plane Mischief Maker II entered combat approximately Jun43 under command of Capt V.L. Iverson after the original Mischief Maker was damaged beyond repair. After this crew completed 25 missions Maj. Iverson was retained for HQ USSTAF, the crew...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 20/2/43; Presque Is 19/4/43; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-N] Molesworth 2/6/43; on training flight 4/8/43 crashed Arenig Fawr Mt, Bala, Merioneth, Wales with Jim Pratt, Co-pilot: Bill Bowling, Navigator: Allan Boner, Flight engineer/top...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 1/4/43; Dow Fd 13/5/43; Assigned 545BS/384BG [JD-S] Grafton Underwood 29/5/43; Missing in Action Schweinfurt 14/10/43 with Bill Kopf, Co-pilot: Alf Scott, Navigator: Toscha Massey, Ball turret gunner: Clyde Smith, Waist gunner: Leroy...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 2/4/43; Dow Fd 25/5/43; Assigned 545BS/384BG [JD-M] Grafton Underwood 28/5/43; Missing in Action Gelsenkirchen 12/8/43 with Capt Rich Carrington, Co-pilot: Harvey Esty, Navigator: Robin Taber, Bombardier: Capt Mike Smithwick, Flight...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2016 19:28:11 | Mags | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd BG Web Page |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 January 2015 20:27:33 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 8-Jan-2015. Correction of typo in description. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 January 2015 20:09:06 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 7-Jan-2015. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 January 2015 19:55:24 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 7-Jan-2015. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| 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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