4 July 1943
"Hell Cat" Lockheed/Vega B-17F-35-VE Flying Fortress s/n 42-5910, of 365th BS, 305th BG, 8th AF. This aircraft was originally assigned to the 326th BS, 92nd BG and named "Ruthie". She was badly shot up by fighters on the July 4,1943 mission to Nantes but managed to make it back to Alconbury. After being repaired she was transferred to the 305th BG and renamed "Hell Cat". Ran out of fuel and crash landed at Hawkinge, England on September 15,1943. Scrapped two days later. Photo taken at: RAF Chelveston (AAF-105), England,
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 71 report, a/c 42-29809
Paul H. McConnell
Cadet John Marshall Carah - June 1942 (photo Carah family)
Not yet known
The aircraft factories at Le Mans and Nantes, France and the lock gates and harbour facilities at La Pallice, France are the primary targets for this mission. The mission is comprised of three elements:
1st Element: 121 B-17s are despatched to Le Mans, France: 91BG (19); 303BG (24); 351BG (18); 379BG (20); 381BG (21) and 384BG (19). The 92BG compliment includes 2 YB-40 gunships. 103 of this formation are effective on the aircraft factories and 2 bomb the marshalling yards. Enemy fighter oppositions is strong and 4 B-17s are MIA but the bomber gunners claim 24-5-15 of the attacking fighters;
2nd Element: 71 B-17s are despatched to Nantes, France: 92BG (19); 305BG (25); and 306BG (27). 61 of this formation are effective on the target. Enemy fighter opposition is strong and 3 B-17s are MIA but the bomber gunners claim 28-9-7 of the attacking fighters;
3rd Element: 83 B-17s are despatched to La Pallice, France: 94BG (18); 95BG (23); 96BG (16); 100BG (26). Fighter and flak opposition are light with only 1 B-17 MIA and 1 damaged. The bomber gunners claim 0-1-0 on enemy fighters.
PORT AREA
B-17 Flying Fortress
Not yet known
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 | 137.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 83 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 71 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 1 |
| Number of people Evaded | 1 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 0 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 1 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 0 |
AIRCRAFT FACTORY
B-17 Flying Fortress
92nd Bomb Group's despatch included 3 YB-40s. Fighters were planned to cover the withdrawal from the target but were recalled due to weather.
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 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 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 | 254.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 119 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 103 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 4 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 29 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 31 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 9 |
| Number of people Evaded | 15 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 25 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 24 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 5 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 15 |
MARSHALLING YARDS
B-17 Flying Fortress
Two B-17s from 303rd Bomb Group drop their bomb loads on the marshalling yards at Le Mans.
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...
| Tonnage dropped | 5.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 2 |
AIRCRAFT FACTORY
B-17 Flying Fortress
Not yet known
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 | 145.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 71 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 61 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 3 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 34 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 16 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 4 |
| Number of people Evaded | 2 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 16 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 28 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 7 |
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down 4 July 1943 in B-17 42-29960 'Nymokymi'. Evaded capture, with aid of French Resistance.
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
Military | Captain | Pilot | 381st Bomb Group
Pilot, Ballinger Crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 4 July 1943 on B-17 #42-29928. Mission #7 to the Gnome-Rhone engine factory in Le Mans, France. MACR 161. Evaded capture, EE 248. Evaded for months with S/Sgt Owens until Lt Ballinger dropped...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
RWG, Ballinger Crew. 381st BG, 533rd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 4 July 1943 in B-17 #42-29928. Mission #7 to the Gnome-Rhone engine factory in Le Mans, France. MACR 161. Killed in Action (KIA). Originally buried by German troops. Reinterred in Cincinnati,...
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 | 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 | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
Assigned to 335BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. 23 x combat missions. Shot down 10-Oct-43 in B-17 42-30272 'Fritz Blitz'. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1118
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), POW, PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 384th Bomb Group
Thomas Brzoznowski was Bombardier on B-17 #42-3235 "Lakanuki" shot down 4 July 1943 over France. Killed in Action (KIA).
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 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 Cheyenne 21/2/43; Gore 7/3/43; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG-Q] Alconbury 19/4/43 LITTLE JIMMIE;
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 12/3/43; Walla Walla 25/3/43; Metropolitan 13/4/43; Presque Is 29/4/43; Assigned 533BS/381BG [VP-W] Ridgewell 23/6/43; Missing in Action 2m Le Mans 4/7/43 with Olof Ballinger, Navigator: Paul McConnell, Tail gunner: Bill Howell,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 18/3/43; Gore 19/3/43; Walla Walla 30/3/43; Metropolitan 13/4/43; Assigned 412BS/95BG [QW-Q] Framlingham 12/5/43; Horham 15/6/43; 2m, transferred 407BS/92BG [PY-Q] Alconbury 17/6/43; Missing in Action Nantes/Le Mans 4/7/43 with John...
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 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
Delivered Cheyenne, WY 22/4/43; Smoky Hill, KS 28/4/43; Walla Walla, WA 7/5/43; Smoky Hill 25/5/43; Presque Island 6/6/43; Assigned 336BS/95BG [ET-P] Framlingham 5/6/43; 335BS [OE-P] Horham 15/6/43; 12m, Missing in Action Regensburg 17/8/43 with John...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 7/5/43; Gore 8/5/43; Smoky Hill 17/5/43; Dow Fd 30/5/43; Assigned 335BS/95BG [OE-U] Horham 15/6/43; Missing in Action (21m) Munster 10/10/43 with Eldon Broman, Co-pilot: John Chaffin, Navigator: Bill Fowler, Bombardier: Paul Guiteras...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2016 19:33:01 | Mags | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd BG Web Page |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 17:54:36 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Personnel losses and bomber gunner claims to Nantes statistics per "the Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 17:41:01 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to Le Mans statistics. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 17:38:58 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to La Palice statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 17:35:52 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Edited Title and added 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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