VIII Bomber Command 74
17 July 1943
Lt Kermit Wooldridge was pilot on this mission over Hanover. Germany. It was his 2nd mission and his plane also lost a gas tank, the #2 engine, the elevator and control cables It had over four hundred bullet holes. Wooldridge would fly this ship, 42-29886 on a total of nine missions. He lost both his Navigator and Bombardier on this mission, Both bailed out over the North Sea. The account of his mission from his WWII diary is at https://sites.google.com/site/ww2pilotsdiary/home/raid-2 Roger Freeman Collection
Frances Wooldridge Bekafigo, daughter of Lt Kermit Wooldridge. Mission account from his WWII Diary.
Object Number - FRE 4818 - The damaged wing of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-29886) of the 379th Bomb Group. Printed caption on reverse: '71689 AC - The wing of the...
Description
The railroad industry at Hannover, Germany and the aircraft industry at Hamburg, Germany were the intended targets for this mission but weather caused the mission to be cancelled. The element sent to Hannover was a combined force of 207 B-17s from: 91BG (25); 303BG (27), 351BG (28); 381BG (30); 92BG (18); 305BG (26); 306BG (28); and 379BG (25). Only 91BG; 351BG and 381BG (33 total) were able to bomb targets of opportunity. One B-17 from 351BG was shot down by anti-aircraft fire while leaving the coast upon return, ditched into the sea, and crew rescued by ASR - 1KIA 9RTD. The compliment from 92BG included 2 YB-40 gunships.The bomber gunners were able claimed 32-7-3 of attacking enemy aircraft.
The element originally designated to attack at Hamburg, Germany was a combined force of 125 B-17s, but weather caused a recall of this formation also. However 84 B-17s from: 94BG (18); 95BG (23); 96BG (21); and 100BG (22) sighted a German ship convoy on the return. Only 1 B-17 from 96BG managed to drop on the convoy. Another segment of this formation: 385BG (21) and 388BG (20) attempted to bomb the Fokker aircraft factory at Amsterdam, Holland. A total of 22 aircraft attempted the bombing, but the results were highly scattered and 150 civilians were killed. 1 B-17 from 94BG was shot down by enemy aircraft near Helgoland, Island, Germany - 10KIA
Mission Details
Description: FOKKER AIRCRAFT PLANT
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Target obscured - all bombs miss and 150 civilians reported killed. This element receives fighter escort. The 388th BG started its war on 17 July 1943 with its first mission - a milk run to Amsterdam. Unfortunately for some citizens of Amsterdam, the aim was not very good. However Anne Frank could hear the bombing of this mission in her hideout and recorded it in her famous diary. The death of innocent civilians was terrible but it gave her hope of an eventual rescue of Amsterdam and the rest of Europe.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 51.50
- Aircraft sent: 41
- Aircraft effective: 21
- Aircraft damaged: 11
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORY
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Aircraft factory obscured. Only one aircraft from 96th Bomb Group is able to drop its bomb load (Convoy).
![Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378743.jpg.webp?itok=HBB0lqjl)
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 2.50
- People killed in action: 11
- People wounded in action: 3
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 28
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 9
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 33
- Aircraft sent: 84
- Aircraft effective: 1
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 30
Description: RAIL YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: This is the first mission for the 388th and 385th Bomb Group. Rail Yards obscured. Targets of Opportunity bombed. No fighter escort for this mission. 92nd Bomb Group despatch included two YB-40s.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 80.50
- People killed in action: 4
- People wounded in action: 9
- People returned to duty: 9
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 32
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 7
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 3
- Aircraft sent: 207
- Aircraft effective: 33
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 50
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-793713
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13057861
- Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer/Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 322nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36324682
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-52478
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Duchess, Sure Stuff
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Bad Check
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th 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: Piccadilly Commando
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 509th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims of enemy aircraft to statistics for Hannover element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to statistics for the Amsterdam/Convoy element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added Mission Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Information sent by Dick Read relating to Arthur M. Read and the 388th Bomb Group.
Moved pins from South Africa to Amsterdam, Netherlands and Hamburg, Germany
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'.
