25 July 1943
42-3204, ROYAL FLUSH, 384th Bombardment Group. 546th Squadron
A copy of the post-mission interrogation form for Alexander Brown and his crew on 25 July 1943. This document confirms the Load list of aircraft #905 for the Hamburg mission and shows Brown was assigned (along with other crew members) to the C unit - in other words - to the 526th Bomb Squadron.
Not yet known
This mission was composed of three elements. The primary targets were the diesel engine works at Hamburg, Germany; the shipyards at Kiel, Germany and the aircraft industries at Warnemude, Germany, but weather frustrated the effort. The first element was a combined force of 123 B-17s from: 91BG (18); 303BG (20); 351BG (20); 379BG (21); 381BG (23); and 384BG (21) dispatched to attack the diesel engine works at Hamburg, Germany. 68 of this force diverted to the secondary target of the shipyards at Hamburg. 14 others from 381BG dropped on Heide as a target of opportunity. and 18 other bombed various targets of opportunity. Fighter resistance is heavy. 15 B-17s from this formation Failed to Return (FTR) - 37KIA 102POW 10RTD (Rescued). The bomber gunners claim 38-6-27 of the attacking fighters.
The second element was a combined force of 59 B-17s from: 92BG (18); 305BG (20); and 306BG (21) dispatched to attack the shipyards a Kiel, Germany, but weather and assembly problems caused this element to be recalled. No losses or claims in this element.
The third element was a combined force of 141 B-17s from 94BG (20); 95BG (27); 96BG (21); 100BG (24); 385BG (28); and 388BG (21) dispatched to bomb the aircraft industries at Warnemunde, Germany but cloud cover and weather diverted most of this formation to attack the shipyards at Kiel, Germany as a Target of Opportunity. 67 were effective on Kiel while 18 dropped on Rerik/West and 33 other bombed targets of opportunity. 4 B-17s of this formation Failed to Return (FTR) - 26KIA 5POW 9RTD (Rescued). Fighter resistance against this element was lighter as they attacked about 15 minutes later than the first element. The bomber gunners claimed 6-0-0 of attacking fighters.
There was no fighter escort for any of these elements.
DIESEL ENGINE WORKS/SHIP YARD
B-17 Flying Fortress
Beginning of operation GOMORRAH (RAF designation). This is the first time the 8 AF acts in concert with the RAF to hit a single target. Air Marshall Arthur "Bomber" Harris had envisioned such a strike since the Area Bombing Directive was issued by the RAF Air Staff on 14-February-1942 which stated, "The primary objective of your (RAF Bomber command) operations should now be focused on the morale of the enemy civil population, and in particular on the industrial workers." The RAF despatched a force of 347 Lancasters, 246 Halifaxes, 125 Sterlings and 73 Wellington bombers to Hamburg in the very early morning hours. The bombers were loaded primarily with incendiary bombs. The RAF losses were light with 4 Halifaxes, 4 Lancasters, 3 Sterlings and one Wellington lost. It is estimated that this RAF raid caused 1,500 civilian casualties with another 380,000 bombed out. The smoke from the fires combined with cloud cover masks the target by the time the 8 AF bombs their targets (all industrial concentrations and the SHIP YARD) at 1630-1645 hours.
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 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 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 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 | 414.25 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 123 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 100 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 15 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 67 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 47 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 5 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 101 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 10 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 38 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 6 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 27 |
NAVAL BASE
B-17 Flying Fortress
Force unable to assemble because of weather. Mission abandoned.
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 | None |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 59 |
AIRCRAFT FACTORY
B-17 Flying Fortress
Cloud cover hampers acquisition. Balance refrain from bombing because target is in Occupied territory. 18 388th Bomb Group dropped 179 X 500GP on Rerik/ West Airfield as a Target of Opportunity. 33 others in this element dropped 220 X 500GP and 96 x 100 IB on other Targets 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
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
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 | 285.10 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 141 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 118 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 4 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 50 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 27 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 3 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 3 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 19 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 6 |
Military | Major | Pilot | 381st Bomb Group
Pilot, Alexander crew. 381st BG, 532nd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 25 July 1943 in B-17 #42-30153 "Worry Wart". Mission #12 to the Focke-Wulf factory at Hamburg. MACR 131. Flak damaged, vibrating violently over the English Channel, turned 180 degrees back to...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 381st Bomb Group
LWG, Owen Crew. 381st BG, 532nd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 25 July 1943 in B-17 #42-29976 "Sad Sack". Mission #12 to the Focke-Wulf factory at Hamburg, Germany. MACR 128. Plane crashed into North Sea. Prisoner of War at Stalag XVIIB.
Washington
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 381st Bomb Group
Navigator, Owen crew. 381st BG, 532nd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 25 July 1943 in B-17 #42-29976 'Sad Sack'. Mission #12 to the Focke-Wulf factory in Hamburg. MACR 128. Plane crashed into North Sea. Evaded for 9 days until turned in by a civilian. Prisoner...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 384th Bomb Group
Shot down on his second mission, 25 July 1943 in B-17 #42-3024 'Royal Flush'
...
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 | Captain | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Co-Pilot (2nd Lt) | 381st Bomb Group
May - July 1943. Co-pilot, Owen Crew. 381st BG, 532nd BS, 8th AF. Shot down 25 July 1943 in B-17 #42-29976 'Sad Sack' after attempted bombardment mission #12 on Hamburg, Germany (target: Focke-Wulf factory from 29 or 30,000 FT). MACR 128. Plane...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 384th Bomb Group
Assigned to 545BS, 384BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 12-Aug-43 in B-17 42-3231 'The Inferno'. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 287
Awards: AM (OLC), PH.
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 360BS/303BG [PU-G] Presque Is 27/11/42; Molesworth 13/12/42; Returned to the USA 2/7/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Arledge 22/11/44. IZA VAILABLE.
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 Denver 27/2/43; Sioux City 16/3/43; Kearney 8/4/43; Dow Fd 15/4/43; Assigned 524BS/379BG [WA-L] Kimbolton 21/4/43; Missing in Action Le Bourget 16/8/43 with Chas Biglar, Bombardier: John Boyle, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Albt Tyler,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Denver 20/3/43; force landed Smoky Hill, KS with Frank Spino 3/4/43; Pueblo 8/4/43; Smoky Hill 6/5/43; Dow Fd 19/5/43; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-Q] Ridgewell 25/5/43 with Jack Owen, Bill Bohan, Liston Bascom, Frank Ronzio, Bill Lindenmeyer,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 1/4/43; Pueblo 8/4/43; Smoky Hill 6/5/43; Dow Fd 19/5/43; Assigned 532BS/381BG [VE-E] Ridgewell 22/5/43 with Bill Moore, Dale Wendte, Phil Dreiseszun, Jim Houck, Frank Bryant, Ed Usher, Bill Kithcart, Bill Fortier, Edgerton Zahm,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 17/4/43; Smoky Hill 24/4/43; Dow Fd 6/5/43; Assigned 339BS/96BG Andrews Fd 9/5/43 WORRY WART; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 532BS/381BG Ridgewell 16/7/43; Missing in Action 1m Hamburg (Heide) 25/7/43 with Capt Joe Alexander, Co...
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 24/4/43; Sioux City 8/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 14/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG Knettishall 15/6/43.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 14/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 16/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 17/6/43; transferred Aphrodite project, Missing in Action V-sites, Watten 6/8/44 with Lt Joeseph P Andrecheck & T/Sgt Raymond Healy (2...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 31 January 2018 17:21:18 | william henry | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Correct typos |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 03 November 2017 04:20:35 | ARowe95 | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
ARowe95 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 May 2015 20:03:57 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 5-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to the Warnemude/Kiel element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 May 2015 20:01:55 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 5-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to Hamburg element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 May 2015 20:00:10 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative 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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