27 August 1943
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 303rd Bomb Group line up for take off. A B-17 (VK-I, serial number 42-3064) nicknamed "Yankee Doodle Dandy" is bringing up the rear. First handwritten caption on reverse of print: '27/8/43.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: 'VK-I. 8/9/43.' On reverse: 'Confidential Until Re-Classified By Censor' [Stamp].
Lt. Don W Moore KIA August 27, 1943
B-17 Flying Fortress Moonbeam Assigned to 365BS/305BG Chelveston
B-17 Flying Fortress Moonbeam Assigned to 365BS/305BG Chelveston Wreckage after it was shot down Aug 27, 1943 Being inspected by the Germans
Mission 87 Report, a/c 41-24560
Douglas B-17F-65-DL Fortress Ser.# 42-3455 “Lucky 13” 8th Air Force 384th Bombardment Group 546th Bombardment Squadron Original Crew SSGT Herry Saperstein (Ball Turret) TSGT Oscar K. Hamblin (Top Turret/Engineer) SSGT James P. Morley (Waist Gunner) 2LT Richard J. Peirce (Navigator) 2LT Warren B. Holland (Co-Pilot) 2LT Jacques E. Riddel (Pilot) 2LT Harry A. Hawes (Bombardier) TSGT Charles L. Kirby, Jr. (Radio Operator) SSGT Edward F. Ruch (Waist Gunner) SSGT William H. Ross (Tail Gunner) Riddel was killed on 28 July 1943, flying as co-pilot on Sky Queen (42-30032). He was replaced by 1LT Russel R. Faulkiner.
Not yet known
This mission is the first attack by the USAAF on suspected V-Weapon sites. The German development of pilotless winged aircraft was first divulged to the British just shortly after the beginning of World War II in two letters sent to the British embassy in Oslo by a German mathematician and physicist Hans Ferdinand Mayer on 1 and 2 November 1939. This disclosure became known as the "Oslo Report". The information was passed on to the British Intelligence group known as MI-6. The report was largely dismissed as a German attempt at misdirection. However, subsequent photographic reconnaissance by the RAF in May 1942 through May 1943 confirmed that the Germans were indeed up to something at Peenemunde that seemed to validate the Oslo Report.
The mission of 27-Aug-43 was directed against the construction of a large blockhouse and surrounding works. In fact, these were actually German preparations for a launching site for the infamous V-2 rocket, but that exact use was not known at the time.
The mission was composed of two elements both aimed at the construction site in and around Watten, France. The first element consisted of a combined force of 159 B-17s from: 91BG (13); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (18); 306BG (18); 351BG (22); 379BG (21); 381BG (10); and 384BG (18). Intense anti-aircraft fire was directed at this element as well as a German fighter force of 20-30 aircraft. 124 aircraft were effective on the target. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 10KIA 18POW 2EVD 10RTD (rescued by ASR). 1 airman was KIA in a returning aircraft and 18 were wounded. 1 aircraft was crashlanded at Alconbury, UK upon return and was declared to be Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) but the 10 crewmen were OK. The bomber gunners in this element claim 7-0-6 of the attacking German fighters.
The second element was a combined force of 65 B-17s from : 94BG (11); 95BG (7); 96BG (9); 100BG (7); 385BG (12); 388BG (12); and 390BG (7). 63 of these aircraft were effective on their targets. There are no losses of claims in this element but 15 aircraft are damaged.
V1 MISSILE SITES
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
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
The 390th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Framlingham, Suffolk, between July 1943 and the end of the war in Europe. The Group was engaged in strategic missions until the invasion of Europe when its role became more of a tactical one. This...
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.
...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 65 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 63 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 15 |
V1 MISSILE SITES
B-17 Flying Fortress
First 8th Air Force raid on missile sites. Designated "NOBALL" sites.
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 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...
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 | 368.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 159 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 124 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 4 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 83 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 11 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 18 |
| Number of people Evaded | 2 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 18 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 10 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 7 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 6 |
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Watten in B-17 42-29754 'Shangri-La Lil'. Flak hit in bomb bay, exploded and crashed at St Omer, near Merville, France. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 405
Awards: AM, PH (OLC).
Military | Captain | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Assigned to 560BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. Barclay Boyd Beeby was born in Alton and attended Alton schools, including Shurtleff College. Before joining the military, he was sales manager of the Alton Baking and Ice Cream Company (ABC Bakery). He joined the...
Military | Sergeant (Technician Fourth Grade) | Waist Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1943 in B-17 #42-31084, Killed in Action (KIA).
AM w/ 2 Oak Leaf Cluster
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Assigned to 327BS, 92BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 27-Aug-43 in B-17 42-30617. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to duty (RTD).
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
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 | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Watten in B-17 42-29754 'Shangri-La Lil'. Flak hit in bomb bay, exploded and crashed at St Omer, near Merville, France. 27-Aug-43 Prisoner of War (POW) MACR 405.
...
Military | Flight Officer | Co-Pilot | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Assigned to 327BS, 92BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 27-Aug-43 in B-17 42-30617. Plane ditched in North Sea. Returned to Duty (RTD).
Awards: WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner / Right Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 360BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 27-Aug-43 in B-17 42-29754 'Shangri-La Lil'. Prisoner of War (POW).
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
See more at: http://www.303rdbg.com/360crockett.html
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 31 December 1943 in B-17 #42-29895 'Black Swan'. Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Henry Jr. was a graduate of the 1940 class of Cumberland County High School. Two classmates, and football team members, graduating from CCHS in 1938, Ben H. West Jr. and Cecil G. Buttram were killed in action. AMM 3rd Class Ben H. West Jr. enlisted Dec...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 368BS/306BG [BO-D] New Castle 4/10/42; Thurleigh 26/10/42; transferred 369BS [WW- ]; transferred 544BS/384BG [SU-A] Grafton Underwood 5/9/43; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 15/3/44; Returned to the USA Homestead 14/5/44; Reconstruction Finance...
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 26/1/43; Salina 9/2/43; Brookley 3/3/43; Morrison 9/3/43; Assigned Harris Prov. Gp, en route from Marrakech to St Eval, Cornwall, UK 7/4/43 force landed Lytchett Minster, near Poole, Dorset, low on gas with Talmadge Wilson, Co-pilot:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 11/2/43; Rapid City 22/2/43; Assigned 334BS/95BG [BG- ] Alconbury 8/4/43; Framlingham 12/5/43; Horham 15/6/43; 1m, transferred 508BS/351BG [YB-A] Polebrook 12/7/43. 8m
...
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 Cheyenne 12/2/43; Rapid City 22/2/43; Kearney 12/3/43.
...
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
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 Cheyenne 26/6/43; Smoky Hill 13/7/43; Kearney 16/7/43; Dow Fd 19/7/43; Assigned 560BS/388BG Knettishall 20/7/43; (34m) transferred Aphrodite project as OLIN'S 69'ERS; when War Weary, fuselage cut down and vehicle windshield fitted before open...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 10 May 2017 19:25:30 | ThomBear | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Added a/c 41-24560 from post-mission report. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 May 2015 20:06:24 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 27-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims per "The Mighty Eight War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 May 2015 20:04:15 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 27-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eight War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 November 2014 11:35:05 | Emily | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:18 | 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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