549
13 August 1944
Object Number - UPL 19602 - Staff Sgt August Kurjack cameraman on Mosquito MM370 tasked with the filming of an Aphrodite drone bomb attack on the submarine pens of Le Havre. KIA...
Mission Details
Le Havre, France
Description: HARBOUR INSTALLATION
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Batty glide bomb mission (388th BG) B-17 loaded with GB-4 glide bombs is launched against Le Harve. A P-38 and a Mosquito assist. The target is missed as missile flightpaths are eratic in the final phase. de Havilland DH98 PR XVI Mosquito MM370 follows down the first launched missile to film it, breaking of the dive when the GB-4 becomes erratic. On the second launch, the pilot follows too closely and A/C is destroyed by the exploding bombs.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Reconnaissance
- Unit Hierarchy: Wing
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 2.35
- People killed in action: 1
- Prisoners of war: 1
- Aircraft sent: 2
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
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 560th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 8th Combat Camera Unit 25th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 06994841
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Cameraman
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 25th Bomb Group 305th Bomb Group 365th Bomb Squadron 654th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19073772 / O-684056
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-730630
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter Pilot; Squadron Operations Officer
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ol' Faithful
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Worry Bird/Miss Bea Haven
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Belle of the brawl
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 9th Bomb Group
![French countryside, photographed through the nose of a P-38 Lightning of the 367th Fighter Group on landing. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 31 May 1945.' [stamp] and '354528 .' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'P-38s over the Seine. No.1 of a series of pix taken through the nose of the P-38 as it comes in to land. Scherschel LIFE.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-456843.jpg.webp?itok=vyT98_c0)
- Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
- Nicknames: Jeanne
- Unit: Base Air Depot 3 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
Revisions
AAM DB Entry.
Unmanned Systems of World Wars I and II by By H. R. Everett, Michael Toscano
Mosquito Photo-Reconnaissance Units of World War 2 by Martin W Bowman
Mosquito Production List.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Aphrodite
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'.
