8th Air Force 283
28 March 1944
The B-17 Fortress 42-37754 'Who Dat - Ding Bat', piloted by 1st Lt. Daniel C Henry crippled and part severed by a flak hit in the fuselage, which killed 3 gunners, miraculously with the aid of escorting P-38 escorts, Lt Henry made it back to base, where the crew less himself and co-pilot Bob Crisler baled out. Henry and Crisler later baled out over the sea and were rescued.
NARA Ref No - 342-FH-3A19100-50478AC
Object Number - UPL 19184 - A crippled Flying Fortress silhouetted over the target at the Reims Champagne Airfield, France which the 8th AF "heavies" smashed it on 28 March...
Description
A force of 450 heavy bombers from all three Air Divisions is despatched to bomb the German E-Boat pens at Ijmuiden, Holland and German airfields in France. Mission Summary follows:
2nd Air Division: A force of 77 B-24s from 93BG and 448BG are despatched to bomb the German E-Boat pens at Ijmuiden, Holland. The formation is recalled due to cloud cover and failure of the fighter escort to take off. There are no losses, casualties or claims in this element.
1st Air Division: A combined force of 182 B-17s from: 91BG; 303BG; 305BG; 306BG; 379BG; 381BG and 384BG are despatched. 117 aircraft are effective on the German airfield Dijon/Longvic, France; 59 are effective on the German arifield of Reims/Champagne, France. 1 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) ditching into the English Channel - 3KIA 6RTD (rescued by ASR). 3 battle damaged aircraft are Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) in crashes upon return - 30RTD. 60 aircraft are damaged. 3 airmen in returning aircraft are KIA and 1 is WIA. There are no other losses, casualties or claims in this element.
3rd Air Division: A combined force of 191 B-17 from: 94BG; 95BG; 96BG; 100BG; 385BG; 388BG; 390BG; 447BG; and 452BG are despatched. 127 are effective on the German airfield at Chateaudun, France; 61 are effective on the German airfield at Chartres, France. 2 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) - 13KIA 9POW. 59 aircraft are damaged. 1 airman in a returning aircraft is WIA. There are no other losses, casualties or claims in this element.
Mission Details
CHARTRES (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It has not been determined which Groups from 3rd Bomb Division attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 146.00
- Aircraft sent: 61
- Aircraft effective: 61
28200 Châteaudun, France
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: No bomber gunner claims. All Groups participating are part of 3rd Bomb Division
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 304.00
- People killed in action: 13
- Prisoners of war: 9
- Aircraft sent: 130
- Aircraft effective: 127
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
- Aircraft damaged: 59
DIJON/LONGVIC (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: No bomber gunner claims. Groups participating are all part f 1st Bomb Division.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 323.39
- People returned to duty: 10
- Aircraft sent: 123
- Aircraft effective: 117
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 60
Description: E-BOAT PENS
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: No bomber gunner claims. Recalled due to excessive cloud cover and failure of the escort to take-off.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 0.00
- Aircraft sent: 77
RHEIMS/CHAMPAGNE (Primary)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: It can only be confirmed that 381st Bomb Group attacked this target but other Groups from the 1st Bomb Division may also have attacked this target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 163.08
- People killed in action: 3
- People returned to duty: 26
- Aircraft sent: 59
- Aircraft effective: 59
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 2
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: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37334432
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner / Ball Turret Gunner / Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 452nd Bomb Group 730th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18115880 / O-755698
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 379th Bomb Group 525th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15103734 / O-692968
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32707711
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-682553
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Mairsy Doats
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ice Cold Katie
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 569th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
![Personnel of the 384th Bomb Group don their flight gear before a mission to Berlin in their B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Passed for publication 24 Mar 1944.' [stamp] and '313403.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Berlin, 22/3/44, 231740.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380081.jpg.webp?itok=j1oiDjBg)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Fire Ball Red
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 10-Mar-2016. Added Mission Narrative based on the "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
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'.