VIII Bomber Command 116
20 October 1943
Détails : Front row, left to right : Pilot Charles F. Geyer ; Co-Pilot Robert P. Surdez Jr, Bombardier Donald O. Mills, Navigator William J. Doherty. Back row, left to right : Ball Turret Gunner Edward L. Lantron, Radio Operator Melvin H. Litke (*), Tail Gunner James A. Parker, Top Turret Gunner Frank J. Killarney, Left Waist Gunner Alexander J. Guilianelli and Right Waist Gunner Everett J. Missey (*).
(*) Melvin Litke and Everett Missey were not on board Geyer’s 42-3439 on the 10 October mission when that aircraft was shot down. They had been replaced for that mission by, respectively, Aaron M. Becker and Charles R. Randel, who were both killed. Everett Missey was killed on the 16 December mission and Melvin Litke finished his tour with 50 missions to his credit.
Détails on personnel in crew picture
Object Number - UPL 15002 - Original caption : "A bomber crew of the 96th Bomb Group led by Second Lieutenant Charles Geyer, with their B-17 Flying Fortress." Picture taken on 3...
Description
The primary target for this mission is the industrial areas of Duren, Germany. The mission is composed of three elements. The first element is a combined formation of 103 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division that includes: 91BG (3); 92BG (14); 303BG (19); 305BG (7); 306BG (11); 351BG (7) 379BG (17); 381BG (7); and 384BG (18). This is the first time that Oboe PFF equipment has been attempted. The equipment fails and this force does not drop their bombs. The 379BG selects the German airfield at Woensdrecht, Holland as a target of opportunity, and 17 aircraft are effective on that target. This is the only 1st Bomb Division element to drop on any target. 2 aircraft (from 303BG) Failed to Return (FTR) 3KIA 13POW 5EVD. 1 airman is KIA in a returning aircraft that had attacked at Woensdrecht.1 aircraft is damaged. The only claims by bomber gunners are those made by 303BG at 2-1-1 of attacking enemy aircraft.
The second element is a combined force of 109 B-17s from 3rd Bomb Division that includes: 94BG (17); 95BG (16); 96BG (21); 100BG (8); 385BG (17); 388BG (16) and 390BG (14) dispatched to bomb the industrial areas of Duren, Germany. Cloud tops at 29,500 feet forced the formation to drop from 30,000 feet. 3 airmen from 385BG died from failure of their oxygen equipment. 11 aircraft from 385BG bomb Aachen as a target of opportunity and 1 aircraft in the 385BG formation Failed to Return (FTR) 10 POW and 1 airmen of this formation was Wounded in Action (WIA); 86 aircraft were effective in bombing Duren. 6 other aircraft of this element also Failed to Return (FTR) 29KIA 16POW 5EVD 10RTD (rescued by ASR). 3 aircraft from this element returned with damage: 1 was abandoned over Beddingham, UK. 10RTD and 2 crash landed and were declared Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) 20RTD. The bomber gunners of 385BG were the only ones that made claims on German aircraft of 2-0-0.
The third element was a combined force of 70 B-24s from 2nd Bomb Division that included: 44BG (18); 93BG (17); 389BG (18) and 392BG (17) dispatched to fly a diversion. There were no losses or claims.
Mission Details
Description: DIVERSION
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: Diversion for Duren raid.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 0.00
- Aircraft sent: 70
AACHEN (Opportunistic)
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 385th Bomb Group originally despatched with 1st wave, but unable to bomb the primary at Duren, Germany, selects Aachen as a Target of Opportunity. 3 of the Killed in Action (KIA)s are 385th Bomb Group gunners who died from oxygen system failure.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 1.90
- People killed in action: 3
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 2
- Aircraft sent: 11
- Aircraft effective: 11
DUREN (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Bombing altitude 30,000 feet due to clouds. First use of Oboe PFF.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 209.00
- People killed in action: 32
- People wounded in action: 2
- People evaded: 5
- Prisoners of war: 16
- People returned to duty: 40
- Aircraft sent: 98
- Aircraft effective: 86
- Aircraft missing in action: 7
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 3
- Aircraft damaged: 10
DUREN (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Oboe Pathfinder (PFF) fails and none in the second wave of bombing.
- 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: 0.00
- People killed in action: 10
- People evaded: 4
- Prisoners of war: 8
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 2
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 1
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 1
- Aircraft sent: 61
- Aircraft missing in action: 2
WOENSDRECHT (Opportunistic)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 379th Bomb Group originally assigned to 2nd wave on Duren, Germany, but Oboe Pathfinder (PFF) failure makes them select the airfield at Woensdrecht, Holland as a Target of Opportunity.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 41.50
- People killed in action: 1
- Aircraft sent: 42
- Aircraft effective: 17
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: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34350715
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16069047
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36243421
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 339th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17062836 and O-678500
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer / Top Turret Gunner / Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39544319
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Knock-out Dropper
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
![A bomber crew of the 303rd Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-29571) nicknamed "Charley Horse" return to base after a mission. A censor has obscured the nose guns on the aircraft. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp] and 'Passed for publication 7 Spet 1943.' [stamp] and '282576.' [Censor no] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been removed. Associated Press Photographer has handwritten on reverse: 'Crew of "Charley Horse" fi](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379023.jpg.webp?itok=fynvIwh3)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Charley Horse
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Cased Ace
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 305th Bomb Group 422nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Vanishing Virgin | X-Virgin
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 384th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 364th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 7-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman
Lee Cunningham 7-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to 4. Durnen event statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 7-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claime to Aachen statistics per "The Mighty Eight 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'.