VIII Bomber Command 124
7 November 1943Description
This mission is composed of two elements. The first element is a force of 59 B-17s of 1st Bomb Division including 91BG (18) 351BG (20); and 381BG (21) despatched to bomb the industrial areas of Wesel, Germany. Failure of the Oboe equipment results in a wide scattering of bombs. 53 aircraft are effective on and around the target. There are no aircraft losses or claims, but 1 airmen is KIA and 2 others ar Wounded in Action (WIA).
The second element is a combined force of 60 B-17s of 3rd Bomb Division including: 390BG (20); 100BG (23); and 95BG (17) despatched to bomb the industrial areas of Duren, Germany. 37 aircraft are effective on Duren, but failure of the Oboe PFF equipment and poor weather cause 20 aircraft the bomb the secondary target at Randerath, Germany. There are no losses or claims but 2 aircraft are damaged.
NOTE: 3 B-17s from 482BG equipped with PFF Oboe equipment are dispersed among the formations of 1BD and 3BD. 1 aborts the mission.
Mission Details
DUREN (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 2 of 3 PPF from 482nd Bomb Group equipped B-17s escort but equipment failure results in wide scattering of bombs.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 84.10
- Aircraft sent: 43
- Aircraft effective: 41
- Aircraft damaged: 1
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 48.00
- Aircraft sent: 17
- Aircraft effective: 16
- Aircraft damaged: 1
WESEL (Primary)
Description: AIRCRAFT FACTORIES
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Poor weather restricts operations.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 125.35
- People killed in action: 1
- People wounded in action: 2
- Aircraft sent: 59
- Aircraft effective: 53
- Aircraft damaged: 4
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38219887
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35418214
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-801507
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 535th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31190810
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 418th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-797609
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: San Antonio Rose
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Wee Bonnie II
- Unit: 1st Strategic Air Depot 802nd Reconnaissance Group (SP) 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Floozie Flossy | Mary Ruth | The WeWa Special
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron 36th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Superstitious Al-o-ysius
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 9-Jul-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "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'.