VIII Bomber Command 127
11 November 1943Description
This mission is composed of two element. The first element is a combined force of 167 B-17s of 3rd Bomb Division including: 94BG (21); 95BG (20); 96BG (42-double force); 100BG (20); 385BG (23) and 390BG (21) dispatched to bomb the railroad marshaling yards at Munster, Germany. This formation also included 1 PFF equipped B-17 from 482BG, but the equipment failed the dispatch from 95BG, 96BG, 100BG, and 388BG turned back at the enemy coast. 58 aircraft press on and are effective on the target. 4 aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 20KIA 19POW 1EVD. 27 aircraft return damaged and included 4 airmen Wounded in Action (WIA). The bomber gunners of this element claim 10-0-2 of attacking German aircraft.
The second element is a combined formation of 175 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division including: 91BG (18); 92BG (20); 303BG (20); 305BG (19); 306BG (21); 351BG (18); 379BG (21); 381BG (17); and 384BG (21). Also 4 PFF equipped B-17s from 482BG were dispatched with the formations. Weather was so bad that the mission was abandoned. There are no losses or claims, but 1 aircraft is damaged.
Mission Details
Münster, Germany
Description: MARSHALLING YARDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Bad weather frustrates assembly. 95th Bomb Group, 96th Bomb Group, 100th Bomb Group and 388th Bomb Group turn back before reaching the enemy coast because of failure of the Pathfinder (PFF) aircraft. 4 of 5 B-17s equipped with PFF from 482nd Bomb Group aborted due to weather-caused assembly difficulties. 96th Bomb Group flies two formations. The second formation of 21 aircraft turned back after a fire in the lead B-17 caused the pilot to drift off course and lose altitude. When he did that the rest of the formation followed. One B-17 dropped 40 X 100 IBs on CLEVE as a Target of Opportunity.
- 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
- 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: 122.10
- People killed in action: 20
- People wounded in action: 4
- People evaded: 1
- Prisoners of war: 19
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 10
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 2
- Aircraft sent: 172
- Aircraft effective: 59
- Aircraft missing in action: 4
- Aircraft damaged: 27
WESEL (Primary) (RC)
Description: INDUSTRIAL AREA
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Entire mission aborted.
- 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
- 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
- Aircraft sent: 175
- Aircraft damaged: 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
- Service Numbers: 16066310 / O-735023
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-52478
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13123718
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Photographer / Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34350057
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer / Top Turret Gunner / Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16057004 / O-664401
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Problem Child : Old Reliable
- Unit: Base Air Depot 1 547th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 305th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Maryland, My Maryland : Billie
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron 306th Bomb Group 367th 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: Kathy Jane
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Winsome Winn II
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 547th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 9-Jul-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to Munster element statistics per "The Mighty Eight War Diary", Roger A. Freeman
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'.