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9 November 1942
VIII BC attacks U-boat base at Saint-Nazaire from reduced altitude. 12 B-24’s at 17,500 to 18,300 ft suffer little AA damage, but 31 B-17’s at 7,500 to 10,000 ft lose 3 of their number and have 22 damaged by AA fire. This ends experiment with low-level attacks of HBs against submarine bases.
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the target of this mission conducted by a combined force of 33 B-17s from 91BG and 306BG together with a combined force of 14 B-24s from 44BG and 93BG. The B-24 formation bombs from altitudes between 17,500 ft. to 18,300 ft. The B-17 formation are ordered to bomb from altitudes between 7,500 ft. to 10,000 ft. in hopes of increasing bombing accuracy and concentration on the target. The B-17 formation is pounded by anti-aircraft fire with three aircraft lost and another 22 taking damage. This is the last time heavy bombers will attempt low-level approaches.
U-BOAT PENS
B-17 Flying Fortress
The B-17s try to attack from a low altitude (7,500 to 10,000 feet), lose 3 and have 22 damaged by AA fire. This ends the experiment with low-level attacks by heavy bombers against submarine pens. There is no fighter escort for this mission.
Group
Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...
Group
Activated 15 June 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. Initial organization and training at Pendleton Field, Oregon on 29 June 1942. Primary flight training at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona from 28 Aug. 42 to 31 Oct. 42; then at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas...
| Tonnage dropped | 68.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 33 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 31 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 3 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 22 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 23 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 8 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-24 Liberator
The B-24s attack from 17,500 to 18,000 feet and only one suffers AA damage.
Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
Group
93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 1-March-1942 at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. On 15-May-1942 the Group moved to Ft. Myers, Florida to continue advanced flight training and also to fly anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico; they...
| Tonnage dropped | 45.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 14 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 12 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 1 |
Military | Captain | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
26-Jul-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24563 [PU-H] "Garbage", 303BG/360BS with crew at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK, aboard "Garbage".
...
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He reported to group in June 1942. On 9-October-1942 his aircraft sustained major a/c damage on landing upon returning from a mission to Lille, France.
...
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24486 'Man O War' while serving as Tail Gunner. Plane crashed in to Channel. His remains were lost at sea. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24491 while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Plane crashed 5 miles north-west of St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24491 while serving as Tail Gunner Plane crashed 5 miles north-west of St. Nazaire, France. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He was an original crew member of the group. He flew on Ralph Gaston crew. On 9 November 1942 assigned target U/B at St. Nazaire, France. On return, crashed into field beyond runway in B-17F-15-BO 41-24494.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
On 9 November 1942 assigned target U/B at St. Nazaire, France. On return, crashed into field beyond runway in B-17F-15-BO 41-24494.
...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24509 'Miss Swoose' while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner. Aircraft shot down by AA fire and crashed into the sea near the target St. Nazaire, France . Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He flew on John Barnett crew. He was considered one of the original crew members of the group.
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Shot down 9 November 1942 in B-17 41-24486 'Man O War' while serving as Bombardier. Plane crashed in to Channel. His remains were lost at sea. Killed in Action (KIA).
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24486 'Man O' War' assigned 306BG/367BS Westover 17-August-42; Thurleigh 13-October-1942; Missing in Action on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France. 9-Nov-1942. Hit by flak KO’d #2, with two others damaged, crashed into the...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 423BS/306BG Westover 15 August 194. Based at Thurleigh 13 October 1942. Missing in Action on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France 9 November 1942. 6KIA 3POW 1EVD. MACR 6012.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 423BS/306BG Westover 15-August-1942, B-17F 41-24509, 'Miss Swoose' was damaged by AA fire between the Initial Point (IP) and the target which resulted in a fire on #3 engine during mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France on 9...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned to 306BG/367BS at Westover 16-Aug-1942; Thurleigh 13-October-1942. 9-Nov-42 despatched on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France it was damaged by flak. Upon return it landed at Portreath, over-ran the runway, overran a dirt...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2019 13:54:06 | Emily | Changes to official description |
| Sources | ||
Air Force Combat Chronology |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 30 October 2014 16:46:19 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 30-Oct-2014. Description based on "USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:16 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
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'. |
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