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14 November 1942
24 HBs strike U-boat works at Saint-Nazaire
The U-Boat pens of La Pallice, France are the Primary(P) target for a combined bomber force of 21 B-17s from 91BG (14) and 306BG (7); 93BG also joins the raid with 13 B-24s. However, La Pallice is completely clouded over, so instead, the bombers attack the Secondary (S) target of the port area of St. Nazaire, France. 44BG despatches 6 B-24 on a diversion.
DIVERSION
B-24 Liberator
Diversion for La Pallice. St. Nazaire raid.
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...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 6 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 6 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-17 Flying Fortress
The primary target at La Pallice had a 10/10 cloud cover and all aircraft diverted to St. Nazaire.
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
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
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...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 34 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-24 Liberator
Bombs have little or no effect on 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
The 91st Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated at Harding Field, Louisiana on 15-April-1942 and went to MacDill Field, Florida for the first phase of training from 16-May-1942 to 25-June-1942. The Group was then assigned to 2nd Air Force at Walla...
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 | 57 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 34 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 24 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 2 |
Military | Technical Sergeant | Aerial Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
18 November 1942 in 'Fury' B-17 #41-2499 bombs could not be released so were jettisoned in an open field. On return, 10 miles SW of Exeter, A/C collided with #41-24553 which was able to land safely; however Fury landed at RAF Turweston and was salvaged.
Military | Captain | Navigator | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Flew on John L. Ryan crew. From Sept 1942 until 6 March 1943. Shot down 6 March 1943 over Lorient, France in B-17F 42-5130 'Sweet Pea', 306BG/367BS while serving as Navigator Baled out and taken Prisoner of War (POW). Had flown 12 1/2 missions. His...
Military | Captain | Pilot | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Yurri was an instructor on B-17's at McDill before joining the 91st at Bassingbourn. On the Lorient raid 30th December 1942 in Ll'LAUDREY, the pilots' compartment caught a 20mm shell
...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2019 13:55:22 | Emily | Changes to official description |
| Sources | ||
Air Force Combat Chronology |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 November 2014 17:53:55 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 1-Nov-2014 St. Nazaire statistics "Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 November 2014 17:49:39 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 1-Nov-2014. Despatch adjustment. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 November 2014 17:46:49 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 1-Nov-2014. Mission description edit. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 November 2014 17:45:14 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 1-Nov-2014 Mission details. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 November 2014 17:39:56 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 1-Nov-2014. Bomb Group associations made. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 November 2014 17:37:36 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 1-Nov-2014. 'USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop. |
||
| 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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