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18 November 1942
VIII BC conducts missions against 3 U-boat bases. 19 HBs attack at La Pallice, 13 at Lorient Keroman, and 19 at Saint-Nazaire.
The U-Boat pens at Lorient and La Pallice, France are the Primary (P) targets for this mission. However, those at St. Nazaire, France are attacked by 21 B-17s of 303BG when they are mistaken for those of Lorient. The force attacking Lorient is composed of 13 B-24s from 93; La Pallice is attacked by a combined element of 31 B-17s from 91BG (17) and 306BG (14). In addition, a diversion for the La Pallice force is flown by 20 B-17s from 305BG; and another diversion is flown by 6 B-24s from 44BG.
DIVERSION
B-17 Flying Fortress
Diversion for La Pallice raid.
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,...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 20 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 20 |
DIVERSION
B-24 Liberator
Diversion for Lorient 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
Bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft are displayed on this event for statistical purposes and represent the bundled total of bomber gunner claims on VIII BC Mission 21.
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...
| Tonnage dropped | 32.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 31 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 21 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 9 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 1 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 3 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 5 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 3 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 1 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-24 Liberator
Not yet known
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 | 39.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 13 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 13 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 3 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 5 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 8 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-17 Flying Fortress
The actual briefed target was La Pallice, but the 303rd mistook St. Nazaire for La Pallice even though they are 100 miles away from each other.
Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
| Tonnage dropped | 47.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 21 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 19 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 15 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 3 |
Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
15-Jul-42 Assigned as Navigator on B-17F 42-2967 [PU-G] "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Shak Hak"
...
Military | Captain | Lead Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
17-Feb-42 Assigned as Navigator of B-17F #41-24579 [PU-F] at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth UK. He was despatched on 26 Operations - 25 credited. Served as a Lead Navigator on 23 of those missions. Completed a 25-Mission...
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 455th Bomb Group
Flew in WW II, Korea. Served from Sept 1941 to April 1968. 18-November-1942, while serving as Pilot on B-24D 41-23745 "Katy Bug' sustained a collision with a tree when engine failure resulted in a crash landing at Little Stukeley, 4 crew members killed...
Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 93rd Bomb Group
While serving as a Waist Gunner on B-24D 41-24745 'Katy Bug' his aircraft sustained the failure of two engines and crashed into a tree while attempting an emergency landing at Little Stukeley. 4 crew members were killed. SSgt Austin was uninjured and...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 20 December 1942 in B-17 41-24566 'Zombie', 303BG/359BS while serving as Radio Operator on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 15593. Participated in 4 Operations (1 was aborted)....
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
06-Mar-42 Assigned as Radio Operator on B-17F 41-24559 [PU-C] "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Ooold Soljer"
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
On 23 January 1943 in B-17F 41-24580 'Hell Cat', 303BG/358BS while serving as Tail Gunner the aircraft was downed by fighters near Brest. He was able to parachute to safety and was captured as a Prisoner of War (POW). Participated in 7 Operations -...
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 | 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 | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
10-Sep-42 Assigned as Co-Pilot of B-17F #41-24603 [BN-Y] "Green Hornet", 303BG/359BS at Biggs Field, El Paso Texas and arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard that aircraft on 22-Oct-42.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned to 306BG/367BS at Westover 17-Aug-42; Thurleigh 17-Sep-42. Damaged by anti-aircraft fire over St. Nazaire, France while on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at La Pallice, France. The aircraft was then attacked by German FW-190 fighters over...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F #41-24999 'Fury' was assigned 91BG/322BS [LG-P] at Bangor 2-Sep-42; Bassingbourn 29-Sep-42; 3m Despatched 18-Nov-42 to bomb the U-Boat pens at La Pallice, France. Upon return the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with B-17F #41-24453 (91BG) ...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F-25-BO 41-24558 [VK:F] "Hunga Dunga" was assigned to the 358BS/303BG [VK-F] at Bangor. Maine on 14-Oct-42; arrived at Molesworth, UK on 16-Oct-42; Missing in Action Vegasack 18-Mar-43 when it was attacked by enemy aircraft near Helgoland. Germany...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24559 'Ooold Soljer' was assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-C] Bangor 14-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-T] Bangor 10/9/42; Molesworth 16/10/42; 59m transferred 1 Base Air Depot (sic),* Burtonwood 7/7/44; Returned to the USA Altus 18/8/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Altus 14/8/45. Over...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24566 'Zombie' [BN-W] was assigned 303BG/359BS [BN-W] at Alamogordo Field, New Mexico on 23-Jun-42. Stationed at Kellogg Field, Battle Creek, Michigan until 3-Oct-42 when it went to Bangor, Maine for deployment to England.; Molesworth 25-Oct...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather', assigned 359BS/303BG [BN-U] Bangor 9-October-42; Molesworth 25-October-42. The original crew flew to Molesworth 24/25-Oct-42 except for Borysiewicz. The aircraft also carried as a passenger Captain Abraham Black who...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper" was assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-F] 17-Feb-42 Gowen Field, Idaho; Bangor 14-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42; Aircraft damaged by AA fire and enemy fighters on mission to Lorient, France on 23-Jan-43. 11 man crew. Belly-landed at...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24580 "Hellcat Agnes" was assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-C] Bangor 11-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-62. Participated in 6 Operations - 2 Aborts (See Biography events)
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24584 "Susfu" was assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-Q] Bangor 5-Oct-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42; Missing in Action 23-Jan-43 while on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Attacked by German FW-190 fighters and crashed at...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2019 13:56:47 | Emily | Changes to official description |
| Sources | ||
Air Force Combat Chronology |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 19:12:52 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added bundled Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on La Pallice fror VIII BC Mission 21 per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 November 2014 18:25:48 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Nov-2014. Mission description provided by Mr. Cunningham based on "Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:17 | 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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