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23 November 1942
36 HBs hit Saint-Nazaire submarine base for the fifth time in 2 weeks. Cumulative effect of operation on the base is large though the sub shelter shows little permanent damage. HB crews report change in ftr tactics from rear to head-on attack as they learn that the B-17 and B-24 are weak in forward fire-power.
Sir Pound, First Lord of the Admiralty, writes to Gen Eaker praising the effects of US bmr attacks on disorganizing the servicing schedule of the German U-boat bases on the French W coast.
The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are the Primary (P) for this mission. A combined force of 50 B-17s despatched from 91BG (10), 303BG (12), 305BG (20) and 306BG (8) to attack this target. 91BG is not able to put any of their group on the target, and only 28 of the 50 are effective. Also, 8 B-24s from 93BG join the attack. There is no fighter escort and German fighter resistance is heavy on the withdrawal and 4 B-17s are listed MIA.
U-BOAT PENS
B-24 Liberator
This is the last mission for the 93rd Bomb Group before being sent TDY to North Africa. There is no fighter escort for this mission.
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 | 8 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 8 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 1 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 1 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 1 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-17 Flying Fortress
Bomber crews report the Luftwaffe has changed attack tactics and are now attacking the bombers head-on, because of the lack of forward firepower on the bombers. Of the 10 B-17s despatched by 91st Bomb Group, none manage to bomb the target.
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...
Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...
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 | 68.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 50 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 28 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 3 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 16 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 43 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 16 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 2 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 8 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 15 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 2 |
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 | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Radio Operator. Aircarft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base. 30 miles from the English coast, German fighters shot it down and it crashed into the English...
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 | Lieutenant | Engineer/Top Turret Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24479 'Sad Sack' while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner. Aircraft was seen to feather #2 engine and turn back towards base. 30 miles from the English coast, German fighters shot it down and it crashed into the...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Killed in Action (KIA) Crashed 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24506 'The Shiftless Skonk' while serving as Navigator. Aircraft crashed near Watford/Leavesden on returning from a mission. Plane had been attacked by fighters. At rest at the Cambridge...
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 | Lieutenant | Navigator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24503 'Pandora's Box' while serving as Navigator. Killed in Action (KIA).
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
On 23 November 1942 in B-17 41-24506 'The Shiftless Skonk' while serving as Radio Operator, the aircraft crashed near Watford/Leavesden upon returning from a mission. Plane had been attacked by fighters. SSgt Bonshine Returned to Duty (RTD)
Military | Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 91st Bomb Group The Ragged Irregulars
Shot down 23 November 1942 in B-17 41024503 'Pandora's Box' while serving as Waist Gunner. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Shot down 3 January 1943 in B-17F 41-24526 'Leaping Liz' while serving as Co-Pilot. Target was U/B yards (submarines) at St. Nazaire, France. Fighters attacked and plane crashed into Bay of Biscay. Killed in Action (KIA) Participated in 4 Operations -...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B17F 41-24478 assigned 369BS/306BG Westover 19-Aug-42; Thurleigh 13-Oct-42; Missing in Action 23-Nov-42 while on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France. Flak and German fighters KO’d engines #1 & #2 and 10ft off end of left wing....
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24479 "Sad Sack" Assigned 322BS/91BG [LG-R] 2-September-1942; Bassingbourn 29-September-1942; Missing in Action 23-November-1942 on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. This was the 4th mission for this crew. Last seen with ...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24503 'Pandora's Box' assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-E] Bangor 30-August-42; Bassingbourn 29-September-42; Missing in Action 23-Nov-42 while flying as Group Lead on mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France. Enemy aircraft shot out #3,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B17-F 41-24506 'The Shiftless Skonk; was assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-G] Bangor 2-Sep-42; Bassingbourn 29-Sep-42; Despatched on 23-Nov-1942 to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. The Group was unable to bomb because of 10/10 cloud cover and headed...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24517 [GN-O] 'Kali' 303BG/427BS assigned with crew on 1-May-42 at Alamogordo Field, Almogordo, New Mexico. Sent with crew to Dow Field, Bangor, Maine for deployment 5-Oct-42. Arrived at Molesworth, UK 24-Oct-42
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24541 "Spook" was assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-G] Kellogg Fd 14-Sep-42; Molesworth 16-Sep-42;The aircraft participated in 12 Operations - 4 Aborted (See Biography events)
...
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 41-24566 '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...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2019 13:58:53 | Emily | Changes to official description |
| Sources | ||
Air Force Combat Chronology |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 19:31:56 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on 91BG, 303BG, 305BG, and 306BG At. Nazaire per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 19:30:26 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Made connection to 93BG on 1st St. Nazaire event and added aircraft type |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 19:18:23 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on 93BG St. Nazaire per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 November 2014 20:35:04 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 5-Nov-2014, Crew associations; Missing air Crew Report (MACR)16273 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 November 2014 20:24:36 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 5-Nov-2014. Update map location. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 November 2014 20:21:14 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 5-Nov-2014. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 16273; American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 November 2014 18:13:00 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to name and description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 5-Nov-2014. Description 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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