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16 February 1943
![B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group fly over countryside. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Feb 1943.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: '7-12 Liberator planes of U.S. Bomber Command in flight at the start of an operational patrol from their base](http://americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-379113.jpg?itok=N5rrO2BW)
B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group fly over countryside. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Feb 1943.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: '7-12 Liberator planes of U.S. Bomber Command in flight at the start of an operational patrol from their base "somewhere in England". And February 17th 1943 PN'
Crew #551 Seward M. Meinstma Crew Standing Left to Right: Jack Veach (R/O), George Wood (BTG), William Osborne (NG), John O'Donnell (FE), Howard Wade (TG), Sherell Campbell (G) Kneeling Left to Right: Seward Meinstma (P), Donald Vanderwall (CP), Eugene Gjertsen (N), Harvey Levine (B) This crew completed a 35 mission tour. Gjertsen transferred to the Welsh Crew of the 784th BS at some point during the tour. Also Daniel Chadbourne replaced O'Donnell as Flight Engineer during the tour.
Not yet known
The port area and U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are designated as the primary target of this mission of 71 B-17s and 18 B-24s. B-17s are from 91BG (18); 303BG (15); 305BG (18); 306BG (20) of these 59 are effective on the target and 6 are lost. 91st BG reports that two of its B-17s are attacked by FW190s dropping what appear to be cluster bomb munitions just aft of the B-17s.
B-24s are from 44BG (12) and 93BG (6). Only 6 of the 12 despatched by 44BG are effective on the target and 2 are lost in a mid-air collision over the English Channel. None of the B-24s despatched by 93BG are aeffective on the target.
U-BOAT PENS
B-17 Flying Fortress
No fighter escort on this mission for any of the elements. One B-17 from 91st Bomb Group crashed on take-off - Crew OK, but bomber DBR. Luftwaffe uses time-fused fragmentation bombs dropped in clusters from FW-190 fighters.
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 | 143.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 71 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 59 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 6 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 28 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 33 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 7 |
| Number of people Evaded | 7 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 23 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 16 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 10 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 2 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-24 Liberator
2 B-24s from 44th Bomb Group sustain a mid-air collision over the English Channel near Selsey, England. None of the 6 B-24s of 93rd Bomb Group are effective at the target.
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 | 16.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 18 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 6 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 2 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 20 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 4 |
| 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 | 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 | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
On 16-February-1943 in B-24D 42-40354 'Snafu' while serving as Radio Operator the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with B-24D 41-23818 'Texan II' 44thBG/67BS off the English coast near Selsey Bill, Sussex en-route to the target at St. Nazaire,...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
1LT Charles N. Austin was originally assigned to the 92BG and arrived in England in August 1942. On 10-Feb-43 he and his crew were transferred from 92BG to 303BG/358BS as a replacement crew and assigned to B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga". He participated...
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 | Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
12-Feb-42 Assigned to 303BG as an Aerial Gunner at Arrived at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 12-Jun-42 Trained at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo New Mexico. 7-Aug-42 Finished Advanced training at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. 24-Aug-42 transferred with Ground...
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
On 16-February-1943 in B-24D 42-0354 'Snafu' while serving as Pilot the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with B-24D 41-23818 'Texan II' just of the English coast near Selsey Bill, Sussex. Both aircraft exploded crashed into the English Channel...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
6-Mar-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner 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 | Captain | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
15-Jul-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F #42-2967 [PU-G] "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 24-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Pilot of "Shak Hak".
...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
Prisoner of War (POW). On 16-February-1943 in B-17F 42-5175 while serving as Bombardier the aircraft was damaged by flak and 2 engines were hit on the bomb run over St. Nazaire, France. Fighters then attacked and Lt Downing gave orders to bale out....
B-24 Liberator
B-24F 41-23818 "Texan II" and once named "Bela" was assigned to 44BG/67BS. The aircraft was despatched to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. Shortly after leaving the English coast off of Selsey Bill, Sussex, the aircraft sustained a mid-air...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-K] Kellogg Fd 15/9/42; Molesworth 16/10/42; CCRC Bovingdon 27/7/43; 384BG Grafton Underwood 22/9/43; Salvaged NBD 31/5/45. JERSEY BOUNCE.
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
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 41-24611 "Boomerang" was assigned 422BS/305BG [JJ-W] Presque Is 19-Oct-42; Grafton Underwood 25-Oct-42; flew Gen Eaker to Casablanca 15-Jan-43; Missing in Action 16-Feb-43 while on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France. Attacked...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 42-2967 "Shak Hak" was Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-G] Bangor 18-Sep-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42.
...
B-24 Liberator
B-14D 42-40354 "Snafu" 44BG/66BS was despatched on 16-Feb-43 to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. Shortly after leaving the English coast the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with B-24D 41-23818 "Texan II" 44BG/67BS off Selsey Bill,...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 42-5058 "Hun Hunter" was delivered Cheyenne 6-Sep-42; Presque Is 19-Oct-42; Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-H] Chelveston 30-Oct-42; Missing in Action 16-Feb-43 while on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France. Shot down by enemy...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 42-5175 was delivered at Denver 6-Oct-42; New Castle 4-Nov-42; Assigned 367BS/306BG [GY- ] Thurleigh 16-Nov-42; Missing in Action 16-Feb-43 while on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St Nazaire, France. Aircraft was severely damaged by flak...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 19 February 2015 17:15:57 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to B-24 St. Nazaire event per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 19 February 2015 17:14:56 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 19-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to B017 St. Nazaire event per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 December 2014 17:36:20 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 23-Dec-2014. Description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 26 November 2014 09:46:41 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Associated media based on date of image. |
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| 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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