21 August 1942
At Gen Arnold’s request, Gen Eisenhower gives Gen Spaatz additional duties as Air Officer for ETOUSA and head of the air section of its staff, thus assuring active participation by Eighth AF in theater planning. 12 airplanes are dispatched to bomb shipyards at Rotterdam, but mission is aborted due to attack by 25 Me-109’s and FW-190’s. Lack of proper coordination with Spitfire escort is major factor in failure of mission.
97BG despatches 12 B-17s on a mission to bomb the shipyards and harbour facilities at Rotterdam, Holland. The mission is aborted when attacked by approximately 25 Bf-109 and Fw-190 fighter aircraft. Spitfire aircraft were despatched by 31FG as escorts for the bombers, but aborted because the bombers were 16 minutes late for rendezvous. 8th Air Force sustains the first KIA of an airman in the ETO.
AIR-SEA RESCUE
Spitfire
Despatched on an Air Sea Rescue (ASR) mission.
Group
The 31st Fighter Group only flew missions from England between June and September 1942 but during this period they supported the Dieppe raid, the assault on occupied Europe, predominantly by the Canadian army. The attack was forced into early retreat...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 11 |
FIGHTER DIVERSION
Spitfire
A diversion for the B-17s attacking Rotterdam.
Group
The 31st Fighter Group only flew missions from England between June and September 1942 but during this period they supported the Dieppe raid, the assault on occupied Europe, predominantly by the Canadian army. The attack was forced into early retreat...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 11 |
FIGHTER PATROL
Spitfire
Patrol off the Dutch coast.
Group
The 31st Fighter Group only flew missions from England between June and September 1942 but during this period they supported the Dieppe raid, the assault on occupied Europe, predominantly by the Canadian army. The attack was forced into early retreat...
| Number of aircraft Sent | 11 |
SHIP YARD
B-17 Flying Fortress
Mission is aborted due to an attack by 25 Bf 109s and Fw-190s. Fighter escort was planned for this mission but coordination with Spitfire escorts didn't happen because bombers were 16 minutes late. 8th Air Force suffers its first loss of an airman in combat. The co-pilot two LT Donald A. Walter, O-437895 of 41-9089 JOHNNEY REB is killed by a Luftwaffe fighter attack. The pilot and bombardier are wounded.
Group
The 97th Bomb Group flew the Eighth Air Force's first heavy bomber mission from the UK when they bombed a marshalling yard at Rouen on 17 August 1942. Just a month later though the Group were reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force and left England for the...
| Tonnage dropped | None |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 12 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 1 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 1 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 5 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 2 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 5 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 6 |
Military | First Lieutenant | Bombardier | 97th Bomb Group
Lt Ewart Sconiers was Bombardier on B-17 41-9089 'Johnny Reb', one of the 12 B-17s participating in the first heavy bomber raid of the 8th Air Force on 17 August 1942. The target were the shipyards of Rouen/Sotteville, France.
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Navigator | 97th Bomb Group
Note : In both the 1930 and 1940 Censuses, Harold and his parents are listed as Spires. All later documents, including his Enlistment records, his Escape & Evasion Report have him as Harold Spire...
...
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 97th Bomb Group
Richard Starks grew up in Woodford County, Kentucky. He attended the Midway High School and the University of Kentucky before enlisting in April 1941. After his enlistment, he was sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma for primary training, starting to fly the...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 97th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) in fighter attack in B-17 41-9089. First Killed in Action (KIA) for VIII Bomber Command.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Sarasota 15/4/42. Assigned 414BS/97BG Polebrook 4/42. Flew on first 8th Air Force heavy bomber mission 17 August 1942 with Pilot Lt. Richard S. Starks (WIA 21/8/42); Co-pilot: Donald A. Walter (KIA 21/8/42); Navigator: Harold Spire;...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 05 September 2019 11:12:41 | Emily | Changes to official description |
| Sources | ||
Air Force Combat Chronology |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 15 February 2015 18:31:59 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 15-Feb-2015. Added Bomber Gunner claims to statistics on Rotterdam per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 25 October 2014 21:00:55 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 25-Oct-2014. Mission description based on "Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman. |
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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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