VIII Bomber Command 5
24 August 1942Official Description
12 Heavy Bombers hit the shipyard of Ateliers et Chantiers Maritime de la Seine at Le Trait.
General Spaatz reports RAF attitude towards US daylight precision bombing seems to be changing from one of skepticism to one of tentative approval.
Description
97BG despatches 12 B-17s on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Le Trait, France.
Mission Details
Description: FIGHTER INTERCEPT
Aircraft Type: Spitfire
Notes: One group of 12, and another of 6, Spitfires of 31st Fighter Group are despatched to intercept an enemy raider. No enemy aircraft is sighted.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 18
LE TRAIT
Description: SHIP YARD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: No fighters escort this mission. The general consensus of opinion by 8th Air Force Staff at this time in the war was that the B-17 "FLYING FORTRESS" was such a formidable aircraft, and so well armed, that fighter escort would not be needed. It will take some time and unacceptable losses before this attitude changes.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: None
- People wounded in action: 5
- People returned to duty: 5
- Aircraft sent: 12
- Aircraft effective: 12
- Aircraft damaged: 3
Connections
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People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 97th Bomb Group 342nd Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 25-Oct-2014. Mission description based on "Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman.
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'.