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29 May 1943
Not yet known
Three primary targets are selected for this mission. The U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France are selected as the target for a force of 169 B-17s despatched from: 91BG (23); 92BG (22), 303BG (30); 305BG (25) 306BG (24); 351BG (21) and 379BG (24). This is a "maximum effort" operation. There is a new innovation being tried in this formation: the YB-40. These were conceversions of B-17F models and were primarily "gun ships" and not intended to carry bombs. A twin .50cal machine gun chin turret was added; a twin .50cal Martin power turret machine gun replaced the hand-held Radio Room MG. The right waist gun opening was moved slightly forward and a twin .50cal MG position was added, also a twin .50 cal MG position was made at the left waist gun position. The aircraft were also retro-fitted in England with an additional cheek gun (.50cal) on each side, bringing the total to 16 .50cal machine guns. The bomb bay was used as the central storage for 11,135 rounds of ammunition. These modifications and the tremendous quantity of ammunition added pver 4,000 pounds to the dry weight of the aircraft. The idea was that these gun ships would be placed in the most vulnerable positions within the bomber formations. The additonal weight affected the center of gravity of the aircraft and made them difficult to fly. In addition once the bombers had dropped their bombs, the YB-40s were still so loaded with ammunition that they could not stay in formation with the returning bombers. 7 of these aricraft flew this mission with the 92BG and 1 with the 305BG. None of the YB-40s were lost on this mission but the formation sustained 8 B-17s MIA, all due to anti-aircraft fire. 147 of 169 were effective on the target. Fighter opposition was light and the bomber gunners only claimed 6-0-1 on enemy fighters.
Another formation of 38 B-24s from 44BG and 93BG are despatched against the U-Boat pens at La Pallice, France. 34 of the 48 B-24s despatched are effective on the target. There is no fighter opposition and flak is light and inaccurate. There are no losses or claims. This is the last bombing operation for 44th Bomb Group before being assigned for Temporary Duty with the 12th Air Force flying out of North Africa.
Two elements are put together to bomb the naval storage depot at Rennes, France. The first of these is a combined force of 56 B-17s from; 94BG (18); 95BG (18) and 96BG (20). These fly in there own distinct BG formations. 54 of 56 are effective on the target but 6 (10.7%) are MIA. The bomber gunners claim 19-5-4 on the enemy fighters. The other element attackin a Rennes is a "composite group" made up of 16 B-17s from: 94BG (4); 95BG (2) and 96BG (10). This is the first instance where such a formation has been attempted. The navigators among the aircraft became confused and the formation was not able to make a coherent run on the target. Only 3 of the 16 were effective on the target. There were no losses or claims.
U-BOAT PENS
B-24 Liberator
This is the last mission for the 44th Bomb Group before leaving for North Africa.
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 | 99.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 38 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 34 |
NAVAL YARD
B-17 Flying Fortress
A composite Group made up of 4 from the 94th Bomb Group, two from the 95th Bomb Group and 10 from 96th Bomb Group fly as a unit on this raid. First such instance.
Group
Activated 15 June 1942 at MacDill Field, Florida. Initial organization and training at Pendleton Field, Oregon on 29 June 1942. Primary flight training at Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona from 28 Aug. 42 to 31 Oct. 42; then at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas...
Group
The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on 17 August...
| Tonnage dropped | 132.50 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 72 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 57 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 6 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 30 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 31 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 10 |
| Number of people Evaded | 8 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 22 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 9 |
U-BOAT PENS
B-17 Flying Fortress
The 379th Bomb Group flies its first mission.7 YB-40s of 92nd Bomb Group and one YB-40 from 305th Bomb Group are used to escort the bombers for defence. The YB-40s are too heavy to keep up with the bomber formation. No fighter escort on this mission.
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 351st Bomb Group flew strategic bombing missions from their base at Polebrook, Northamptonshire from April 1943 to June 1945. The Group's most famous member was Hollywood actor Clark Gable, who flew four/ five missions with them as an observer...
Group
The 379th Bomb Group (H) (heavy), based at Kimbolton, flew more sorties than any other Bomb Group in the Eighth Air Force and dropped a greater bomb tonnage than any other Group. The B-17 Flying Fortress Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit...
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...
Group
The 92nd Group sometime after arrivial in the UK converted to the role of in-theater combat crew indocrination and training. For this role, the Group traded its B-17F complement and obtained the B-17E, mostly from the 97th BG which was departing for...
| Tonnage dropped | 277.00 |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 169 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 147 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 8 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 58 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 23 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 10 |
| Number of people Evaded | 2 |
| Number of people Prisoners of War | 46 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 9 |
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Raymond Allaby served as a tail gunner with the 305th Bomb Group. He was shot down on 29 May 1943 on his tenth mission, over St. Nazaire, France in B-17 42-29792. Nine of the crew were killed, he was the only one who survived. Taken as a Prisoner of...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 524BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 2 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Bremen / Wilhelmshaven in B-17 42-29915 11-Jun-43; Shot down, plane crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 1760
Awards: AM, PH.
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 524BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 2 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Bremen / Wilhelmshaven in B-17 42-29915 11-Jun-43; Shot down, plane crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 1760
Awards: AM, PH.
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
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 | Radio Operator Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Radio Operator SSgt Leon Berger was Killed in Action flying his fourth and final mission to the synthetic rubber plant located at Hulls Germany on June 22, 1943. Enemy aircraft attacked the formation at approximately 09:15AM just prior to their...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 379th Bomb Group
Assigned to 524BS, 379BG, 8AF USAAF. 2 x combat missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Bremen / Wilhelmshaven in B-17 42-29915 11-Jun-43; Shot down, plane crashed into North Sea. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 1760
Awards: PH.
Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 379th Bomb Group
Top Turret Gunner/Engineer Technical Sgt Earl J Boies was Killed In Action flying his fourth and final mission to the synthetic rubber plant located at Hulls Germany on June 22, 1943.
...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner/Waist Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured Few
Shot down 14 October 1943 in B-17 42-30231. Prisoner of War (POW).
Military | Colonel | Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers
He reported to group on 15 Jan 1943. He was the 35th Officer to complete 25 missions. Reported on 05 Feb 1945 with the 2AF weather scouts. Retired as a Colonel from the USAF in 1972.
...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-P] Bangor 5/10/42; Molesworth 25/10/42; Missing in Action 45m Oschersleben 11/1/44 with George McClellan, Co-pilot: Bill Fisher, ex B-26 pilot on his 1st mission, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Dave Tempesta, Radio Operator...
B-17 Flying Fortress
B-17F 41-24602 was assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-A] Bangor 14-Oct-42; Molesworth 16-Oct-42; On the 29-May-43 mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France the aircraft was damaged by flak over the target and then attacked and shot down by fighters...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned to the 359BS/303BG [BN-R] Bangor 22-Sep-42; Molesworth 22-Oct-42; First 8th Air Force aircraft to complete 50, then 75 missions- 27-Mar-44; with M/Sgt Buford Pafford as crew chief; 1 Base Air Depot, Burtonwood 5-Jun-44; Reconstruction Finance...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 24/1/43; Salina 7/2/43; Assigned 358BS/303BG [VK-M] Molesworth 26/3/43. 18 missions. Missing in Action on the mission to bomb the airfield at Amiens-Glisy, France on 31 August 1943. Pilot: William J. Monahan; Co-pilot: Louis M....
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 8 February 1943; 94th BG Pueblo 18 February 1943; Salina 25 February 1943; Laurel 18 March 1943; Smoky Hill 25 March 1943; Syracuse 10 April 1943; Dow Field 15 April 1943; Assigned 94th Bomb Group / 410th Bomb Squadron [GL-W] at...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Assigned 360BS/303BG [PU-G] Presque Is 27/11/42; Molesworth 13/12/42; Returned to the USA 2/7/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Arledge 22/11/44. IZA VAILABLE.
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 18/2/43; Salina 2/3/43; Assigned 366BS/305BG [KY-G] Chelveston 8/4/43; Missing in Action St Nazaire 29/5/43 with Jim Perry, Co-pilot: Bob Roddy, Navigator: Herb Korenko, Bombardier: Russell Rose, Flight engineer/top turret gunner:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 8/3/43; Smoky Hill 26/3/43; Baer Fd 10/4/43; Smoky Hill 13/4/43; Dow Fd 18/4/43; Assigned 339BS/96BG Grafton Underwood 24/4/43 MISCHIEF MAKER; Andrews Field 13/5/43; Snetterton 12/6/43; transferred 546BS/384BG [BK-H] Grafton...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 8/3/43; Gore 31/3/43; Bangor 14/4/43; Assigned 524BS/379BG [WA-U] Kimbolton 22/4/43; Missing in Action Wilhelmshafen 11/6/43 with Ray Zucker, Co-pilot: Abram Birch, Navigator: Harry Anderson, Bombardier: Tony Amaya, Flight engineer...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Plane Mischief Maker II entered combat approximately Jun43 under command of Capt V.L. Iverson after the original Mischief Maker was damaged beyond repair. After this crew completed 25 missions Maj. Iverson was retained for HQ USSTAF, the crew...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2016 19:15:12 | Mags | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
303rd BG Web Page |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 04 January 2015 21:45:18 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 4-Jan-2015. Added description based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary" Roger A. Freeman and "USAAF Combat Chronology" Jack McKillop; YB-40 information based on "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story" Roger A. Freeman with David Osborne. |
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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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