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24 July 1943
Lt. Frank Robert Spitznagel and crew. 364th Squadron, 305th BG. Assembled June 18, 1943 in front of their B-17 #42-29633, nicknamed "SpitzFire" (Personnel noted Back Row Left - Right; Front Row L-R)
Lt. Carroll Dayle Briscoe (306thBG, 369thSq) flying the "Carroll Jun," named after his daughter who was born in the middle of his tour.
Not yet known
Three targets in Norway are the primary targets for this first mission flown by 8th AIr Force to Norway. They are the nitrate works at Heroya and the port areas at Trondheim and Bergen. The first element is a combined force of 180 B-17s from: 91BG (22); 92BG (15); 303BG (20); 305BG (19); 306BG (21); 351BG (21); 381BG (21); and 384BG (20). 167 of these aircraft are effective on the target. 92BG compliment included 1 YB-40 gunship. Fighter resistance is light and the bomber gunners claim 9-2-0 of the attacking fighters. 1 battle damaged B-17 form 381BG makes a forced landing at Vannacka, Sweden. All 10 crewmen and the aircraft are interned in Sweden. This is the first aircarft and crew to be interned in Sweden.
The second element is a combined force of 45 B-17s from: 95BG (21) and 100BG (24) despatched to bomb the port area at Trondheim, Norway. 41 of these aircraft are effective on the target. 1 battle damaged B-17 from 100BG makes a crash landing at Fraserburg Airfield, UK. All crew OK, but aircraft is considered to be Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR) (Category E loss). The bomber gunners claim 4-2-3 of attacking enemy aircraft.
The third element is a combined force of 84 B-17s from : 94BG (21); 96BG (21); 385BG (21); and 388BG (21) were despatched to bomb the port area at Bergen, Norway. None of this force was able to bomb because the target was totally obscured by cloud cover. All returned to England with their bomb loads.
PORT AREA
B-17 Flying Fortress
Target obscured by cloud cover.
Group
The 385th Bomb Group, who took the nickname "Van's Valiants" after their first Commanding Officer Col. Elliot Vandevanter, flew B-17s from Great Ashfield, Suffolk. The Group led the famous attack on the Focke-Wolfe aircraft factory at Marienburg on 9...
Group
The 388th Bomb Group flew strategic bombing mission from Knettishall, Suffolk from June 1943 to the end of the war. During this time, though, detachments were sent to Fersfield, Norfolk to conduct Aphrodite missions. In these Aphrodite missions veteran...
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 96th Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses to targets across occupied Europe from May 1943 to April 1945.
...
| Tonnage dropped | None |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 84 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 2 |
| Number of people Returned To Duty | 10 |
NITRATE WORKS
B-17 Flying Fortress
This is the longest mission yet flown by the 8th Air Force (1,900 miles round trip) and the first to Norway. No fighter escort. Despatch from 92nd Bomb Group included one YB-40.
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 381st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Ridgewell, Essex between June 1943 and April 1945. The Group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations, the first for bombing shipyards at Bremen, whilst under heavy attack, on 8 October 1943 and...
Group
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by...
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 | 1657 X 500GP |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 180 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 167 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 53 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 1 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 3 |
| Number of people Interned | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 9 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 2 |
PORT AREA
The target was briefed to members of the 95th BG as the heavy water plant at Rjukan Norway
B-17 Flying Fortress
All of these aircraft were equipped with long-range tanks and flew at low altitude until just off the Norway coast to conserve fuel.
Group
"The Bloody Hundredth", so-called because of a reputation for losing a high number aircraft and crews, flew B-17s from Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk. Their losses were not the highest of any Eighth Air Force Group but on several occasions the Group lost many...
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 | 324 X 500GP |
| Number of aircraft Sent | 45 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 41 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged | 9 |
| Number of people Wounded in Action | 3 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Destroyed by Bomber Command | 4 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Probably Destroyed by Bomber Command | 2 |
| Enemy aircraft claimed as Damaged by Bomber Command | 3 |
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Retired from the USAF with the rank of Major
Military | Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade) | Ball Turret Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Military | Captain | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Military | Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade) | Flight Engineer/Waist Gunner | 95th Bomb Group
Military | Lieutenant | Pilot
Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #42-5860 'Escape Kit', Killed in Action (KIA).
Earlier on 24 July 1943 flew B-17 #42-30184 'Muggs' flew first 8th AF attack on Norwegian target. Crash landed on return at Aberdeenshire. All crew returned.
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.
...
Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
Assigned to 335BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. 23 x combat missions. Shot down 10-Oct-43 in B-17 42-30272 'Fritz Blitz'. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1118
Awards: POW, PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Flight Officer | Co-Pilot | 95th Bomb Group
Assigned to 335BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 10-Oct-43 in B-17 42-30272 'Fritz Blitz'. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 1118
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 388th Bomb Group
Henry Jr. was a graduate of the 1940 class of Cumberland County High School. Two classmates, and football team members, graduating from CCHS in 1938, Ben H. West Jr. and Cecil G. Buttram were killed in action. AMM 3rd Class Ben H. West Jr. enlisted Dec...
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
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 26/1/43; Salina 12/2/43; Assigned 364BS/305BG [WF-H/J/N/D] Chelveston 4/3/43. Completed missions as "Spitz Fire" under command of Lt. Frank R. Spitznagel Jr. until 8/19/43; transferred 381BG Ridgewell 11/9/43 1m; 526BS/379BG [LF-U]...
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 Denver 28/2/43; Casper 13/3/43; Metropolitan 13/4/43; Presque Is 30/4/43; Dow Fd 1/5/43; Assigned 379BG Kimbolton 2/5/43; transferred 365BS/305BG [XK-T/H] Chelveston 23/6/43; 545BS/384BG [JD-U] Grafton Underwood 29/9/43; Missing in Action...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 2/4/43; Sioux City 13/4/43; Kearney 4/5/43; Bangor 20/5/43; Assigned to the 547BS/384BG [S0-G] Grafton Underwood 24/5/43, then the 546BS [BK-G]; Missing in Action Leverkusen 1/12/43 with Maj Maurice Stanley Dillingham, Co-pilot:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 15/4/43; Smoky Hill 24/4/43; Presque Is 16/5/43; Assigned 337BS/96BG [AW-J] Andrews Fd 25/5/43 ALIA BUBBLE TROUBLE; Snetterton 12/6/43; Missing in Action Ludwigshafen 7/1/44 with Roland Peterson, Co-pilot: Oscar Megginson, Navigator:...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 11/5/43; Smoky Hill 9/6/43; Dow Fd 12/6/43; Assigned 561BS/388BG [ -T] Knettishall 14/6/43; Missing in Action Bordeaux 27/3/44 with Julius Lederman, Co-pilot: Waite Law, Bombardier: John Luzell (3 Prisoner of War)...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Sioux City 14/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 16/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 17/6/43; transferred Aphrodite project, Missing in Action V-sites, Watten 6/8/44 with Lt Joeseph P Andrecheck & T/Sgt Raymond Healy (2...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 29/4/43; Gore 9/5/43; Sioux City 10/5/43; Smoky Hill 11/6/43; Dow Fd 15/6/43; Assigned 562BS/388BG Knettishall 1/6/43; crashed on take off for Bremen after encountering mechanical problems 13/11/43 with Bob Simons, Co-pilot: Alvin...
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 03 November 2017 04:15:56 | ARowe95 | Changes to aircraft associations |
| Sources | ||
ARowe95 |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 May 2015 21:38:55 | simaguire | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Ian L Hawkins (2005). B17s Over Berlin. Washington DC: Potomac. pp100. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 May 2015 19:00:00 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims on enemy aircraft to statistics of Trondheim element per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman. |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 May 2015 18:58:04 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to event |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to statistics of Heroya element per "The Mighty EIghth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman |
||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 May 2015 18:56:25 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 8-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The 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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