VIII Bomber Command 86
24 August 1943IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Description
The 8th Air Force is intent on dishing out some "pay back" to the Luftwaffe for the toll it took on bombers of the 17-Aug-43 mission to Schweinfurt/Regensburg. So, This mission has three attack elements and a diversion element. The attack elements are all directed at German airfields in France, one of which is an air depot. There are attacks in the late morning and late afternoon.
The first element is composed of 85 B-17s of the 17-Aug-43 Regensburg element that landed at bases in North Africa. The target is the German airfield of Bordeaux/Merignac, France. The Groups participating are: 94BG (17); 95BG (8); 96BG (15); 100BG (6); 385BG (13); 388BG (16); and 390BG (10). 9 aircraft had mechanical difficulties and returned to North Africa, and the 385BG formation of 13 did not attack. 58 of the 85 are effective on the target. These attacked between 1157hrs and 1200 hrs. 3 aircraft are MIA - 5KIA 3POW 6EVD 6RTD (rescued by ASR). 2 aircraft are listed as Category E losses (Damaged Beyond Repair-DBR) but one of these was a ground accident prior to take-off from Telergma when someone in the crew retracted the landing gear while the aircraft was on the hardstand. The other DBR ran out of gas while in the landing pattern at Knettishall and the pilot was forced to make a crashlandind in a nearby field. The crew were all OK. The bomber gunners of this element claimed 3-3-10 of attacking fighters.
The second attacking element was a force of 110 B-17s from: 91BG (14); 92BG (19); 305BG (18); 306BG (18); 351BG (22); 379BG (12); and 381BG (7) despatched to bomb the large German air depot at Villacoublay, France. 86 aircraft are effective on the target between 1800hrs - 1805hrs. Weather prevented 91BG from dropping. There are no losses in this element but 64 are damaged. The bomber gunners claim 1-0-1 of attacking enemy aircraft.
The third element is a formation of 42 B-17s from: 94BG (6); 95BG (7); 96BG (3); 100BG (7); 385BG (6); 388BG (6); and 390BG (7) despatched to bomb the German airfields at Conches, France and at Evereux/Fauville, France. Weather hampers bombing: none of the aircraft despatched from 94BG, 385BG and 388BG are able to bomb because of cloud cover. 22 of the 42 despatched manage to bombe the target. 1 B-17 is MIA because of a mechanical failure and is ditched into the English Channel - 1KIA 9RTD (rescued by ASR). The bomber gunners calim 0-0-2 of attacking enemy aircraft.
A force of 36 B-17s from 303BG (18); 379BG (6); and 384BG (36) are despatched to fly a diversion for the elements attacking at Villacoublay and Chonches. One aircraft aborts. There are no losses or claims.
Mission Details
Description: DIVERSION
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: Diversion for Villacoublay raid.
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 36
- Aircraft effective: 35
Description: AIRFIELDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 85 B-17s from Africa join raid, these landed there after Regensburg raid. 9 returned to African bases. 385th Bomb Group despatch was not effective in bombing the target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 141.75
- People killed in action: 4
- People evaded: 6
- Prisoners of war: 3
- People returned to duty: 26
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 3
- Enemy aircrafts probably destroyed by bomber: 3
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 10
- Aircraft sent: 85
- Aircraft effective: 58
- Aircraft missing in action: 3
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 2
- Aircraft damaged: 40
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Description: AIRFIELDS
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 94th Bomb Group 385th Bomb Group and 390th Bomb Group despatch are unable to effectively hit the target.
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 248.00
- People killed in action: 2
- People wounded in action: 9
- People returned to duty: 9
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 2
- Aircraft sent: 42
- Aircraft effective: 22
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 15
Description: AIR DEPOT
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: 91st Bomb Group despatch unable to effectively hit the target
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 257.25
- People wounded in action: 10
- Enemy aircrafts destroyed by bomber: 1
- Enemy aircraft damaged by bomber: 1
- Aircraft sent: 110
- Aircraft effective: 86
- Aircraft damaged: 64
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-727183
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot / Command Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12184210
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner, waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15107390
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39184316
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-734654
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Pistol Ball
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron 511th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Shady lady
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Amatol
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Gremlin's Castle
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Argonaut III
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 508th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 26-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to Villacoublay element statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 26-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to Conches element statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman
Lee Cunningham 26-May-2015. Added bomber gunner claims to Bordeaux element statistics per "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Lee Cunningham 26-May-2015. Added Mission Narrative based on "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", Roger A. Freeman.
Associated Media based on images associated with missions in Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Diary.
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'.