VIII Bomber Command 101
23 September 1943Description
This mission was actually flown by two different formations as two missions but it only went into the records as a single 8th Air Force mission. The combined force was composed of 91 B-17s from 92BG (17); 303BG (19); 306BG (18); 379BG (19) and 384BG (18) despatched to bobm the port area of Nantes, France and the German airfield of Rennes/St. Jacques, France. 61 of the 91 were affective on the Nantes port area. No aircraft were lost from the Nantes formation but one aircraft was Damaged Beyond Repair (DRB) in a crash landing upon return 10RTD. 10 airmen were wounded. 19 of 91 were effective on the airfield at Rennes/ St. Jacques, France. Two aircraft Failed to Return (FTR) 17POW 3EVD. 2 airmen were wounded. 26 aircraft were damaged.
Mission Details
Description: DIVERSION
Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Notes: Diversion for raids on Nantes and Rennes/St. Jacques, France.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Aircraft sent: 26
NANTES (Primary)
Description: HARBOUR INSTALLATION
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Notes: First occasion that two Heavy bomber missions are flown in the same day.
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 174.00
- People killed in action: 3
- People evaded: 7
- Prisoners of war: 7
- People returned to duty: 7
- Aircraft sent: 72
- Aircraft effective: 61
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged beyond repair: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 16
RENNES/ST. JACQUES (Opportunistic)
Description: AIRFIELD
Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Mission Statistics
- Tonnage Dropped: 57.00
- People killed in action: 7
- People evaded: 4
- Prisoners of war: 9
- Aircraft sent: 19
- Aircraft effective: 19
- Aircraft missing in action: 1
- Aircraft damaged: 10
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: 384th Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group 1st Scouting Force 385th Fighter Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron 857th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-728536
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 351st Bomb Group 510th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32478396
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 418th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12127755
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 365th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39179671
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner / Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sky Wolf
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Hell's Angels
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Knock-out Dropper
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Mr Five by Five
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 94th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Cat's Sass | Pulmadique
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 546th Bomb Squadron 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 28-Jun-2015. Added Mission Description based on "The 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'.