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Mission Target: BREMEN, TOWN
DATE: 1943-10-08 RESULT: FAIR-GOOD
CREW LOST: 72 AIRCRAFT LOST: 7
MISSION: 33 CLS: 16

NOTES

MEMO

 

               08 OCT 43; BREMEM MISSION CHRONOLOGY

 

                           CHRONOLOGY

 

 

CHRONOLOGIES ARE PLAGUED WITH DISCREPANCIES; THE FOLLOWING ARE TWO

OF THE MORE PERPLEXING.

 

IN ESTABLISHING DEPARTURE AND RETURN TIMES, THE "J" FORM" IS A

VALUABLE DOCUMENT.  IN GENERAL THE PRACTICE FOR HEAVY BOMBERS,

B-17S AND B-24S, WAS TO DISPATCH AT THIRTY SECOND INTERVALS.  THE

"J FORM" ON 08 OCT 43 FOR THE 100TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H) DOES NOT

FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE. AT 1143 HRS TWO B-17S (423233 AND 4230840)

ARE LISTED AS DEPARTING.  IT WILL BE ASSUMED THAT THE FIRST

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON THE MINUTE AND THE SUCCEEDING ONE THIRTY

SECONDS LATER.

 

EVEN GREATER DISCREPANCIES, UNDERSTANDABLY, OCCURRED DURING THE

COURSE OF THE MISSIONS. LT F.C. PETERSON OF 425864 REPORTED BOMB

RELEASE AT 1521 HRS, BUT THE LEAD BOMBARDIER'S LOG INDICATES BOMB

RELEASE AT 1525 HRS. WATCHES NOT SYNCHRONIZED, THE STRESS OF COMBAT

ARE FACTORS IN THE MISSION DISCREPANCIES.

 

IN SUMMARY, THE TIMES NOTED BELOW MUST BE CONSIDERED APPROXIMATE.

THE ORDER OF EVENTS, THAT IS, THE LOSS OF AIRCRAFT REFERENCE TO

MISSION PHASE ARE CORRECT. FOLLOWING ARE 100TH STATUS REPORTS FOR 7 OCT

43 @ 2000 HRS (THE EVE OF THE 8 OCT 43 BREMEN MISSION), AND AT THE

END OF THE CHRONOLOGY, THE STATUS REPORT FOR 8 OCT 43 @ 200 HRS.

 

OCTOBER 7, 1943

     2000 HRS       GROUP STATUS REPORT

 

                    37 COMBAT CREWS ASSIGNED

                    30 COMBAT CREWS ASSIGNED

                    43 AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED

                    43 AIRCRAFT ON HAND

                    33 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL

                     8 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL WITHIN 24 HRS

                     2 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL WITHIN 7 DAYS

 

 

OCTOBER 8, 1943

 

     1130      TAXI TIME OF THE FIRST AIRCRAFT

 

               TAKE OFF TIMES

 

1143      23233     LN-R      OUR BABY       MAJ GALE CLEVEN

                                             CAPT B.A. DeMARCO

1143:30   230840    LN-0      UNNAMED        LT HERBERT G. NASH

1144      23433     LN-W      UNNAMED        LT ROBERT P. KRAMER

1144:30   230818    LN-S      SALVO SAL      LT WILLIAM N, McDONALD

1145      230358    LN-X      PHARTZAC       LT FRANK H. MEADOWS

1145:30   230047    LN-Q      SWEATER GIRL   LT CHARLES D. WALTS

1146      230487    XR-F      TORCHY III     F/O OWEN D. ROANE

1146:30   230154    XR-H      WAR EAGLE      LT ARTHUR H. BECKTOFT

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

1147      23229  XR-A    PASEDENIA NINA     LT JOHN K. JUSTICE

1147:30   23393  LD-Y    JUST-A-SNAPPIN'    MAJ JOHN B. KIDD

                                            CAPT E.E. BLAKELY

1148      230758 LD-W    ROSIE'S RIVERTERS  LT ROBERT ROSENTHAL

1148:30   23237  LD-R    STYMIE             LT JOHN F. STEPHENS

1150      230062 LD-O    TERRYTEN           CAPT C.B. CRUIKSHANK

1150:30   230152 LD-X    MESSIE BESSIE      LT WALTER U. MORENO

1151      230091 LD-S    BLIVIT             LT D.L. MINOR

1151:30   25997  EP-F    HEAVEN CAN WAIT    LT WILLIAM M. BEDDOW

1152      25864  EP-A    PICCADILLY LILY    CAPT THOMAS E. MURPHY

1152:30   230723 EP-D    UNAMED             LT HOWARD E. KEEL

1153      23474  EP-B    QUEEN BEE          LT MAURICE E. BEATTY

1153:30   23386  EP-H    MARIE HELENA       LT RAYMOND J. GORMLEY

1154      230796 EP-K    SUNNY II           LT JOHN T. GRIFFIN

1154:30   25957  XR-D    HORNY              CAPT H.M. HENNINGTON

          THIS AIRCRAFT PARTICIPATED AS A SCHEDULED SPARE; IT'S

          POSITION IN THE FORMATION IS UNCERTAIN.

 

1155      230170 XR-G    HOT SPIT           LT EDWARD G. STORK

          THIS AIRCRAFT PARTICIPATES AS A SCHEDULED SPARE; IT'S

          POSITION IN THE FORMATION IS UNCERTAIN.

 

1156      230088 XR-E    SQUAWKIN HAWK      LT ROBERT N. LOHOF

          THIS AIRCRAFT PARTICIPATED AS A SCHEDULED SPARE; IT'S

          POSITION IN THE FORMATION IS UNCERTAIN.

 

1156      23307  EP-N    SKIPPER

          SCHEDULED TO PARTICIPATE; REPLACED BY 230723, EP-D

 

1156      230830 EP-N    UNNAMED

          SCHEDULED TO PARTICIPATE; REPLACED BY 23237, LD-R

 

1259      23237  LD-R    STYMIE

          ABORTED; OIL LEAK NO#1 ENGINE

 

1130      100TH LEAVES THE ENGLISH COAST

 

1416      230062 LD-O    TERRYNTEN

          ABORTS; NO#2,3, AND 4 GENERATORS INOPERATIVE

 

1426      23433  LN-W    UNNAMED

          ABORTS; LOSS OF OXYGEN TO TOP TURRET

 

1453      1OOTH CROSSED EUROPEAN COAST 10 MILES NNW OF GRONINGEN;

          AGGRESSIVE FIGHTER ATTACKS BEGIN

 

1508      23386  EP-H    MARIE HELENA

          MID-AIR COLLISION WITH FW-190 OF 2/JG11 THOUGHT TO HAVE

          BEEN FLOWN BY OBLT. ERICH HONDT.  THE CREW (10) KIA

 

1510      230358 LN-X    PHARTZAC

          FOR YET TO BE DETERMINED REASONS, AIRCRAFT EXPLODED,

          KILLING  EIGHT(8) OF THE CREW, WHILE TWO (2) WERE

          TAKEN PRISONER.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

1512      230154  XR-H   WAR EAGLE

          WAS SEEN GOING DOWN IN FLAMES, RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF

          ONE (1) CREW MEMBER, THE OTHER NINE (9) WERE CAPTURED.

 

1515      100TH REACHES THE INITIAL POINT

 

1515      230330 BT-A    BLOOD GUTS & RUST II

          THIS 390TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP B-17 WAS LAST SEEN LEAVING

          THE FORMATION WITH NO# 2 AND 3 ENGINES ON FIRE.

          RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF FOUR (4) CREW MEMBERS, WHILE

          SIX (6) WERE CAPTURED.

 

1516      230318 DI-C    DEVIL'S DAUGHTER

          THIS 390TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP B-17 WAS LAST SEEN DROPPING

          OUT OF THE FORMATION WITH NO# 2 ENGINE ON FIRE. RESULTING

          IN THE DEATH OF ONE (1) CREW MEMBER, WHILE THE OTHER NINE

          (9) WERE CAPTURED.

 

1521      25864  EP-A    PICCADILLY LILY

          DROPPED BOMBS ON THE TARGET

 

1521      GROUP BECOMES DISORGANIZED

 

          25864  EP-A    PICCADILLY LILY

          LEFT FORMATION WITH NO# 3 ENGINE ON FIRE AND EXPLODED,

          RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF SIX (6) OF THE ELEVEN (11) CREW

          MEMBERS, WHILE THE OTHER FIVE (5) WERE CAPTURED.

 

          23393  LD-Y    JUST-A-SNAPPIN'

          DROPPED OUT OF FORMATION.

 

          230152 LD-X    MESSIE BESSIE

          DROPPED OUT OF FORMATION.

 

          25957  XR-D    HORNY

          DROPPED OUT OF FORMATION.

 

          230292 CC-Q    UNNAMED

          THIS 390TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP B-17 WAS LAST SEEN LEAVING

          FORMATION WITH NO#4 ENGINE ON FIRE AND WAS ENCIRCLED BY

          ENEMY FIGHTERS, RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF SIX (6) CREW

          MEMBERS, WHILE FOUR (4) WERE CAPTURED.

 

1525      100TH REACHES THE RALLY POINT; FIGHTER ATTACKS DECREASE.

 

1530      230840 LN-O    UNNAMED

          UNCERTAIN AS TO CIRCUMSTANCES REGARDING THIS AIRCRAFT'S

          LOSS; RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF FIVE (5) CREW MEMBERS,

          WHILE FIVE (5) WERE CAPTURED.

 

1533      23233  LN-R    OUR BABY

          UNCERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES REGARDING THIS AIRCRAFT'S LOSS,

          RESULTED IN THE CAPTURE OF ALL CREW MEMBERS.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

1555      230818 LN-S    SALVO SAL

          UNCERTAIN AS TO CIRCUMSTANCES REGARDING THIS AIRCRAFT'S

          LOSS, EXCEPT THAT IT WAS DAMAGED BY FLAK.  IT'S LOSS RE-

          SULTED IN THE DEATH OF ONE (1) CREW MEMBER WITH THE OTHER

          NINE (9) CAPTURED.

 

1628      100TH LEFT THE EUROPEAN COAST

 

1700      100TH CROSSED THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.

 

                  RETURN OF THE 100TH AIRCRAFT

 

1712      23474  EP-B    QUEEN BEE

          RECEIVED "AC" BATTLE DAMAGE FROM FLAK.

 

1715      23229  XR-A    PASEDENA NINA

          UNDAMAGED

 

1716      25997  EP-F    HEAVEN CAN WAIT

          "AC" BATTLE DAMAGE; FLAK AND SMALL CALIBER GUN FIRE.

 

1717      230047 LN-Q    SWEATER GIRL

          UNDAMAGED

 

1718      230723 EP-D    UNNAMED

          UNDAMAGED

 

1719      230487 XR-F    TORCHY III

          UNDAMAGED

 

1721      230152 LD-X    MESSIE BESSIE

          "A" BATTLE DAMAGE FORM FLAK.

 

1722      230088 XE-E    SQUAWKIN HAWK

          "A" BATTLE DAMAGE FROM FLAK AND SMALL CALIBER GUN FIRE.

 

1723      230758 LD-W    ROSIE'S RIVETERS

          "A" BATTLE DAMAGE FROM FLAK.

 

1725      230796 EP-K    SUNNY II

          "A" BATTLE DAMAGE FROM FLAK, 20mm CANNON AND SMALL

          CALIBER GUN FIRE.

 

1733      230091 LD-S    BLIVIT

          "A" BATTLE DAMAGE FROM FLAK.

 

1745      25957  XR-D    HORNY

          "A" BATTLE DAMAGE FROM FLAK.

 

1813      230170 XR-G    HOT SPIT

          "A" BATTLE DAMAGE FROM FLAK AND SELF-INFLICTED GUN FIRE.

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1845      23963  LD-Y    JUST-A-SNAPPIN'

          CRASH LANDING AT LUDHAM; DECLARED BEYOND REPAIR 10 OCT

          43.

 

2000      GROUP STATUS REPORT

          30 COMBAT CREWS ASSIGNED

          20 COMBAT CREWS AVAILABLE

 

          36 AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED

          36 AIRCRAFT ON HAND

          19 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL

           0 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL WITHIN 24 HOURS

          12 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL WITHIN 7 DAYS

           5 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONAL AFTER 7 DAYS

 

PHOTOS:

Some of the 100th over Bremen 8 Oct 43. First of two terrible missions the 100th flew in the second week of Oct 43 -- Munster followed on the 10th. On 8 Oct 43 the group lost Lt. Gromley. From the MACR it would appear that this crew was attacked by E/A and crashed about 20 miles SE of Emden, Germany. An eyewitness statement said: ". . .a red nosed FW 190 crashed into Lt Raymond J. Gormley's "MARIE HELENA" and both went down in flames." Also on the Bremen mission the 351st lost the famous "PICCADILLY LILY" and their beloved "Ole Murf," Lt Thomas E. Murphy.   (100th Photo Archives)

 Crash landing of Maj. John B. "Jack" Kidd after the Bremen mission 8 October 1943 

 Crash landing of Maj. John B. "Jack" Kidd after the Bremen mission 8 October 1943 

 Crash landing of Maj. John B. "Jack" Kidd after the Bremen mission (8 October 1943) 

 "JUST-A-SNAPPIN" home from Bremen, 8 Oct 1943. The crash landing was at Ludham, England.  Jack Kidd Collection 

"JUST-A-SNAPPIN" home from Bremen, 8 Oct 1943. The crash landing was at Ludham, England.  Jack Kidd Collection

"JUST-A-SNAPPIN" home from Bremen, 8 Oct 1943. The crash landing was at Ludham, England  (from the collection of Edmund Forkner) 

 "JUST-A-SNAPPIN" There were over 800 holes in the aircraft. Home from Bremen, 8 Oct 1943. The crash landing was at Ludham, England
Kidd Collection 

 Maintenance personnel inspect "JUST-A-SNAPPIN" home from Bremen, 8 Oct 1943. The crash landing was at Ludham, England
Kidd Collection

BREMEN Oct 8, 1943, the start of BLACK WEEK for the 8th Air Force and the 100th Bomb Group. Photo take from HEAVEN CAN WAIT. courtesy of Capt Tong

Bremen Oct 8, 1943, 100th BG lost 7 A/C including Capt Tom Murphy (KIA) in Piccadilly Lily and Maj Gale "Buck" Cleven (POW) photo taken from HEAVEN CAN WAIT, courtesy of Capt Tong