I, too flew the C-124, first from Travis, 1956-58, then Hickam 1958-9; and later (college break) Dover, 1963-5, and McChord, 1965-7. In 1943, an American bomber crewman stood only a one-in-five chance of surviving his tour of duty, twenty-five missions. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. To put this into sobering perspective - the 8th Air Force in Europe lost more men than the entire US Marine Corps did in World War Two - both horrible thoughts to consider. Martin Caidin wrote the definitive book on the plight of the bomber crews in Black Thursday, which chronicled in great detail the 2nd Schweinfurt bombing raid of October 14, 1943, where 60 bombers and their crews were lost. The Night Witches: The Cat-Eyed All-Female Stealth Bombing Squad That Owned The Eastern Front, The WWII Plane That Could Ram The Enemy In A Dogfight, Japan Had A Kamikaze Fighter Jet And They Were Determined To Use It, F-15 Eagle Gets D-Day Thunderbolt Paint Job, Russian Su-27 Intercepts NATO Fighter Jet He Got Too Close, A Single Pilots Victory Over 4 MiG-15s Was Classified For Over 40 Years, Messerschmitt Bf-109 G6 Low & Loud DB605 SOUND, B-1B Lancer Pilot Cockpit Tour and Take Off, 103-year-old veteran on surviving World War IIs, World War II Veteran delivers a promise after 73, WWII Veteran Fires a Howitzer for the first time since 1944, 89-Year-Old WWII Veteran Scores A Touchdown, Rare WW2 Footage Junkers Ju 87 Stuka. Since 1943 Word War II aviation history considered the "Memphis Belle" as the first heavy bomber to reach the 25-mission mark. After some time of ineffective high altitude bombing, some of the B-17 bombers adopted skip bombing, a technique usually practiced by medium bombers rather than heavy bombers. In 1942-43 it was statistically impossible for bomber crews to complete a 25-mission tour in Europe . Can someone hack my PC through online games? He said it was all politics. There was an similar earlier raid that included Regensburg that cost the same.. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Your email address will not be published. Helpful info. Hollywood feature Film Entitled the "Memphis Belle" In February 1943, the 93rd BG B-24 Hot Stuff became the first Eighth Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The B-17 Delta Rebel II of the 91st BG, piloted by Capt.George Birdsong,Jr. He was also involved in one of the Ploesti fields mission. John Comer kept a journal of the 25 missions he flew in 1943 when the casualty rate on his base was close to 80%. Kneeling, ducking, trying to shoot down the bad guyscouldnt feel that comfortable! By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Hot Stuff completed its 31st mission on March 31, 1943. But Mighty Eighth War Diary shows no raid on 2/7/43. He flew 28 missions over Italy and Germany before his 20th birthday, and flew 48 missions by the time the war was over. My fathers had an additional 3 missions typed into the margin. A raid on 14 February is listed as the 34th 8th Bomber Command mission. Its just a lot of booze gone to waste. Martin Caidin wrote the definitive book on the plight of the bomber crews in Black Thursday, which chronicled in great detail the 2nd Schweinfurt bombing raid of October 14, 1943, where 60 bombers and their crews were lost. Memphis Belle is a well-known World War Two bomber, which was made famous by the Hollywood movie of the same name back in 1990. What does the B stand for in B-17 and B-24 and the P in P-38 stand for? The B-17 Hells Angels (41-24577) of the 303rd Bomb Group completed 25 combat missions on 13 May 1943, becoming the first to complete the feat, one week before the Memphis Belle. If you don't want to receive these emails in the future, please, Mike, we thought you'd like these 6 standout issues. So, the answer is YES, if anyone ever asks you if the might 8th AF ever bombed Japan. A search link to find all missions flown by each aircraft is available at the top of this page. Martin Baltimore. IX bomber completed 213 missions but this aircraft was destroyed in a crash at Calgary Airport in Canada, two days after V-E Day, see . ouisana belle from England. Which colour is the best colour in iPhone? The first to complete 25 combat missions was the crew of B-24 Liberator named Hot Stuff dropping bombs on Naples, Italy on February 7, 1943 three-and-a-half months before Memphis Belle flew her 25th mission. This website is about the 50 combat missions my father, Donald Wise, flew in 1944 in the B-17 bomber "PIG CHASER". The B-17 Hell's Angels became the first to complete the feat one week before the Memphis Belle. Cisco Job Application Status Under Review, World War II - Bombers; World War II - Pursuit . They were the only crews in their squadron to see combat with the 20th AF. Consider for example the Operation Tidal Wave strike by American B-24 bombers against oil reserves in Ploesti Romania in 1943: of 178 bombers and 1,726 men on the mission, 54 aircraft, and nearly 500 men failed to return (310 killed and 186 captured). In the article comments, we were contacted by Air Force veteran Jim Lux who stated The first heavy bomber in the 8th Air Force to complete 25 mission in World War II was the B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff. In 1943, having flown over France, Belgium, and Germany, the Memphis Belle crew became one of the first to reach that goal. Interesting question. He was 85. The current total of surviving B-17 bombers located in the United States stands at 40: Nine (9) B-17 planes are airworthy, such as Texas Raiders, Sentimental Journey and Aluminum Overcast. More than 50,000 Airmen lost their lives in the four years of WWII and the majority of those losses were on bomber missions over Nazi Germany in B-17s and B-24s. Important factors in that decision were: The physical stress of high altitude flight in poorly heated, unpressurized aircraft . It flew about half of its approximately 30 combat missions over Europe, with the remainder being strikes in Africa and patrol missions over the Mediterranean. I say it was their 24th. Why? Jewish Organizations To Donate Furniture, According to decades of World War II aviation history, the crew of the " Memphis Belle " became the first B-17F Flying Fortress crew to complete 25 missions following a strike against Kiel, Germany. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Just sayin. After five such sorties, he moved to the left seat and commanded his own crew aboard a Liberator dubbed Dakota Queen in honor of his . I told him he was telling lies. She was the third. He said they would literally strip the plane, but I dont remember if that was before they left Italy or in Cuba. This crew of a B-17F has completed 25 missions and is going home. Imagine trying to move around? Its a great thing for any crew/plane to have completed 25 missions, but I think the 8th flying to the heart of Germany had a tougher nut to crack than the 9th flying against targets mostly in Africa and Italy (although nobody had a tougher target then Ploesti). por | Jun 3, 2022 | journey to the savage planet moist vestibule | emma chambers face surgery | Jun 3, 2022 | journey to the savage planet moist vestibule | emma chambers face surgery So on July 5, 1945 the 8th AF landed on Guam . The bomber crews were an elite group of warriors who were a microcosm of America white America, anyway. ANY WAY I HAD FLIGHT EXPERIENCE ON THE B 26 TOWING TARGETS HERE IN THE GOOD OLD USA. Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Beautiful Swiss German Words, A 1944 documentary film was produced detailing its exploits, and in 1990, a Hollywood feature film entitled the Memphis Belle perpetuated its glory for decades. Only one out of the 15 man crew survived. One reason it survived was the tail gunner had six confirmed kills and several more unconfirmed. Almost one in five Australian airmen to serve in Britain did not survive the war. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. An amusing sidelight was that he was highly indignant that every third mission they got liberty and that at 50 missions , they were one short and did NOT get liberty, even though the war in Europe was over. Parker's jacket, was the name of a B-17G bomber of the 568th Bomb Squadron. How many B17 crews actually managed to complete 25 missions during WW2? I guess the RAF must have had it much easier than the 8th Airforce. That because the American public knew heavy bomber crews faced death on every mission with only one in four chance of actually completing their tour of duty; thats an average life expectancy of only eight weeks. The consensus in this discussion is that WWII bomber crews were rotated home after 25 combat missions. Attacking German cities In 1942 in an attempt to break German morale the RAF began attacking German towns and cities in earnest. Billy Burke Evangelist Wife, Pilot. While the article on Memphis Belle had included the qualifier first B-17 United States Army Air Force heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions with her crew intact, which on a factual basis at least made the article correct insofar as it specified that it was the first to 25 missions with her crew intact, but the truth is, while were reasonably knowledgable about WWII lore here, the name Hot Stuff didnt spark any particular recollection in us or among the several other warbird enthusiasts we asked about it, though one fellow we spoke to did remember it as the plane General Andrews lost his life in, but generally there wasnt much recognition. They arrived to find the weather at their destination quite dicey with snow squalls, low clouds and rain. 41-31173, the twin-engine medium bomber then took its place . It is our intention to play a role in safeguarding the heritage of these beautiful machines by providing increased awareness and education through the use of internet based digital media. There is some report that 25 missions was a full tour with that group, which would indicate more than three tours. More than 50,000 Airmen lost their lives in the four years of WWII and the majority of those losses were on bomber missions over Nazi Germany in B-17s and B-24s. Why did the U.S. absolve the Japanese of paying war reperations after WWII? And, although air and ground crews rarely mingled, there was a special bond between crew chief and pilot. Over 100,000 Allied airmen died during the war. Tags: "Hell's Angels", Audie Murphy, B-17F, John Basilone, Liberty Bonds, Memphis Belle, Norman Rockwell, Pearl Harbor, U.S. Army Air Force, United States, USAAF, War Bonds, War Bonds Tour, World War I, World War II. Written in pencil on the pouter skin behind the scanners hatch: Pilots are a funny bunch what we call pussy, we call lunch. That wasnt you, was it? The plane's service ceiling of 25,000 to 35,000 feet (7,500 to 10,500 metres), depending on the bomb load, put it above the worst of the German antiaircraft artillery, but, firepower notwithstanding, formations of B-17s proved unable to fight their way unescorted to targets deep inside Germany in the face of determined fighter opposition without Forrest Vosler, who had grown up in a small New York state town, was assigned to the 358th Bomb Squadron of the 303d Bomb Group, stationed at RAF Molesworth in the UK. How often did bomber crews fly in ww2? Crew Configuration The B-17 could hold a crew of ten. From Arthur Hayes' collection. Doolittle Raid, (April 18, 1942), during World War II, U.S. Army Air Forces bombing raid on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. He flew 28 missions over Italy and Germany before his 20th birthday, and flew 48 missions by the time the war was over. Exercises To Dunk A Basketball, "Hi. My dad was a waste gunner on a B 24 in ww2. Enola Gay, Regular Crew (Crew B-9) Crew B-9 flew five combat missions, including the Hiroshima bombing mission. Bomber Command aircrews suffered a high casualty rate: of a total of 125,000 aircrew, 57,205 were killed (a 46 percent death rate), a further 8,403 were wounded in action and 9,838 became prisoners of war. To put this into sobering perspective - the 8th Air Force in Europe lost more men than the entire US Marine Corps did in World War Two - both horrible thoughts to consider.. 15' - 8.3mils. I only know he was somewhat of a wild man with numerous shrapnel scars. Vintage Aviation News is a company founded by a group of passionate aviation enthusiasts who love the history and technology Aviation and Flying Museums preserve for the public. So that would be 17,280 airmen on such a mission, and they never managed any 1700 plane raids. On a recent post here at Warbirds News, we reported on the anniversary of milestones in the history of what is perhaps one of the most famous bombers of all time, the Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress, Memphis Belle. On the night of 13/14 February 1945, 796 Lancasters took part in a. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Perhaps you would be interested in submitting an article yourself? She is one of the few surviving flyable B-17s, and is the largest aircraft housed at the Lone Star Flight Museum, located in Galveston, Texas. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Those interested in Hot Stuff and/or are looking to support the erection of the Icelandic monument to the brave men who served on her can connect with the organization HERE or the groups Facebook page. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I simply wish to offer you a huge thumbs up for your This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. See object record. Many considered the occupation to be a death sentence. The Belle is also known as the first (and one of only three) a/c that completed its tour without losing a single crewman. The unit used B-17s, according to what I read. He told me (and has since passed away, so I cant verify it, that 37 missions was the cap and he was on his second round. FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE-Wash. -- On Oct. 14 1943, 8th Air Force launched what became one of the most infamous battles of World War II.By the end of the day, the attack that came to be known as "Black Thursday," Mission 115 to Schweinfurt, saw the loss of more than six hundred Airmen who were killed or captured, the loss of 60 B-17s, and the future of the American daylight bomber offensive in . To put this into sobering perspective - the 8th Air Force in Europe lost more men than the entire US Marine Corps did in World War Two - both horrible thoughts to consider. Norwegian Wood is a song about John Lennon's infidelity, John Lennon wrote that song because he wanted to tell his first wife, Cynthia indirectly that he had affair with ot Why won't my daughter let me see my granddaughter? B-25, also called Mitchell, U.S. medium bomber used during World War II. On March 24, 1945, the 332nd Fighter Group of the U.S. Fifteenth Air Force departed from its base in Italy to escort B-17 heavy bombers on a 1,600-mile round trip flight to the German capital. It flew most missions unescorted and saw plenty of flack and enemy aircraft. For the survivors, there wasn't much time for contemplation of those lost. Hot Stuff was in the 8th Air Force 2nd Air Division, 93rd Bombardment Group, 330th Bomb Squadron. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Belle crew was not intact through out the 25 missions. Your chances of completing all 25 missions, at least unscathed, were slim to none. The group leader sometimes flew in one, sometimes the other. One the return journey Lieutenant General Frank Andrews took over the flying and when the plane hit severe weather conditions. Its basically like doing regular day-to-day tasks with your hands you need both. Upon impact, the aircraft disintegrated except for the tail gunners turret which remained relatively intact and 14 of the 15 aboard died except the tail-gunner who, though injured, survived the crash.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'warbirdsnews_com-box-4','ezslot_1',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-warbirdsnews_com-box-4-0'); Hot Stuff and her crew were soon forgotten. The first refueling stop before heading out over the Atlantic was scheduled for Prestwick, Scotland, but the crew decided to fly directly to their second refueling stop at Reykjavik, Iceland. Although Hanson and the rest of the crew survived unscathed to become early war heroes, they had several close calls. The average age of the crew of a B-17 was less than 25, with four officers and six enlisted Airmen manning the aircraft. A highly modern aircraft for its day, it first saw combat operations with the Royal Air Force. Of the 15 aboard, 14 died. Hell's Angels B-17 Crew The first heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions in the European Theater, May 13th, 1942. Five other crewmen were bumped to make room for Andrews and his entourage. Today, 46 planes survive in complete form, 10 of which are airworthy, and 39 of which reside in the United States. You didnt know if you would be headed back out on another mission in 24 hours or 5 days. Wood Tv 8 Weather Forecast, On May 13, 1943, the 303rd BG B-17F Hells Angels became the first heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions over Europe, four days before the Memphis Belles crew. These records show that Flak-Bait was assigned to fly on 216 missions. Just to add some fog to the issue, the my fathers certificate of mission completions had only 30 places to list missions. My brother and I were having a disagreement over how many missions bomber crews had to fly (was this figured by individual? Because it was World War II, and the bombing campaign over Europe was a bloody affair. Told you he was a wild man. At its peak, the Mighty Eighth was the most powerful. That the Memphis Belle story, though abetted by a government anxious to report uplifting and inspiring stories of the war to its people at home, captured the publics imagination, doesnt make the story any less inspiring and does not and should not be perceived as taking something away from the countless others who made sacrifices for their country, just as the recognizing the achievements of the crews of Hot Stuff and Hells Angels dont diminish the sacrifices made by those unfortunate souls who went down in flames whether on their first, fourth or 24th mission in service to their country. There will always be those who subscribe to particular yardsticks though, so to summarize: Hot Stuff was the first B-24/crew and the first heavy bomber to complete 25 missions on February 7, 1943.

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