how many ww2 bomber crews completed 25 missions

(LOL). 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. Memphis Belle is a fictionalization of the 1944 documentary Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress by director William Wyler, about the 25th and last mission of an American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, the Memphis Belle, based in England during World War II. How many missions would it take to complete a WWII bomber mission? I told her I didn't mean I would call CPS. Aero Trader performed. Why? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Many ground crewmen felt the Libs belonged to them and were only "loaned" to the air crews. However, after WWII and the lessons of the early years filtered in, the need for well trained aerial gunners became apparent, so the first specialized aerial gunnery school was opened in Las Vegas in mid 1941. It does not store any personal data. Top Stories For You. We have nothing but respect for the brave men who have endured all the sufferings just to help us attain freedom. Daily life The everyday lives of most aircrew, unlike other servicemen, were a unique mixture of danger and normality. Over 100,000 Allied airmen died during the war. For the USAAF it was heavy bombers crews that successfully reached 25 combat mission in defiance of actuarial norms. As far as I can work out, 3086 were lost but have no figure to work with to find a percentage. Alphabetical List Of Names On The Vietnam Wall, One the return journey Lieutenant General Frank Andrews took over the flying and when the plane hit severe weather conditions. The Memphis Belle was not the first B17 to complete 25 missions. How many missions did B-17 crews fly? What had to be done, had to be done quickly, swiftly, and efficiently. And, although air and ground crews rarely mingled, there was a special bond between crew chief and pilot. Required fields are marked *. Helpful info. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. how many ww2 bomber crews completed 25 missions. He was 85. Well, its not. One reason it survived was the tail gunner had six confirmed kills and several more unconfirmed. I think, though, that the best answer is the one difficult to accept. It was the B-17 going toe to toe without fighter escort with the GAF that is at the heart of the story of the 8th AF. William Waldock is a professor at ERAU and he says that Hot Stuff flew her final and 25th mission in February of 1943, which was over three months earlier than the Memphis Belle completed her 25 missions. However, some missions were much more brutal and some squadrons had few survivors of whole tours. How do software engineers solve problems? Your email address will not be published. Please let us know. First element: The German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France is the Primary (P) target for a force of 78 B-17s despatched from 91BG . Following his wife's death in an air crash while returning from a war bonds tour, a devastated Gable decided to enlist. The 303rd Bombardment Group 358th Bombardment Squadron, B-17F Flying Fortress Hells Angels, after which the Group later named itself, completed its 25th mission on May 13, 1943. I have some 7500 hours at the controls, never for an instant not valuing the knowledge and expertise in that sideways sitting position, behind me. Why won't my daughter let me see my granddaughter? B-17E Suzy-Q The Suzy-Q, a 19th BG B-17E, was the first USAAF heavy bomber to complete 25 missions and return to the US. Just imagine how hard it is to complete tasks in uncomfortable clothing from the mask to the boots. But the B-17s stayed on unwaivering courses to their targets . So you see, whether youre the pilot or tail gunner, surviving never meant being comfortable while at it. Setting aside all the caveats for the moment, the research performed and documentation provided by Jim Lux seems to conclusively show that the 93rd Bombardment Group, 330th Bombardment Squadrons B-24 Liberator Hot Stuff and her crew flew their 25th mission on February 7, 1943 dropping bombs on Naples, Italy, and went on to fly five additional missions thereafter, before Hot Stuff and her crew were recalled to the United States, where they were scheduled to go on a War Bonds Tour, a home front publicity junket, where combat aircraft and crews of significant accomplishment were sometimes pulled from frontline service and flown back to the United States to serve as the stirring personification of the heroism of Americas military, helping move the paper and boosting public morale. What does the B stand for in B-17 and B-24 and the P in P-38 stand for? "Hi. There were many B-24s in the 8th Air Force that completed 25 to 30 missions long before the first B-17 Hells Angels or Memphis Belle completed their 25th. Therefore, a total of 75,446 airmen (60 percent of operational airmen) were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. Because temperatures could easily fall 60 degrees below zero, B-17 crewmen had to wear heavy gloves andelectrically heated suits (which can possibly short circuit). The average age of the crew of a B-17 was less than 25, with four officers and six enlisted Airmen manning the aircraft. Although the risk for hypoxia, altitude and decompression sickness, and barotrauma was high; bombers were only given oxygen masks. Following the loss of Hot Stuff it wasnt a good idea for the Axis to be aware of the demise of the Supreme Commander. Bombing operations during the Second World War were one of the most hazardous undertakings Americans had to endure throughout the conflict. Perhaps our paths crossed, as I was in the front seats of that magnificent noise-maker. It does not store any personal data. There are so many great answers but hands down, the movie that got the worst shake, a movie that got panned by reviews, and even won a razzie. The reason for this misinformation seems to have been to obscure the fact that the Supreme Commander was absent the theater. Divers from the Research Center of the Scuba School of Lake Bolsena and the Fire Department of Viterbo . He was also involved in one of the Ploesti fields mission. He finished flight school at the age of 18 in 1944. Almost one in five Australian airmen to serve in Britain did not survive the war. In order to complete their missions, the 6th Bomb Group had to run a gauntlet of Air Defenses, ranging from fighter to radar-controlled AA guns and rockets. The B-17 Delta Rebel II of the 91st BG, piloted by Capt.George Birdsong,Jr. Waldock says that because Hot Stuff crashed and never made it home it never became as well-known as Memphis Belle. Overcoming the odds, the B-17F Memphis Belle became the first U.S. Army Air Forces heavy bomber to return to the United States after completing 25 missions in Europe, and was selected by the Army Air Forces to be the symbol of the heavy bomber crews and support personnel who helped win the war against Nazi Germany. According to David Greene, navigator, this photo was taken at Biggs Army Air Base, El Paso , TX., on March 29th, 1944 while in the process of forming the combat crew. Answer (1 of 14): The twenty-five mission mark was more honored in the breach than the observance, as the saying goes. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Battling flak and enemy fighters over the skies of Europe during World War II, the US Army Air Force Martin B-26 Marauder bomber named Flak-Bait? The crews were men from the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, and occupied Europe, especially Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and Norway, as well as other foreign volunteers. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". It was an airplane named Hells Angels. There was no time to waste. Can someone hack my PC through online games? This may may account for individuals citing very high mission counts as they may have counted flights that did not include successful strikes on primaries. How many B-17s were in the Pacific in 1942? Their 26th mission was to fly back to the United States for a heroes welcome, Bond Tours, etc.. 578th crew chief T/Sgt Lowell D. Hale paints bombs showing missions completed on #42-7624, Flying 8 Ball. Although Hanson and the rest of the crew survived unscathed to become early war heroes, they had several close calls. It therefore fell to Memphis Belle as the face of bomber aircraft during the war. These records show that Flak-Bait was assigned to fly on 216 missions. Very cool story. Object Number - FRE 5112 - Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951. . Those who flew the Memphis Belle did seem to have particularly good luck though as none of her crew died or was significantly injured on her missions, despite being routinely riddled with bullets and damaged by flak, reportedly going through 9 engines, both wings, two tails, and both main landing gear assemblies over the course of her seven month combat career. You didnt know if you would be headed back out on another mission in 24 hours or 5 days. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We were having some drinks and I was listening to some of his war stories when he told me he had flown 137 missions. Hells Angels a B-17F Flying Fortress became the first 8th Air Force B-17 to complete 25 combat missions in June 1943. 5 How accurate was the movie Memphis Belle? 2LT Harold J. Rider. Does that sound like a truthful story? Your email address will not be published. In 1942-43 it was statistically impossible for bomber crews to complete a 25-mission tour in Europe . (Photo is a jubilant Memphis Belle crew following their 25-mission). Memorial Day in United States is observed on 25 May. However, others stayed behind to complete 30 missions to avoid having to return from the states for a second tour of duty. How many missions would it take to complete a WWII bomber mission? Carlo Quintiliani Updated Mon 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.. Read More What is the song 'Norwegian Wood' really about? The plane and her crew was on the return flight to the states for a War Bonds publicity and morale-boosting tour on May 3, 1943, and Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews, Commander of the European Theater of Operations needed to get back the the states as he had been summoned to Washington DC by the General of the Army, George Marshall. The problem was, the Memphis Belle was not the first heavy bomber to survive 25 combat missions. The consensus in this discussion is that WWII bomber crews were rotated home after 25 combat missions. Exercises To Dunk A Basketball, Hot Stuff was being flown home to the US since Captain Shannon had completed his tour of service. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The demonstration aircraft was completed on May 8, 1945 at the end of hostilities in the European theater of World War II. What a tragedy. PC even then. Which 3 Of These 7 Top WWII Fighter Planes Would You Put On Your Team? Dad flew 37 missions for RAF. Unlike the 8th, the 9th didnt had a set limit of 25 missions. For many years the author has held a . Bomber crews needed to complete 25 missions before they were allowed to go home but that number was almost statistically impossible in Europe. Nine-O-Nine was a Boeing B-17G-30-BO Flying Fortress heavy bomber, of the 323rd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, that completed 140 combat missions during World War II, believed to be the Eighth Air Force record for most missions, without loss to the crews that flew her. What was the first bomber to complete 25 missions? THE GREATEST GENERATION OF AMERICANS!!! The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". GOOD PART OF THIS IS THAT THE WING H Q WAS AT HICKAM FIELD HAWAIIALWAYS A PLEASURE THERE FOR THE ANNUAL FLIGHT SIMULATOR AND CURRENT GROUND TRAINING EDUCATION. Why is this significant? Hot Stuff was in the 8th Air Force 2nd Air Division, 93rd Bombardment Group, 330th Bomb Squadron. 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. More information on Hellss Angels is available HERE. God bless all of our heroes in WW2. I am trying to find information on which B-24 crew he was a member of but I am not having much luck. The B-29 Missions From 3 Feb 1945 to 14 Aug 1945, the 6th Bomb Group officially flew 75 missions. Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-18 Mustang A68-104 (VH-BOB) arrived at Avalon Airport in Avalon, Victoria on Friday March, 4th 2023, touching down just before 10am. 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. The Memphis Belle is a World War II-era bomber that completed 24 combat missions on 15 May 1943. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Typically, the bombers had to fly right through the multiple volleys of gunfire, but it was the "waist-gunners" who absorbed the majority of the shrapnel, as they were positioned near an open window in the rear of the plane. The crewmen of the B-29 bomber Enola Gay was separated from other military groups and were trained (for the deployment of atomic bombs) in secret. On 23 Dec 1943, the Memphis Belle, having completed its combat assignment with the Eighth Air Force (8 AF), 91st Bombardment Group (91 BG) in Europe, and its subsequent stateside war bond drive, was assigned to MacDill Field, Florida. What happened to the bomber crews in World War II? IT was their 24th, right? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. In early May 1943 as the crew prepared for their flight to the States for their War Bonds publicity tour, they got a call from the office of Lt. General Frank M. Andrews, Commander of the European Theater of Operations, asking if he could hitch a ride back to the States. Fortunate me I discovered your site by chance, and Im stunned why this twist of fate 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. After returning to the States in June 1943, the bomber and many of its . 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. How many B17 crews actually managed to complete 25 missions during WW2? Nearly half of all the bombs dropped in World War II came from B-17 airplanes. It became the first 8th Air Force B-17 to complete 25 combat missions and at the end of their tour, the crew of Hells Angels signed on for a second and continued to fly, going on to fly 48 missions, without ever turning back from their assigned target no less, before the aircraft was returned to the states on January 20, 1944 for its own publicity tour. How do I know this for sure? The B-17 Flying Fortress was flown extensively by men from the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. Crew Configuration The B-17 could hold a crew of ten. The successes of Bomber Command were purchased at terrible cost. He said it was all politics. I have his diary which chronicles some of the activities of the 330th in 1943. The Air Force changed the 'pursuit' designation to 'fighter' after WW2 which is one reason you may have noticed P-51s being referred to as F-51s in . Your chances of completing all 25 missions, at least unscathed, were slim to none. Hanson . So whatever Hot Stuff was doing it wasnt going on raids conducted by 8th BC. Pilots need to take flash photographs after dropping the bombs otherwise, it might not be included in the required number of missions for a single tour. His discharge also stated he was to pay child support to one woman in England and one in France. Vulcan to the Sky Trust Works to Keep Last Flying Avro Vulcan Aloft, Dornier Do 17 Retrieved From Goodwin Sands Arrives at RAF Museum Cosford. This website is about the 50 combat missions my father, Donald Wise, flew in 1944 in the B-17 bomber "PIG CHASER". 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. Heavy Losses Led to the Abandonment of Unescorted Bomber Raids Deep Into the Third Reich. The Belle is also known as the first (and one of only three) a/c that completed its tour without losing a single crewman. However, it is generally agreed that between 50 and 70 Lancaster bombers were lost in World War 2. They were simply given instructions. If wounded are included in the count, the total casualty rate goes up to 54.3%. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. World War II - Bombers; World War II - Pursuit . Just sayin. The average age of the crew of a B-17 was less than 25, with four officers and six enlisted Airmen manning the aircraft. He completed his initial training when he was 17, and was called up to active duty before he graduated from high school. Only one out of the 15 man crew survived. 2 How many crew members did the b17 have? Enola Gay, Regular Crew (Crew B-9) Crew B-9 flew five combat missions, including the Hiroshima bombing mission. Hi, 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 . B-17 Sally B was used in the movie Memphis Belle to look like the Famous B-17 and was usedfor scenes requiring pyrotechnics such as smoke and sparks indicating machine gun hits Via. Now just imagine 60 B-52 bombers shot down in one day. Waldock also discovered that Lieutenant General Andrews was a VIP getting a return flight back to the US along with his close aides and staff, who took the place of the bombers original crew. Who flew the most combat missions in ww2? Your chances of completing all 25 missions, at least unscathed, were slim to none. . Yep, my pawpaw flew on that bird. 1917, and 1918, the United States government issued Liberty Bonds to raise money for our involvement in World War I. The man at the back of the trailer is attaching the tail fin, which is secured by a ring collar screwed onto the threads on the bomb itself. He flew 28 missions over Italy and Germany before his 20th birthday, and flew 48 missions by the time the war was over. Overcoming the odds, the B-17F Memphis Belle became the first U.S. Army Air Forces heavy bomber to return to the United States after completing 25 missions in Europe, and was selected by the Army Air Forces to be the symbol of the heavy bomber crews and support personnel who helped win the war against Nazi Germany. P. S. Hes here to tell the stories. Their chance of survival was less than 50 percent. See object record. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. They were the only crews in their squadron to see combat with the 20th AF. Upon impact, the aircraft disintegrated except for the tail gunners turret, which remained relatively intact. The first heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions in the European Theater, May 13th, 1942. It establishes hearing as the norm or standard to which we are compared, and then indicates that we are "defective" accord Japan was completely impoverished, on the verge of mass starvation, and reeling from nearly an entire generation of men wiped out. 1 What was the first b17 to complete 25 missions? By 1945, the British had more than 1,500 aircraft and 108 different squadrons. Although the U.S. Army Air Force sent its individual war heroes to War Bond rallies, it preferred sending 10-man heavy bombers crews.

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