Re:65th Anniversary of the 1st Raid on Schweinfurt
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08/20/2008 05:32:04 AM
Hi all...
It is certainly worth remembering the first 8th AF mission to Schweinfurt, ground breaking in many ways. A combined force of 376 B-17’s, part of the 1st Air Division effort that day, to the infamous Ball Bearing Factory; a target which would be revisited again and again. Jointly shared was the target of Regensburg, producing fighter planes for the Luftwaffe. Of the sixty bombers lost on this raid overall, thirty-six came from the 1st Air Division B-17 groups involved. As said the 381st was one of those 1st AD groups involved, as was our own 305th.
Of that force, the 305th Bomb Group supplied twenty nine aircraft. They lost two aircraft, both on the journey home after successfully hitting their target. They were:
42-30159 KY-H 366th Sqn – named SETTIN’ BULL.
Pilot Rothery McKeegan
Copilot Frank J. Sulkowski
Navigator Martin D. Fetherhof
Bombardier Baxter F. Harris
Engineer Albert Peach
Radio Op James M. Prehart
Ball Turret Claude M. Davis – KIA
Right Waist Charles L. Murray
Left Waist Frank Williams
Tail Gunner Robert W. McClain – KIA
A/C crashed after heavy fighter attacks, Bilstain – Belgium. Remainder of surviving crew PoW’s.
42-24564 XK-W 365th Sqn – Named PATCHES.
Pilot Douglas L. Mutschler – KIA
Copilot Edward L. Carter - KIA
Navigator William B. Bagwell
Bombardier Wendell D. Luce
Engineer Carlton I. Boberg – KIA
Radio Op Whitney Simons
Ball Turret Lee F. Quinlivan Jr
Right Waist Anthony L. Buckley
Left Waist Meyer Baker
Tail Gunner Erwin W. Grundman
A/C crashed after heavy fighter attacks, Averbode – Belgium. Remainder of surviving crew PoW’s.
*This B-17 was one of the first ‘original’ arrivals with the 305th, arriving in England in 1942.
The diary records of the time paint the bigger but confused picture on the 305th that evening. Follow extracts taken from the work compiled directly from the history archive by Chris Coffman, Son of Robert Coffman 365th Sqn.
17 Aug 43 Schweinfurt, as recalled within the 364th Squadron diary page:
Twenty-three Officers and thrity-six enlisted participated in Bombing raid over Schweinfurt, Germany. T/Sgt William W. Frye killed in action, T/Sgt Cullen A. Lee, S/Sgt Hugh A. Johnson, S/Sgt Stanley J. Salamon and Sgt Jackson Doughtery missing in action and T/Sgt Fred E. Boyle wounded in action over Schweinfurt, Germany.
365th Squadron diary reads: 33 Officers and 48 EM participated in a bombing mission over Schweinfurt, Germany. 2nd Lts. Bagwell, Carter, Luce and Mutschler, T/Sgts. Boberg, Buckley and Simon, S/Sgts. Baker, Grundman and Quinlivan are missing in action. Cpl. Price returned from DS. Sgt. Bellefond was assigned by transfer from the 364th BS. M/Sgt. Loyd, S/Sgts. Susskind and Lessard, Sgts. Moss, Kreich, Woodard, Cpls. Kush, Markowitz, Olson and King returned from 7 day furlough. M/Sgt. Anderson, T/Sgt. Graham, S/Sgts. Burch, Nielson, Sgts. Diamond, Burkhart, McGill and Pvt. Davis left on a 7 day furlough.
422nd Squadron record the day as follows: The 422nd give aircraft of this organisation loaded with 16 - 250 pound bombs and two flying with the composite group with 10 - 500 pound bombs departed for Germany. Today's raid marked the deepest penetration into Germany to date by the greatest forces of U.S. aircraft participating. Major Price led the 305th Bomb Group in the raid. Fighter opposition was heavy the 305th Bomb Group receiving the lightest of the attacks in comparison with the composite group. Reports of the bombing were excellent, the target, Schweinfurt, Germany, was left smoking and blazing after the attack.
366th Squadron are very limited in their account of the day. Their diary page simply reads: One 1st Lt, Three 2nd Lts, one T/Sgt, four S/Sgts, and one Sgt missing in action over Schweinfurt.
The 366th lost one complete crew on this mission, as recorded above, and such a brief insert within the pages does not reveal the true extend of the events for them as a Squadron of that day.
The 305th would return to this important Schweinfurt target on 14th October ’43, the legendary ‘Black Thursday’ mission, then later again on 24th February and 9th October, 1944. Their group losses of October 14th 1943 would be remembered by the US Infantry ‘Rainbow’ Division; when the Nazi flag which had previously flown over the factory throughout WW2, was presented to the 305th, to honour and remember both their personal losses and in a wider sense ALL those lost on the many missions launched against this strategic target.
Ian W
Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009