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Dawn of the "Bloody Hundredth" Bomb Group


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BREMEN - October 8th 1943

 

October 8th was the dawn of the origins of the 100th Bomb Groups nickname, "The Bloody Hundredth". The name evolved as a result of several missions where the 100th BG suffered spectacular losses. It even brought about rumours that the Luftwaffe were hunting down B-17's with the 'Square D' group marking on the tail. This of course wasn't true as it was impractical and dangerous for the Luftwaffe to search out a single group out of several hundred other bombers. While the losses for the 100th BG over their combat history were no different to that of other groups in combat for a similar time, the 100th stood out for its high losses on single missions.

 

Here's a small scale model of Station 139 - Thorpe Abbotts

width=500 height=332http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b304/vultee35/Re-enactors/thorpe_abbotts/ta9.jpg[/img]

 

The first of these high loss missions was to Bremen. Approaching the target, the crews estimated approximately 300 flak guns firing. It was about this time that B-17 "Marie Helena" came under attack from a red-nose Fw190. The 190 was hit by a stream of bullets from the B-17's gunners which must have killed the pilot, causing it to collide with the bomber. Both went down in flames.

 

Just after bomb release, "Piccadilly Lily" was hit by flak, damaging the navigators compartment and starting a fire in the No3 engine. The Fort went into a dive and exploded. Four 'chutes were seen, 'though five escaped. Cpt Barker, 351st Sq Operations Officer, was along as an observer and was one of those killed.

 

Maj Cleven, 350th Sq CO was lost in "Our Baby", but maganged to bail out. Flak took out an oil line, seizing the No2 engine and severed fuel lines. Controls to No3 engine were severed and the lower cylinder was shot away on the No4 engine. Many control cables were also severed making movement in the rear fuselage difficult. As the plane dropped from the formation, fighters set alight an engine forcing the bail out. All eleven crew bailed out.

 

width=400 height=271http://www.pix8.net/pro/pic/18574IOCU8/582626.jpg[/img]

 

B-17 "Phartzac" ignited somewhere south east of Bremen. Two bombs had failed to release and flak had hit them causing an explosion. The navigator bailed out but his chute was already on fire. Only the bombardier and one waist gunner survived, 'though the waist gunner remained unconscious for ten days after bailing out.

 

"Salvo Sal" was hit shortly after reaching the objective. Shortly after bomb release flak knocked the Fort out of the formation. It continued to fly on for some time before crashing near the Zuider Zee in western Holland. The left waist gunner bled to death from a 20mm shell about 30 minutes before bail out. The other nine crew bailed out, one evading capture with the aid of the Dutch underground.

 

"War Eagle" was attacked by fighters shortly after bomb release. Nine crew bailed out. The tenth was killed by a 20mm hit between the shoulder blades.

 

B-17 #'840' was hit by flak causing it to plunge to earth. The engineer who bailed out, complained of a back injury after landing. The bombardier who landed with him, pleaded for a doctor but they weren't understood by the German civilians. The sergeant lost consciousness and died before the German officer in charge took the bombardier away with the rest of the crew.

 

"Just-A-Snappin" was severly mauled by the fighters and flak. Thirty seconds before bomb release, flak tore through the nose compartment, slicing through the bombardiers clothing, scorching the skin but it didn't draw blood. While he thought he'd been wounded, he kept calm and stayed at his bomb sight. Just after bomb release, flak took out the No4 engine. The same burst shreaded the control wires to one aileron and one elevator was also shreaded. The plane was thrown out of control into a spinning dive. They lost 3000 feet before regaining control. While still loosing altitude and over 200 miles from home, they assessed the damage. While there was a risk of fire, there were plenty of places to force land below, but decided to head for home.

 

Several of the crew were hit, one by a 20mm shell in the abdomen, but he continued to man his gun until he destroyed the Me210 that shot him, after which he made his way to the radio room for first aid. The ball turret gunner was wounded in the face, hands and legs. He stayed at his turret until sure the attacks were over before climbing into the radio room for treatment. While lying on two flak jackets, on the radio room floor, as the crew crossed the Holland coast, a piece of flak as big as a fist came up through the radio room floor. It hit the bottom of the flak suits bouncing him into the air but without further injury!

 

width=500 height=332http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b304/vultee35/Re-enactors/thorpe_abbotts/ta4.jpg[/img]

 

The tail turret gunner was also hit by a 20mm shell and flak splinters, one of which missed his spine by a quarter of an inch. The plane was limping back home at 120mph when they saw another lone Fortress ahead of them get bounced and shot down by three fighters. The fighters then turned on a second lone B-17 which also fell to their guns. Then they turned on "Just-A-Snappin", but the gunners were ready. The top turret gunner shot the prop off the first fighter, and the second also fell in flames shortly after, 'though the crew wasn't aware of who got the kill. The third fighter turned for home.

 

They were down to 8000 feet when they crossed the coast. The radio operator, despite smashed equipment, clicked off SOS by touching two wires together. The engine which caught fire was extinguished by side slipping the plane to blow cold air over it. It cost altitude but brought piece of mind. They were now at 3990 feet. Both dingies and three life jackets were shot to pieces, so ditching was not an option. Those who weren't wounded now started gutting the B-17 to save weight. Due to weight reduction, they actually gained 300 feet. They were now low on fuel. No sooner were they over the English coast when they saw a airfield, RAF Ludham.

 

With fuel almost gone, and the tailwheel refusing to lower, they knew this would be a one shot chance at a crash landing. As soon as the plane touched the ground, the brake lines snapped and they had no control over the direction of the speeding bomber, which was heading straight for a large tree on the airfield boundary. The tree hit between the No2 engine and pilots compartment with the plane still doing 50mph. The force swung the plane in a half circle before coming to a stop. They were home. The plane was only fit for salvage. The wrecking crews counted over 800 holes before giving up. Two of the wounded crew died.

 

Nine other 100th BG Fortresses came back with varying degrees of damage. In all the Group lost 72 crewmen with another 13 more in hospital. The barracks had many empty beds which was poor for moral.

 

Two days later, the 100th was in for more punishment making the Bremen mission look like a 'Milk Run'.

 

width=500 height=332http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b304/vultee35/Re-enactors/thorpe_abbotts/ta13.jpg[/img]

 

Bremen - 8 Oct 1943

8th Air Force Despatched 344 Heavy Bombers

100th Bomb Group Despatched 22 Aircraft

 

MIA 8-10-43 - A/C #42-3233 "Our Baby" LN-R - 11 POW inc Maj Cleven 350th CO

MIA 8-10-43 - A/C #42-30840 (no name) LN-O - 5 POW, 5 KIA

MIA 8-10-43 - A/C #42-3386 "Marie Helena" EP-H - 10 KIA

MIA 8-10-43 - A/C #42-5864 "Piccadilly Lily" EP-A - 5 POW, 6 KIA

MIA 8-10-43 - A/C #42-30154 "War Eagle" XR-H - 9 POW, 1 KIA

MIA 8-10-43 - A/C #42-30358 "Phartzac" LN-X - 2 POW, 8 KIA

MIA 8-10-43 -A/C #42 30318 "Salvo Sal" LN-S - 8 POW, 1 KIA, 1EVD

 

Salvaged - A/C #42-3393 "Just-A-Snappin" LD-Y - 2 WIA, 2 KIA, 1 SWIA - Crash landed at Ludham A/F, Norfolk

 

 

Steve

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Excellent stuff, I love the Thorpe Abbots museum

Swapped the dodge over to 100 BG markings the other week and am putting together an 8th Airforce Enlisted Mans A class for hangar dances etc

just finished this yesterday...

Lily is my daughter and today (8th) is my birthday

very sobering thinking fo what those guys went through

 

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I'm hoping to take my jeep to Thorpe Abbotts next year to recreate a wartime photo taken from the balcony of the control tower. I've been a member there since 1994 and visit as often as I can, which considering I live 300 miles away, is about once a year.

 

Your jacket looks great. Here's my B-3 Jacket before the final airbrushing was done.

 

width=265 height=380http://www.usaafhq.freeserve.co.uk/a2/jackets/hte3.jpg[/img]

 

Steve

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