I have a special place in my heart for the B-17 crews. My Uncle was a ball turret gunner with the 816th Squadron, 483rd Bomb Group, flying out of Tortorella and the Sterparone, Italy from September 1943 to September 1945.
The shoulder patch of his unit is my avatar pic.
My uncle is still alive, although obviously getting on in years. He used to get angry when talking about the war and especially about the Memphis Belle and her whole story. 25 missions and you get a ticket home. BS! Was all my uncle has to say about that. He flew far more than the requisite 25 missions over Germany, was wounded in action and saw many of his friends and associates die in the skies above Europe. When the war in Europe was over, instead of getting orders to go home, he got orders to go to the pacific theater where he flew missions over Japan as a gunner in the P61 "Black Widow."
Here is a photo of my uncle Tom with his crew. He is the bottom row, far right.
In all units there seems to be one mission that stands out above all others. For some of the B-17 crews it was the infamous Schweinfurt raid of August 17, 1943 where 376 bombers took off from their bases and 60 were lost to enemy fire (10 crew-members per plane).
For my uncle it was the Memmingen mission of July 18, 1944 where the 7 aircraft of the 816th squadron, 483rd bomb group were either destroyed or heavily damaged, this is where my uncle received his wounds. Of the 26 aircraft that embarked on this mission only 12 returned.
Below is a narrative of that mission.
The Story of the Memmingen Mission
(As submitted by 483rd Bombardment Group (H) for proposed First Presidential Citation on 23 July 1944).
As part of the strategic effort or the 15th Air Force against industrial and counter air targets in Southwestern Germany, a force or 167 B-17 type airplanes of the 5th Wing was dispatched on 18 July 1944 to attack and destroy the Memmingen airdrome and installations at Memmingen, Germany. The importance of this target is emphasized by its description in the Intelligence Annex to the Operations Order, "Memmingen Airdrome activity has increased, with recent cover showing 70 to 73 ME-110's and 410's not too well dispersed. The installations are used for repair and assembly. This makes this airdrome one of the highest priority counter-air targets*"
The 483rd Bombardment Group (H) was in the fifth position in the wing formation of six Groups and was led by Captain Louis T. Seith, commanding officer of the 840th Squadron. Over the Adriatic Sea, flying through eight-tenths cumulus clouds, the groups in the combat wing formation became separated. Unable to penetrate the adverse weather en route, two Groups totaling forty-four (44) B-17's returned to base while twenty-seven (27) B-17's from another Group attacked an alternate target. The upset time schedules caused by the extremely bad weather made it impossible for righter escort to accomplish rendezvous or to enable them to accompany the groups of bombers as planned. Formations were further confused by messages sent out from enemy radio stations which transmitted instructions that since the primary target could not be attacked, it would be advisable to strike any alternate target at will. In the absence or a properly authenticated recall signal from Air Force, the 483rd Bombardment Group decided to attack the primary target as ordered and continued on alone and unescorted over the northern edge of Italy, over Austria and into the target area in Southwestern Germany.
At the assigned Initial Point, approximately seventy-five (75) single engine fighters, half of them ME-109's and half FW-190's, were observed to the right of the formation maneuvering into position for a tail attack. As this enemy fighter force made a wide turn to attack from the rear of the formation, a much larger group of fighters fell in behind the initial force. In the face of these unexpected and overwhelming odds, the 483rd Bombardment Group, with extraordinary heroism, gallantry and determination made the decision to carry out the bombing as ordered. The entire fighter attack, which was executed by approximately two hundred (200) enemy fighters was a well-planned maneuver designed and aggressively carried out to destroy a single group in the shortest possible time. The fighters attacked in waves of five or six in close javelin formation on a level with the tails of the rearmost B-17's and the concentrated fire power, both of cannon and rockets was overwhelming. The last box, composed of seven airplanes of the 816th Squadron, was entirely destroyed in the first attack, but not before putting up a brave and gallant fight. Three airplanes were shot to pieces while maintaining position in the formation, a fourth went down apparently out of control and broke apart as soon as the airplane went into a spin.
The three remaining B-17's dropped out of the formation apparently out of control with two of them on fire, but with their guns still firing. The enemy fighters moved up making the same concentrated attack on the seven airplanes comprising the 817th Bombardment Squadron flying number three box position. They employed Identical methods of attack. Five airplanes were destroyed in a comparatively short time, several dropping out of formation on fire and with the metal peeling off, but here again the gunners continued firing to the end. During the entire attack there was no fighter escort and it became apparent that without any additional fighter support, the group would be entirely annihilated. Yet in this certain knowledge of possible destruction, undaunted by the spectacle of Fortresses exploding and burning on every side, forced to witness comrades jumping from their airplanes, some of them with their parachutes on fire, the crews gallantly and with great intrepidity pressed home their determined attack on the briefed target. The enemy fighters moved up to the number two box and two more B-17's went down, one of which broke apart from the impact of the concentrated fire power. The other was in flames but eye-witnesses noticed the tail guns still firing which showed that the gallant gunner was doing his duty to the end. It was entirely apparent that the crews were more intent upon manning their guns, fighting off the enemy, endeavoring to reach the assigned target and drop their bombs than with any thought of personal safety.
The methods employed by the enemy fighters enabled the formation gunners to bring only a minimum number of guns to bear upon them at any one time, The Germans came in very close, throttled back, maintaining almost the same flying speed as the formation, made a very precise attack, then rolling over, dove down and away from the formation. At this time, the group reached the assigned target and the twelve (12) remaining airplanes dropped their bombs, destroying the objective. As they turned off the target, twelve (12) P-38's from the lst Fighter Group appeared and attacked the German fighters. With this support from our own fighters, coupled with the possibility of exhaustion of the German airplanes' ammunition, the enemy fire power was reduced to a degree whereby the gunners of the Fortress formation could withstand further attack.
During the course of this fierce air battle, gunners of the 483rd Bombardment Group's formation, accounted for fifty-three (53) enemy aircraft destroyed, eight (8) probably destroyed and five (5) damaged.
Bombing results were devastating and according to the Intelligence Operations Summary, Headquarters Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Force, 19 July 1944, "bomb strike photos showed 118 enemy aircraft present (40 single engine, 77 twin engine and one multi-engine). Claims were 17 destroyed, 4 probably destroyed and 14 damaged. A heavy concentration of strikes covered the entire installations area on the north side of the Airdrome. Two and possibly three of the very large hangars were very heavily hit and totally destroyed. Four other hangars on the north perimeter suffered direct hits and damage by blast. A very large hangar on the West boundary received direct hits and near misses. Two warehouses and adjacent rolling stock in the south central part suffered direct hits followed by fires and two explosions. Several small shops in the southeast corner received direct hits and were destroyed. Scattered damage to shops, barracks and administration buildings in the west end of the area is also visible."
Although 143 officers and men paid with their lives and fourteen (14) out of twenty-six (26) airplanes failed to return from the attack on this vitally important target, yet the damage to the enemy morally and physically in losing 101 fighter aircraft destroyed or damaged, a sizeable portion of their already hard-pressed Air Force, is irreparable and should prove an advantage to our Air Force in future bombing missions. Rarely, if ever, in this war has an air attack been carried out against such overwhelming odds, estimated at 17 to 1. or with more determination, extraordinary heroism or gallantry. Individual gunners shot down three and four enemy planes; pilots kept on their bomb run in a desperate effort to unload their bombs on the assigned target regardless of the fact that they were being shot to pieces and were in many cases doomed. The leading box, after "Bombs Away". even slowed down to give their comrades whatever fire cover and chance of closing up they could, although it almost spelled their own destruction. Through this entire action, morale, crew esprit and individual heroism could not reach a higher point. By its devotion to duty, and extraordinary display of heroism in the face of unparalleled odds and the extremely gallant manner in which this attack was carried out, the members of the 483rd Bombardment Group have reflected great credit upon themselves and upon the Army Air Force.
I can only marvel at the men that flew the bombing missions over Europe. Their courage and determination in the face of overwhelming odds is a testament to the American spirit and is on par with the men who stormed Normandy, Iwo Jima, Guadacanal and countless other battlefields of that terrible war. I only hope that spirit has not been lost and that when the time comes that this great nation needs to call upon it's warriors to step up and once again defend the cause of freedom, that we will not fail her.
