389th BG Chrono 2

         
389th Chronology  
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Date M# Target/Location Event/Notes Detail
27-Aug-43 -- Hethel Most 389th crews return to Hethel, England  
27-Aug-43 -- Bay of Biscay THE BAD PENNY (42-40767 G) w/pilot Lighter lost returning to Hethel -- 10 Killed Detail
28-Aug-43 -- Portugal SCHEHERAZADE (42-40772 C) w/ pilot Blackis interned in Portugal after experiencing mechanical problems on return flight -- 10+ INT  
6-Sep-43 -- Diversion Diversion over North Sea  
7-Sep-43 12 Leeuwarden, Holland Hit secondary target which was a shipping convoy off Texel.  
9-Sep-43 13 St. Omer, France --  
13-Sep-43 -- Hethel, England (42-40716 R) w/ pilot Rodenberg crashlanded -- 5 Killed  
15-Sep-43 14 Chartres, France --  
16-Sep-43 --   389th leaves for North Africa -- 2nd time  
21-Sep-43 15 Bastia, Corsica --  
24-Sep-43 16 Pisa, Italy --  
1-Oct-43 17 Wiener-Neustadt, Austria WOLF WAGON (42-40775 Y) w/pilot Matson destroyed by direct AA hit over target.  No chutes seen by Maj. Ardery Detail
3-Oct-43 -- Hethel (42-72802) w/ pilot Gerrick lost over the continent during a training flight -- 4 Killed, 2 POW  
4-Oct-43 -- Marrakesh, N. Africa I FOR ITEM (42-40773 I/K) w/pilot Fowble crashed 1 mile short of Marrakesh, in first leg of return to Hethel from Tunis, due to fuel exhaustion with 12 aboard killed.  
7-Oct-43 -- Hethel, England Crews arrive back at Hethel from Tunisia.  
8-Oct-43 18 Vegesack, Germany 1st 389th sortie over Germany  
(42-63958 R) w/pilot Fuerst lost - 9 KIA, 1 POW Detail
9-Oct-43 19 Danzig, Poland Only a few 389th BG aircraft participate.  
10-Oct-43 -- Diversion --  
14-Oct-43 -- Schweinfurt "Black Thursday" -- 389th BG aborts mission after the group is unable to assemble due to poor weather.  The 1st & 2nd Wings fly the mission losing 60 B-17's in one of the blackest days in 8th AF history.  
20-Oct-43 -- Diversion --  
3-Nov-43 20 Wilhelmshaven, Germany 8th AF led by H2X Pathfinders for the first time.  The group bombs Wilhelmshaven through the clouds.  
5-Nov-43 21 Munster, Germany (42-40807 U-) w/pilot Green heavily damaged, and lands at 388th BG base  
8-Nov-43 -- Hethel, England Lt's. Schwellinger & James return to Hethel from being interned in Turkey  
13-Nov-43 22 Bremen, Germany 389th BG loses two aircraft that collided or were lost to German fighters.  It is unclear which was the case.    
(42-72868 N) w/pilot Connelly --  1 EVD, 7 KIA, 2 POW. Detail
(42-72875 K) w/ pilot Peterson lost -- 10 KIA. Detail
16-Nov-43 23 Rjuken, Norway Poor weather causes only a handful of aircraft to make the mission.  
18-Nov-43 24 Oslo, Norway VAGABOND KING (42-40787-V) w/ pilot McCormick shot down by Fw-190's over the North Sea -- 10 KIA Detail
26-Nov-43 25 Bremen, Germany SACK TIME SALLY (42-40749 -P) w/pilot Braly lost to enemy fighters and AA -- 6 KIA, 4 POW Detail
30-Nov-43 -- Solingen, Germany Cancelled due to weather  
1-Dec-43 26 Solingen, Germany 389th BG loses two aircraft over the continent and then another that crash lands at Manston, England  
(42-72876 E-) w/ pilot Fravega shot down by fighters -- 5 KIA, 5 POW Detail
NANA (42-72856 H-) w/ pilot Fletcher shot down by fighters -- 10 KIA Detail
BLONDS AWAY (42-40793 P-) w/pilot Connors crash lands at Manston -- 9 KIA Detail
5-Dec-43 27 Cognac, France OKLAHOMAN (42-40738 J+) w/pilot Harvey Mason lost to enemy AA near Painbosuf, France-- 9 KIA, 1 POW Detail
11-Dec-43 28 Emden, Germany --  
13-Dec-43 29 Kiel, Germany --  
16-Dec-43 30 Bremen, Germany --  
20-Dec-43 31 Bremen, Germany (41-28589 J-) w/pilot Lt. Laurens lost about 20 miles from English coast -- 10 POW Detail
21-Dec-43 -- Manston, England? BLONDS AWAY (42-40793 P-) salvaged  
22-Dec-43 32 Osnabruck, Germany TONDELAO (42-40706 F+) w/pilot Paul Lambert lost to enemy AA near Mettingen, Germany -- 1 KIA, 9 POW Detail
24-Dec-43 33 Pas de Calais, France --  
30-Dec-43 34 Ludwigshafen, Germany Col. Milton Arnold assumes command of the 389th BG.    389th BG loses two aircraft on this day.  
HEAVY DATE (42-7766 H-) w/ pilot Colby failed to return.  Had left formation to return to Hethel, and was never seen again  -- 2 EVD, 1 KIA, 7 POW Detail
(42-63973 G) w/pilot Schafer lost -- 5 POW, 4 EVD Detail
31-Dec-43 35 St. Jean D'Angeley, France --