Mission # 18

MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Date	27 August 1943
VIII Bomber Command Operations	Show Operations > Mission 87: 224 B-17's are dispatched to the German rocket-launching site construction at Watten, France; 187 hit the target at 1846-1941 hours; they claim 7-0-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 98 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 18 WIA and 32 MIA. The mission escort consists of 173 P-47's; they claim 8-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost and the pilot is listed as MIA. This is the first of the Eighth Air Force's missions against V-weapon sites (later designated NOBALL targets). Source: Jack McKillop, Rutgers University, used with permission. Hide Operations
384^th Bomb Group Mission	384th BG Mission Number 18, VIII BC Mission Number 87 No Attack: Mechanical Failure Next Mission Previous Mission The 384th Bombardment Group (H) flew as the high group of the 103rd Combat Wing on today's mission. During the bomb run, the linkage between the bombsight and the Automatic Flight Control Equipment (AFCE) failed. It was too late to either transition to manual control or to transfer the lead to the group deputy (whose bombardier was never able to see the target). A second run was considered, but not undertaken due to the risk inherent in making the run without support of other groups in the wing. Consequently, as required by bombing SOP over occupied territory, the bombs were held, except for the Aufmuth Crew, who accidentally dropped two bombs.
Primary Target	Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Watten, France
Target Attacked (Mode)	No Target Attacked
Sortie/Aircraft Summary	Completed Mission, not including spares - 17 Aborted - 1
Mission Personnel	Mission Personnel Roster⇗ or Mission Loading Lists⇗
Mission Documents	Combat Mission Records and Plans obtained from the National Archives⇗

18 AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED TO THIS MISSION
Table is sorted by Pilot, and may be sorted by any column: click the column head.
Aircraft	Pilot	Results	Mission/Sortie Information
41‑24507⇗	Jacobs, Randolph George Edward⇗	Completed Mission	Low Squadron deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑3218⇗	Armstrong, Lloyd Rowland⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑3440⇗	Sprague, Alfred Lee⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑3441⇗	Estes, Thomas Jefferson⇗	Completed Mission	Low Squadron lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑3455⇗	Faulkiner, Russel Ruben⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5051⇗	McMahon, James Joseph⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5404⇗	Thompson, Siguard (NMI)⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5444⇗	Lecates, Robert Leslie⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5838⇗	Frink, Horace Everett⇗	Completed Mission	High Squadron deputy. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5843⇗	Pulcipher, Ralph Robert⇗	Completed Mission	High Squadron lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑5852⇗	Willing, Mark Skinner⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29554⇗	Ingles, John Thomas⇗	Aborted Mission After Taking Off.	Had to leave formation when one bomb broke loose and lodged on bomb bay doors. Jettisoned it over the English Channel and returned to base. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29699⇗	Goulder, Edmund Samuel⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29703⇗	Aufmuth, Lester Herbert⇗	Completed Mission	Accidentally dropped two bombs in target area. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑29914⇗	Higdon, Philip Earl⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑30026⇗	Armstrong, James Edwin⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑30033⇗	Ogilvie, Donald Potter⇗	Completed Mission	Group lead. SORTIE REPORT ⇗
42‑30043⇗	Price, William Merriman⇗	Completed Mission	SORTIE REPORT ⇗