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Mar. 6, 1943 Lorient
Crew: 2LT Weiss
Plane
Name: SIOUX CITY SUE
German
fighters first hit us as we neared the French coast. They continued
attacking all the way to the target and back to the coast.
These fighters scored many hits, and we were very lucky that we suffered only one slightly wounded crewman and relatively minor
damage to our bomber.
We saw no sign of friendly
fighters escorts, but our gunners managed to destroy 3 fighters and
damaged two others. Sgt. Karl Jensen
claimed his 7th kill from his
ball turret. In just 4 missions Jensen has become one of the most
accomplished gunners in the squadron.
Flak over the target was heavy
and accurate. The flak, along with the sustained fighter attacks,
caused our bomb run to be off target
unfortunately.
Once we reached the channel, the German fighters broke off their attacks, and we landed without incident at Archbury.
2nd Lt. jay Weiss
pilot: Sioux City Sue
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Mar. 6, 1943 Lorient
Crew: Capt Topper
Plane
Name: GULF SPIRIT
Outbound flight quiet until target zone where we were jumped by 4
FW190's. Two were shot down and 1 damaged. Flak extremely heavy with
16 hits in this area. Lost #1 and #4 engine. Rudder shot out. Radio
out. Tail turret out. Lost heat for Ball and Port Waist. Had to
drop out of formation and to 10,000 feet.
Spending two turns in each zone coming home, we were ravaged by
fighters with no less than 15 (not counting subsequent attacks) coming
after us. Wounds as listed above. Hit by light flak over France which
holed our Port oil tank and we were lucky to make it home in one piece
(more or less). I did not count points for damage, but I assume it was
well over 350. Thank God Boeing can build 'em right.
We'll be patched up and ready for the next mission.
Submitted:
Captain James Topper - Gulf Streamer
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Mar. 4, 1943 Hamm/Rotterdam
Crew: 2LT Weiss
Plane
Name: SIOUX CITY SUE
Take
off was uneventful, and we formed up on Major Brodsky and Capt. Howard
in the lead flight of the high squadron without difficulty.
No German fighters were sighted
until we neared Rotterdam, when we were attacked by 6 FW190's. They put
a few holes in the ship but
broke off the attack when Sgt. Nordstrom knocked one down with a nice passing shot.
Flak was heavy over the target, but we were not hit, and Lt. Ives put the bombs right on target.
As we headed for home, we were
jumped by four more fighters. They made one half hearted pass, and then
dove away after Sgt. Jensen shot
one down from his ball turret - his 6th claim in just three missions.
The return flight was uneventful from that point, and we landed without incident.
2nd Lt. Jay Weiss
pilot – Sioux City Sue
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Mar. 4, 1943 Hamm/Rotterdam
Crew: Capt Howard
Plane
Name: ANGEL WINGS
This was one of our worst missions to date. The weather was good
when we took of and shortly after crossing the coast we were jumped by
four ME109s which caused damage to the port wing root, starboard wing and
tail. My gunners managed to miss everything.
About 5 minute later another flight of enemy A/C approached but the
defensive fire of the group drove them off. During this attack we
were hit by friendly fire from another B17. My top turret gunner
saw fire coming from the lead bomber piloted by Brodsky. Another
wave of four fighters 2 FW190s, 1 ME109 and 1 ME110 had a go at us
getting multiple hits. The tail gunner was wounded in the
hand by a piece of shrapnel but he damaged the ME110 attacking from
6:00 low forcing it to break of its attack. The heat to the flight
deck and port waist gunner’s position was knocked out. There were
some hits in the bomb bay which cause minor damage and the prot wing root
was hit again.
Weather conditions worsened and we received a recall order and headed for
home but the Germans were still as thick as flies. Another attack
by 2 FW190s, 1 ME110 and 1 ME109 resulted in the tail gunner’s oxygen
knocked out and damage to the bomb bay doors rendering them
inoperable. The tail gunner scored some hits on the ME110 attacking
from 6:00 but it continued attacking.
The fighters finally broke for home and we returned to base and landed
safely. Doc Kaiser patched up the crew and all will be ready for
the next mission. Angel Wings is sporting some new aluminum patches
and will be ready to fly the next mission.
Capt. Wilson, Pilot
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Mar. 4, 1943 Hamm/Rotterdam
Crew: Capt Topper
Plane
Name: GULF SPIRIT
Non-eventful flight to Hamm and return attack run to Rotterdam. No fighters seen.
Flak over target was extremely heavy with 13 hits. Luckily most
resulted in superficial damage. Tail gun turret was disabled; both
wing flaps were shot out; starboard waist heat knocked out; both above
mentioned wounds resulted. Landed without incident.
Submitted:
Captain James Topper - Gulf Streamer
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