CREW 03
DELILAH'S BABY
B-17F
Second Lieutenant PAUL KIBBS
MISSION SUMMARY
| MISSION # |
DATE |
TARGET
AREA AND TARGET |
BOMB
RUN |
ENEMY
AC CLAIMS D/P/K |
CREW
CASULTIES L/S/K |
NOTES |
| 40/1* | May 17, 1943 | Lorient, U-Boats | - | 0/4/1 | 1/0/0 | New Crew May 1943. Ditched in Zone 2 Return. |
| 41/1 | May 19, 1943 | Kiel, SY | - | 2/3/4 | 0/0/1 | Replacement
for Delilah. Radio out; Intercom out; Rubber Raft holed; Port
waist gunner heat out; Rudder hit; Stbd outboard fuel tank, sealed;Port tailplane root hit;  |
| 42/2 | May 21, 1943 | Wilhelmshaven, U-Boats | 0 | - | - | Radio out, nose, top and tail turrets jammed. |
* Delilah
COMBAT CREW
| REW
STATION |
NAME |
RANK |
EXPERIENCE |
Missions |
CLAIMED KILLS CONFIRMED |
Notes |
PILOT  |
Kibbs, Paul |
 |
|
3 |
 |
|
| CO-PILOT |
Stevens, Ron |
|
3 | |
||
BOMBARDIER |
Nelson, Jerry | |
3 | |
||
NAVIGATOR |
Donley, Thomas | |
3 | |
||
Engineer |
Rogers, Edwin |  |
3 | 1 | |
|
| RADIO
OPERATOR |
Mann, Robert | |
3 | 1 1 |
|
|
Ball
Turret Gunner |
Oliver, Joe | |
3 | |
||
| Left
Waist Gunner |
Crites, William | |
3 | |
||
| Right
Waist Gunner |
Varner, Hershel | |
3 | |
||
| Tail
Gunner |
Newman, Bob | |
1 | |
CREW NOTES
| Mission
|
PILOT |
CO-PILOT |
BOMBARDIER |
NAVIGATOR |
ENGINEER |
RADIO OPERATOR | BALL
TURRET GUNNER |
LEFT
WAIST GUNNER |
RIGHT
WAIST GUNNER |
TAIL
GUNNER |
| 40/1* * Delilah |
Kibbs | Stevens | Nelson | Donley | Rogers |
Mann | Oliver | Crites | Varner | Simon LW |
| 41/1 | |
 |
 |
|||||||
| 42/2 | Newman | |||||||||
GREEN:
New crew man. RED:
KIA.
PURPLE: Wounded. BLUE: Frost bite. LT GREEN: Temporary
Replacement crew man. PINK: MIA.
AFTER
ACTION REPORT
| MISSION # |
DATE |
TARGET
AREA AND TARGET |
MISSION DESCRIPTION |
| 42/2 | May 21, 1943 | Wilhelmshaven. U-Boats |
While over water, 4 Me109s jumped us. Both nose gun and top turret jammed. Enemy did no damage. Crossing the Netherland coastline, we were attacked by 3Me109s, resulting in slight damage. Tail turret jammed. Over target, sustained minor damage from flak. Bomb run was off target with 0 damage to target. Attacked by Ju88, but no damage sustained. Return flight just over the Channel we were attacked by 3 190s and 1 109. Radio was rendered inoperable, other damage was minor. Safe landing, A/C and crew ready for next mission. 2LT Paul Kibbs reporting. Reported by 918th crew members at debriefing |
| 41/1 | May 19, 1943 | Kiel, SY |
All quiet until Zone 3 over water, when we were attacked by 1 Fw190 and 1 Me110 climbing vertically. 2LT Donley scored hits the Fw190 attacking from 10:30 high, but 190 continued attack. SGT Oliver scored hits on the Me110, driving it off. SGT Simon shot down the Fw190 as it passed behind our a/c. No damage assessed to our a/c. Entering Zone 5 over water, we were attacked by 5 Me109s. SGT Mann shot down one that was diving vertically upon a/c. Enemy fighters scored no damage to our a/c. SGT Simon shot down a Me109 passing behind our a/c. Second attack made by 1 Me109, breaking off attack by successful defensive fire by both SGT Crites and SGT Rogers. Entering Zone 7 over water, we were attacked by 4 Me109s. SGT Simon was killed by shells exploding in the tail area. A/C sustained damage to the intercom, radio, port waist gunner heat, rubber rafts. Returning Me109s scored hits in our starboard outboard fuel tank, which self-sealed. SGT Crites shot down a Me109 at 9 level. Third wave of fighters scored hits to our tailplane port root. Decision for abortion of Mission was made. Bombs jettisoned. A/C drops out of formation and descends to 10,000 feet due to heat problems in rear of a/c Zone 5 in return trip witnessed 3 fighter waves attacking a/c, totalling 6 enemy fighters. No damage to our a/c was assessed. A/C performed safe landing at base. Reported by 2Lt Kibbs at debriefing |
| 30/1* * Delilah |
May 17, 1943 | Lorient, U-Boats |
After crossing the coast into France, we were attacked by 5 Me109s. Me109 attacking from 12 High driven off by SGT Rogers in top turret. Me109 at 6 low shout out our stbd. aileron and flap and wounded tail gunner SGT Simon. Another Me109 from 12 high knocked out our intercom. SGT Rogers drove off another Me109 from 12 high. Target was obscured. Bombs jettisoned. Return Flight: In Zone 6 over France we were jumped by 6 Fw190s and 1 Me109. Tail gunner SGT Simon drove off one of the Fw190s. Resultant damage from this attack included hits to the tail rudder, stbd aileron,port waist gunner heat out, tail turret rendered inoperable, tail gunner oxygen knocked out. Remaining fighters returned for another pass. Stbd. waist gunner SGT Varner drove an Me109 off. A Fw190 attacking at our 1:30 did more damage to the stbd wing, and set the port inboard fuel tank to leaking. Due to oxygen and heat issues, A/C descended to 10,000 feet. As we crossed the coast on the way home, we were jumped by another series of enemy Me109 fighters. Sgt Rogers in top turret shot an Me109 down that was attacking from 3 level. Fuel reserves exhausted due to port tank leak. Forced to ditch in the English Channel. Entire crew rescued. Reported by Lt. Paul Kibbs at debriefing |
1269 CREWS
1269 HQ
BRIEFING ROOM GROUP OPERATIONS