Decorations: 

Wallace- Distinguished Flying Cross (outstanding performance in helping pilot heavily damaged Fort back to England)

Lucky- DFC (performance in piloting heavily damaged Fort back to England)

Bandowski-  DFC (two kills in one mission)

Mission Description: Difficult, anything but a milk run.  We took off as briefed, achieved formation over Great Yarmouth and turned over the North Sea for target Kiel.  We spotted an FW-200 pacing us over the North Sea, just out of range of machine gun fire.  SSgt Vorhees tuned into the German frequencies and piped the transmissions from the FW-200 over the interphone.  Sir, I speak German, and I can tell you that Kraut was sending our altitude and bearing to every Jagdstaffel and Jagdgeschwader in the Luftwaffe.  We were just barely out of Kraut radar range, but those bastards figured out how to spot us.

    We got jumped about five minutes before IP.  FW-190’s and ME-109’s were what I mostly saw. These were VERY aggressive, and pressed their attacks home.  Most attacks were coming from 10 and 2, with the Jerries being careful to avoid the fields of fire of the waist gunners, radio gunners and top turret gunners.  As the fighters pulled off of us, intense, accurate flak took over.  Jerry had the range, and we took a LOT of hits during the bomb run.

  It was during the bomb run that Capt. Tapper was wounded.  Capt. Mesereau toggled the bombs off, and managed to get 25 percent within the designated target area.  I’d say he did a good job for a navigator who just hit the electric bomb release, but from the point of view of a command officer, 25 percent accuracy is just damn pitiful for all the effort we made to get to those damned sub pens.

  The fighters were on us again as we came off the target.  As we crossed back over to the North Sea, T3 Bandowski was wounded and had to be extracted from a jammed ball turret.  Those things have a tendency to jam at the worst moments, and when a gunner is wounded seems to be the most frequent time.  As it is, we got Bandowski into the Fort, just before another fighter blew that turret to Hell.  Another pass destroyed my top turret.  If MSgt Marvin hadn’t been in the waist compartment rendering first aid to T3 Bandowski, Marvin would be a red smear all over the flight deck of “Battle Wagon.”

   -109’s attacked from 9 and 3, destroying my waist gun positions.  This needs to be passed to Eighth Air Force A-2:  German fighter tactics shifting from attacks on aircraft power plants and to direct attacks on defensive armament.  Recommend distribution of anti-flak armor be expedited.

   Another attack on the nose compartment wounded MSgt Marvin, who was manning Tapper’s .50.  Marvin will RTD as the wound was a minor one, but did require five stitches to close.  During this attack, Capt. Tapper died of his wounds.

   I haven’t been in a running gun battle like this for a while.  Every pass was damaging or destroying some part of the aircraft.  Major Wallace was outstanding at calling out fighters and assisting me in directing fire.  With the level of damage “Battle Wagon” sustained, I never would have been able to get her back to Station 100 alone.  I’m putting Maj. Arthur Wallace in for a DFC.

   We returned to Archbury bloodied: Five wounded or frostbitten, one dead.  “Battle Wagon” is heavily damaged, but will fly again.

ASSESSMENT: The Krauts guard those sub pens like a father guards his daughter’s virtue.  Bluntly, they’ll make us pay in blood for each mission we fly against those pens.  I said it after Lorient, and it bears repeating:  No matter how much ordnance we expend against submarine targets, we won’t take them out.  Our efforts would be better directed against the Ruhr or the German aircraft industry.  If we attacked U-boat production as opposed to bases, we might stand a better chance of helping the Navy.  But as long as we keep hitting the bases, we’ll keep getting the living hell kicked out of us.

   Respectfully submitted,

Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Deputy Commanding Officer,

    918^th Bomb Group (Heavy)

cc: Maj. Gen. Eaker

cc: Maj. Gen Pritchard

cc: Brig. Gen. Savage

   We made target on schedule, and bombing accuracy was very good.  Lieutenant Tapper placed sixty percent of his bombs in the target area, with approximately forty percent falling short due to headwinds.  We need better weather reconnaissance in order to maximize bombing accuracy.  We can’t keep relying on RAF Mosquitoes to fly those missions.  The RAF flies its recce missions at night, and by the time Eighth AF HQ weather officers get that information, it’s already hours old.  We had been briefed to expect crosswinds, and bombsights were set for that pattern.  Because we had old weather information, we’ll likely have to go back and hit Lorient again.  I’d be willing to take a P-38 or a P-47 and scout the weather over targets if necessary, but however it’s done, we need better weather recce, or else we’re just wasting ordnance.

   The return trip was not easy.  The FW’s stayed with us, and kept up a running gunfight with the formation.  During the last fighter attack, Sgt Hatch was seriously wounded by cannon fire.  Maj. Kaiser says that if we’d been further out, Hatch wouldn’t have made it.  Sgt. Hatch is expected to return to duty soon, though... the new flak vests the gunners are receiving saved his neck.

   Returned Archbury on schedule.

ASSESSMENT: I realize we have to keep blasting those sub pens, but Lorient is a pointless target.  I’ve seen those recce photos, and those pens are designed to be damn near bomb proof.  We could try low level skip bombing attacks, like the RAF just did against those Kraut dams, but as thick as those pen walls are, and with the amount of flak at that base, the costs in men and equipment would be prohibitive.  If the Navy wants those U-boats destroyed, let them assign more destroyers, PB4Y’s, Catalinas and destroyer escorts to the Atlantic.  I can’t see sending Forts, Libs and good crews on continual fool’s missions for so little effect.

  Yes, we hit the target, but we can’t blast through those pens...not from 25,000 feet, not from 30,000 feet and sure as hell not from lower altitudes!  We’ve lost enough men and enough aircraft over those sub bases to know that there are some targets we just can’t wipe out with the equipment we have.  Maybe some day we’ll have bombers that can carry 70,000 pounds of bombs, and place those bombs on target with precision accuracy, maybe even be able to guide them into an opening the size of a window. Maybe those bombers will have equipment to blind enemy radar, and be able to fly above the flak, but for now, we don’t have that kind of equipment and B-17’s and B-24’s just can’t take out some targets.  As much as I’d like to be able to say we can pound those sub pens into dust, I’ve flown against them enough to know that it just won’t happen with what we have now.

   Respectfully submitted,

Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Deputy Commanding Officer,

    918^th Bomb Group (Heavy)

   Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Force

    Deputy Commanding Officer, 918^th BG(H)

   We took off on time and on schedule, made formation with Group, Wing and Division as per briefing.  We first encountered enemy fighter activity over Jersey (FW’s) and they stayed with us almost all the way in.  The first attack shot out MSgt Leary’s oxygen lines, and he was on walk-around and bail-out bottles for the rest of the trip.  Second wave of FW’s seriously wounded my navigator, Capt. Handley and killed my right waist gunner, SSgt Buschinsky.  We pressed on.  Even wounded, Handley stayed at his post and kept the formation on proper course.  I recommend him for a DFC.

   The fighter attacks were furious.  TSgt Marvin, my engineer/top turret gunner managed to shoot down two FW-190’s (confirmed).  The second -190 did manage to render Marvin’s turret inoperative, but Marvin maintained his fire on the Kraut until the SOB went down in flames.  I recommend TSgt William Marvin for a DFC for heroism in the performance of his duty, to wit, destruction of two enemy fighter aircraft, one while in a damaged and inoperative turret.

   Flak over the target was intense and accurate.  The Krauts had the range on us faster than usual.  I suspect that the batteries in the St. Nazaire vicinity are now equipped with directional fire control radar.  I will ask TAI and VIII BC Intelligence to confirm.

  1Lt Rosenthal placed his bombs squarely on target.  Initial bomb damager assessment indicates that he got the full load in the target zone (100 percent accuracy).

   The flak was extremely intense as we came off target and went feet wet over the Bay of Biscay.  The Krauts were sending up anything and everything at us.  We had a four-engine aircraft attempt an intercept of the lead squadron (1269^th).  It opened fire on us, damaged the cockpit and its fire wounded myself and Maj. Wallace (1269^th DCO).  The aircraft has been identified as an FW-200 “Condor” naval reconnaissance aircraft.  It paced us, and its gunners peppered us several times.  Lt. Rosenthal was killed in one of those attacks.  My ball turret gunner, Sgt. Paul Bandowski (you know him, Sir.  He’s the little guy they call “Stinky”) kept up a running gunfight with that big Kraut bird.  He didn’t shoot it down, but he did damage it.  The little guy has guts!

  MSgt Leary did get frostbitten and Maj. Kaiser says he’ll need to be sent back to the ZI to recover.  “Texas Tornado!” was VERY heavily damaged on this mission (right aileron shot out, rudder shot out, cockpit damage, supercharger hydraulic system lost, tail gunner oxygen lost).  I maintained formation altitude until fighter attacks eased, which helped me lean out my mixture and maintain fuel supply.  About 45 minutes prior to recovery at Archbury, I dropped below 10 grand to make it easier on the crew.  I managed to land “Texas Tornado!” safely, but the aircraft is so heavily damaged she’s been written off as salvage. Two B-17’s shot out from under me on this tour.  Reminds me of how my first tour ran.

  LOSSES ON “TEXAS TORNADO!” :

 WOUNDED: Lucky, S.G., Colonel, Aircraft Commander (Purple Heart, RTD)

          Wallace, Art, Major, Co-pilot (Purple Heart, RTD)

          Harmon, Don, SSgt, Left Waist Gunner (Purple Heart, RTD)

          Handley, Robert, Captain, Navigator (Purple Heart, Evac’ed to ZI)

FROST BITTEN DUE TO ENEMY ACTION: Leary, Patrick, MSGT (Evac’ed to ZI)

KIA: Rosenthal, George, 1LT, Bombardier (Posthumous Purple Heart)

     Buschinsky, Charles, SSgt, Right Waist Gunner (Posthumous Purple Heart)

  Recommend Distinguished Flying Cross to: Handley, Robert

  (Citation: “For remaining at his post as Navigator/Cheek Gunner of B-17F aircraft ‘Texas Tornado!’, despite serious wounds and loss of blood, operating his gun and performing his assigned navigation duties, during a bombing mission against German targets in St. Nazaire, France, Captain Robert Handley, Air Corps, AUS is awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross”)

  Marvin, William

  (Citation: “While flying as flight engineer/top turret gunner on B-17F ‘Texas Tornado!’, Technical Sergeant Marvin, William, did destroy in combat two enemy fighters of FW-190 type.  The second fighter he destroyed after his turret was damaged and inoperable.  His machine guns were not inoperable, and, despite not being able to lead fire or track fire, TSgt MARVIN maintained fire on the second FW-190, destroying the enemy aircraft.  Action performed 1 May 1943 while participating in bombing mission against German targets in St. Nazaire, France.”)

      Respectfully submitted,

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Force

    Deputy Commanding Officer, 918^th BG(H)

   I can sum this mission up in two words: Milk run.

  Enemy fighter opposition was slim to non-existent on the trip in.  Flak was light and ineffective.  My bombardier, 1Lt Tapper placed 100 percent of his bombs in the target area.

   On the return trip to Station 100 we DID encounter determined opposition from a staffel of FW-190’s.  Damage to my aircraft, “Battle Wagon” was as follows:

Left wing Fowler flap shot out

Right wing Fowler flap shot out

M-series bombsight smashed by cannon fire

Crew raft holed and useless

Crewmembers wounded:

Lucky, S.G., Colonel – shrapnel in leg. Removed by corpsman while on flightline and bandaged.  I already have several Purple Hearts, all I need is an aspirin for that.  Maj. Kaiser says I won’t even be on quarters for this…I told him I’ve cut myself worse shaving.

     I’m ready for the next mission, and so is my crew.

        Respectfully submitted,

 Shannon G.Lucky

          Shannon G. Lucky,

          Colonel, Air Force

          Acting Commanding Officer,

          918^th Bomb Group (Heavy)

Headquarters, 918^th Bomb Group (Heavy)

APO 855, Station 100, Archbury, England

14 May 1943

To: Col. Higginbottem, CO

From: Col. Lucky, DCO

Subj.: AAR- Kiel

  Colonel,

  We got lucky and caught the Krauts napping.  As major a target as Kiel is, I’d expected a harsher response from the Jerries, but they seemed to have been caught flat footed.

  We took off from Station 100 at the briefed hour; formed up with squadron, group, wing and division as per plan.  We didn’t have any enemy fighter opposition until we crossed the Jutland Peninsula.  We took sporadic attacks from Me-109’s and Fw-190’s.  The -109’s were almost amateurish in their attacks, but the -190’s were skilled and aggressive.  Their marksmanship, however, was not as good as we’ve previously faced.  Most attacks came not from 12 level, but from 3 and 9 (both high and level).  My gunners were almost having a turkey shoot today. SSgt Becker, my right waist gunner shot down one FW-190, kill confirmed by my engineer, TSgt Marvin.  Sgt Hatch, my left waist gunner, blew the tail off another -190, and SSgt Bandowski in the ball turret destroyed the rest of the Kraut.  Kill was confirmed by tail gunner Sgt Marchese.  “Battle Wagon” can be credited with two enemy aircraft destroyed.

   Bombing was exceptional.  There was a light cloud cover over the primary, but 1Lt Tapper was able to acquire the target and he placed 75 percent of his bombs in the designated target zone.  Flak was light; we took no damage from enemy anti-aircraft fire.

   Fighter opposition was negligible on the return trip.  We adjusted the return course to be over the North Sea and out of enemy fighter interception range.  We didn’t even see any FW-200’s.

  My assessment: Mission success.

  CREW OF “BATTLE WAGON”:

  Col. S.G. Lucky, pilot

  Maj. Art Wallace, co-pilot

  1Lt Robert Mesereau, navigator

  1Lt Alex Tapper, bombardier

  TSgt Bill Marvin, engineer

  SSgt Tom Vorhees, radio operator

  SSgt Ron Becker, right waist gunner

  Sgt Lloyd Hatch, left waist gunner

  SSgt Paul “Stinky” Bandowski, ball turret gunner

  Sgt Joseph Marchese, tail gunner

     Respectfully submitted,

Shannon G. Lucky

          Shannon G. Lucky,

          Colonel, Air Forces

          Deputy Commanding Officer,