toad
08-17-2005, 09:37 PM
although bombers had been very active in the Med. and Pacific, it wasn't until Aug 42 till the first US Army bombers got busy from England.
Anyone a buff of the 8th airforce, or can shed some light on the build up of forces in England. Its a sharp contrast of the first 12 17's against Rouen and later in the war when some raids consisted of 1200 bombers...
08/17/42
Eighth AF
12 B-17's of 97th Bomb Gp, escorted by Spitfires, launch first AAF HB attack from UK against W Europe. Tgt is Rouen-Sotteville M/Y. Sgt Kent R West shoots down German ftr, thus becoming the first Eighth AF gunner to receive credit for a combat kill. VIII GASC opens its HQ at Membury.
"Trained with B-17's; also flew some antisubmarine patrols. Moved to England, May-Jul 1942, for duty with Eighth AF. Entered combat on 17 Aug 1942 by bombing a marshalling yard at Rouen, the first mission flown by AAF's heavy bombers based in England. "
There is a tie in this squadron to the book/movie "12 oclock high"
lewis.up.edu/afrotc/cadre/AS300/.../Lesson 19 12 o'clock High .pdf
The book is based on several leaders experiences but particularly Frank Armstrong......
"Armstrong assumed command on 31 July. He found the 97th to be in “sad shape,” with moralelow and military courtesy lacking. He decided he would have to be “tough” in order to straighten the
97th out. And he was! By the night of the 31st, he was being referred to as the “Butcher.” Armstrong
used this epithet to reinforce his “tough” image, naming his plane “The Butcher Shop.”Party time at the 97th was over. It was time to train, to fly, and to get ready to fight. Training tookan immediate upturn. Of the 17 days between 31 July and 17 August, the day of the first combat mis-
sion, there was 1 day of bad weather. Of the remaining 16, Armstrong had his planes in the air on 9 of
them, practicing the “big three”--formation flying, gunnery, and bombing missions in July; the num-
ber rose to 24 by 15 August.While Armstrong threatened, he also encouraged. He made people want to perform. Shortly afterarriving at the 97th, he gathered the crews for a talk. He told them they would begin the American
bombing offensive; the eyes of the world would be on them; the outcome of the war depended on
them; he would take them in high; he would take them in low, or he would go alone; and if anyone
didn’t want to follow him, to say so now. None did. They stood and cheered as he turned to leave the
briefing room.Where before there had been a lack of direction, a lack of purpose, a lack of clearly defined goals,Frank Armstrong provided them all. He told the 97th’s crews what they were going to do and how
they were going to do it, and he did so with an air of confidence and competence. Again, in Tibbet’s words:“Frank had a commanding presence. He looked like a guy that had no doubt that what he did wasthe right thing. He told us this what is going to be done and it will be done this way. We flew at night, and we flew in the daytime. Frank wanted people to drop bombs, he wanted people to shoot guns, and he wanted us to fly formation. And we did that.”There were other signs as well of Armstrong’s leadership. When the 97th conducted the first USheavy bomber mission over German-occupied territory, he led it, telling the crews at the briefing to stick close and follow him. He would be in the lead plane. "
Anyone a buff of the 8th airforce, or can shed some light on the build up of forces in England. Its a sharp contrast of the first 12 17's against Rouen and later in the war when some raids consisted of 1200 bombers...
08/17/42
Eighth AF
12 B-17's of 97th Bomb Gp, escorted by Spitfires, launch first AAF HB attack from UK against W Europe. Tgt is Rouen-Sotteville M/Y. Sgt Kent R West shoots down German ftr, thus becoming the first Eighth AF gunner to receive credit for a combat kill. VIII GASC opens its HQ at Membury.
"Trained with B-17's; also flew some antisubmarine patrols. Moved to England, May-Jul 1942, for duty with Eighth AF. Entered combat on 17 Aug 1942 by bombing a marshalling yard at Rouen, the first mission flown by AAF's heavy bombers based in England. "
There is a tie in this squadron to the book/movie "12 oclock high"
lewis.up.edu/afrotc/cadre/AS300/.../Lesson 19 12 o'clock High .pdf
The book is based on several leaders experiences but particularly Frank Armstrong......
"Armstrong assumed command on 31 July. He found the 97th to be in “sad shape,” with moralelow and military courtesy lacking. He decided he would have to be “tough” in order to straighten the
97th out. And he was! By the night of the 31st, he was being referred to as the “Butcher.” Armstrong
used this epithet to reinforce his “tough” image, naming his plane “The Butcher Shop.”Party time at the 97th was over. It was time to train, to fly, and to get ready to fight. Training tookan immediate upturn. Of the 17 days between 31 July and 17 August, the day of the first combat mis-
sion, there was 1 day of bad weather. Of the remaining 16, Armstrong had his planes in the air on 9 of
them, practicing the “big three”--formation flying, gunnery, and bombing missions in July; the num-
ber rose to 24 by 15 August.While Armstrong threatened, he also encouraged. He made people want to perform. Shortly afterarriving at the 97th, he gathered the crews for a talk. He told them they would begin the American
bombing offensive; the eyes of the world would be on them; the outcome of the war depended on
them; he would take them in high; he would take them in low, or he would go alone; and if anyone
didn’t want to follow him, to say so now. None did. They stood and cheered as he turned to leave the
briefing room.Where before there had been a lack of direction, a lack of purpose, a lack of clearly defined goals,Frank Armstrong provided them all. He told the 97th’s crews what they were going to do and how
they were going to do it, and he did so with an air of confidence and competence. Again, in Tibbet’s words:“Frank had a commanding presence. He looked like a guy that had no doubt that what he did wasthe right thing. He told us this what is going to be done and it will be done this way. We flew at night, and we flew in the daytime. Frank wanted people to drop bombs, he wanted people to shoot guns, and he wanted us to fly formation. And we did that.”There were other signs as well of Armstrong’s leadership. When the 97th conducted the first USheavy bomber mission over German-occupied territory, he led it, telling the crews at the briefing to stick close and follow him. He would be in the lead plane. "