Courtney
6/14/2010 12:05:24 PM | On June 14, 1944, 2nd Lieutenant Robert W. Cain, as a B-17G Flying Fortress co-pilot in Lt. Arthur Jetter’s crew on Snicklefritz, in the 613th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, flew his first combat mission against the German occupied airfield at Le Bourget, France. As the 401st Bomb Group (H) Association website mission list states, the flight “briefing was conducted at 0115 hours. All 60 aircraft were airborne by 0517 hours. All but one of the operational aircraft had returned by 1110 hours.” Bob Cain’s flight log for June 14th notes he flew for 6 hours and 45 minutes encompassing all of the hours logged for this bombing mission.
The official mission summary states: “For the 401st Bomb Group, this was the most important mission to date. The Group put up 60 aircraft -- by far the most for any one mission -- and the Group, led by Col. Bowman, led the entire 8th Air Force. Moreover, it was one of the Group's most successful missions from the standpoint of bombing accuracy. The Group flew in five boxes of 12 aircraft each, and each box, bombing individually, hit its MPI. The five lead bombardiers, Major Julius Pickoff, Captain Henry R. Briarton, Captain Harry W. Meadville, Captain William W. Dolan and Lt. Ralph R. Wolfe, received personal letters of commendation from the Commanding General of the 94th Combat Wing. Flak at the target was moderate and accurate, and the Group was also attacked by two German Me-109's just before reaching the target, resulting in the loss of Lt. Russell H. Schroeder and his crew, flying "Dry Run" (42-37843). The German fighters were immediately bounced and shot down by U.S. fighter aircraft.”
2nd Lieutenant Cain flew five more combat missions in June 1944 in addition to five non-combat missions. In July he flew eleven more combat missions including two in which he apparently served as the tail gunner on his aircraft. Eight more combat missions followed in August with six more in September and two in October. For his performance he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters. The citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross reads: "For extraordinary achievement while participating in sustained combat bombardment missions over Germany and German occupied countries from June 14, 1944, to September 19. The courage, coolness and skill displayed by Lt. Cain on all these occasions reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the U.S."
We today cannot begin to appreciate the stress, fear, fatigue, and courage of those missions 66 years ago. Bob and his fellow aviators were literally on the front lines as much as infantry soldiers, risking their lives to defeat a ruthless foe who had attempted to destroy dozens of countries and had killed millions of people. The desperation of that era and the common sacrifice of all who labored and fought during those dark days simply cannot be comprehended by us today. Our task is to remember and honor them.
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donaldbyers
6/14/2010 8:10:25 PM | Thank you for the nice write up and to remember what lives were placed on the line during WWII.
Don Byers
Group Historian
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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donaldbyers
6/14/2010 10:35:51 PM | Are there any other pictures of aircraft such as the Carrie B II. We don't have all the availavle info to fill in the missing info on aircraft on each mission but Carrie B II is special to me as this aircraft 42-97344 went donw on 24/08/1944 with my uncle aboard. He later parachuted out but it didn't work and was KIA. There are no current pictures of this aircraft.
Tks
Don Byers
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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