[303rd-Talk] Re: 303rd-Talk Digest, Vol 14, Issue 4

[harold susskind]

I'm sure we didn't ship that delicacy  brussels sprouts over from the States. But where did the English get such a great supply,  I think we had more of the sprouts than bombs. Hal Susskind 



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> Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2008 12:43:12 -0800
> From: bvp6565 at yahoo.com
> Subject: RE: [303rd-Talk] Re: 303rd-Talk Digest, Vol 14, Issue 4
> To: 303rd-talk at 303rdBG.com
> 
> Gordy:  I know you didn't want an answer, but I feel compelled to comply.  The Navy didn't get that fuel there, although they excorted and certainly assisted, it was the Merchant Marines.  These unsung heroes fought tremendous odds up to mid-43, and even after, to get the juice to our boys.  And for years they weren't eligible for VA benefits.
>    
>   I met a janitor at a school in Rocton, Illinois, who was a Merchant Marine on a Liberty ship.  You guessed it, they were topedoed and sunk and my friend went in the water.  As he was swimming around, he found a life raft, then another.  He lashed them together and stated picking up floating debris.  He could see no other survivors, so he just kept picking up boxes of stuff.  Turned out he was picking up beer and rations.  He was in the North Atlantic for two weeks before being rescued by another convoy.  When they took him aboard, thay asked him several questions about his identity, and then they threw him in the brig - he had no idea why.  When he was again interrogated at Liverpool, then he found out his weight did not match what he told the people on the rescuing ship - he had gained 15 pounds!!!!! They thought he was a German spy!!!!
>   Bob
> 
> Gordy Alton  wrote:
>   Thanks for the good info, Bob.
> The one stat that has always amazed me was the fuel used. How in the
> world did the Navies keep up with the demand, and how many ships and men
> were lost getting that many millions of gallons to England? I am not
> asking for an answer, just being rhetorical, but it is truly amazing
> that all that fuel and ammo was brought over from N. America by boat,
> fighting wolfpacks all the way.
> 
> Gordy.
> 
> Gordon Alton
> Saltspring Island, BC
> "Please remember those who gave so
> much for the freedom you enjoy this day."
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: 303rd-talk-bounces at 303rdBG.com
> [mailto:303rd-talk-bounces at 303rdBG.com]On Behalf Of Bob Van Pelt
> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 8:13 AM
> To: 303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum
> Subject: Re: [303rd-Talk] Re: 303rd-Talk Digest, Vol 14, Issue 4
> 
> Gordon: The 8th Air Force was made up of several sub groups - two of
> which were VIII Bomber Command and VIII Fighter Command. (These
> designations may have changed during the war.) VIII Fighter Command was
> usually charged with protecting the bombers until the fighters were
> allowed to break off escort duties and take the fight to the Luftwaffe
> on the ground and in the air. I believe this occurred somewhere around
> Big Week, 20 February 1944, Operation Aurgument.
> 
> The fighters had their own bases with names like Steeple Morden,
> King's Cliff, Boxted, Leiston and Martlesham Heath. The fighters would
> sometimes take off after the bombers had taken off. Remember, the
> bombers flew at 150 to 160 mph and the fighters flew much faster, so
> they would leave later to rednevouz with the bombers at some
> predetermined point over the Continent.
> 
> Assembly is one of the most remarkable aspects of a bomber mission. I
> have heard one in seven bombers lost in the ETO was lost either during
> assembly or returning from a mission. It is hard today to comprehend
> the logisitcs that went in to putting up 1,000+ bomber missions
> considering most everything was made in America, flown or brought to the
> UK on Liberty ships, and then distributed to each station. Here are
> some stats given to me by Ed Kueppers from the 8th AFHS a few years ago:
> 
> Typical Eighth Air Force Mission - Mid 1944
> 
> Heavy Bombers: 1,400
> Fighters: 800
> Gasoline: 3.5 million gallons
> Ammunition: 250,000
> German A/C Destroyed: 25
> U.S. Fighter Losses: 4
> U.S. Bomber Losses: 5
> Bombing Accuracy:
> 40% - 1,000 yards of MPI
> 75% - 2,000 yards of MPI
> 
> The 9th Tactical Air Force supported the troops on the ground before
> and after D-Day by flying missions in support of our advancing boys.
> They would knock out troop concentrations, tanks, artillery (any thing
> that moved), transportation targets (train busters) and communications
> targets, as well as strafe airfields. A good friend of mine, Tom
> Liston,362nd Fighter Group, was at Wormingford originally assigned to
> the 8th and then after D-Day the entire group was transfered to the 9th
> AF, moved to the Contienent, and flew tactical support missions from
> there.
> 
> Bob Van Pelt
> 
> 
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