T/Sgt R.G. Scharch

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Lead Crew - Mission #90
20 Dec 1943

Bremen, Germany

Target:

City area, Bremen, Germany

Crews Dispatched:

21 plus 2 spares

Crews Lost:

2 crews; 2Lt. A. Alex, 1 KIA, 6 POW, 3 REP and

2Lt. F. Leve, 8 KIA, 2 POW

Crew wounded:

5 Wounded, 6 Injured on 2Lt. J.F. Henderson crew,

ditched in North Sea

Length of Mission:

6 hours, 40 minutes

Bomb Load:

42 x M47A1 Incendiaries

Bombing Altitudes:

26,200 ft

Ammo Fired:

17,120 rounds

Enemy Aircraft Claims:

5 Destroyed, 1 Probable, 2 Damaged

B-17F "Sky Wolf" #41-24562 (358BS) VK-A
303rd BG Lead - Pilot Capt D. Gamble / CoPilot Maj G.F. Shumake

(Back L-R) Maj G.F. Shumake (CP), Capt D. Gamble (P),
1Lt W.D. McSween (N), 1Lt W.T. Sweet (B), 2Lt J.R. Burns (TG-O)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt N. Vaughn (WG), T/Sgt R.J. McGuire (R),
S/Sgt C.S. Schmeltzer (WG), S/Sgt R.G. Scharch (BT), T/Sgt C.E. Wagner (E)

Crew members made the following comments after interrogation:

Capt. Gamble in the lead B-17 said, "We were doing fine until we started the bomb run. The formation was perfect. As soon as we got over the target, they smashed hell out of us. That flak was pretty accurate and there was lots of it. Our escort tried to keep the fighters out, but they sneaked through the contrails where we couldn't see them. It was plenty rough all right, but the crew said our bombs landed right on target." Maj. Shumake, the co-pilot, added, "It was rough, but we made them know it. The fight didn't last long, but it was a beaut while it lasted."

Detailed Mission Report: Combat Mission No. 90