 |
Delta Rebel 2, Hell's Angels and The Memphis Belle |
About Us
Contact Us
Donate
Newsletters
8th AFHS
Links
FAQ
Facebook
Search
Personnel
Aircraft
Nose Art
B-17 Thunderbird
Ground Support
Uniforms
Journals
More Info
Mission Reports
Combat Crews
Individual Photos
Photos
POW
KIA
MACR
Overseas Graves
TAPS
to COMPLETE 25 COMBAT MISSIONS
B-17F #42-5077 "Delta Rebel No.2" — 91st Bomb Group (H) — Pilot: Col George P. Birdsong Jr. ***
B-17F #41-24577 "Hell's Angels" — 303rd Bomb Group (H) — Pilot: Capt Irl E. Baldwin
B-17F #41-24485 "The Memphis Belle" — 91st Bomb Group (H) — Pilot: Capt Robert K. Morgan
| MISSION DATE | TARGET | 303rd BG MISS# | HELL'S ANGELS MISS# | CAPT BALDWIN MISS# | 91st BG MISS# | DELTA REBEL 2 MISS# | MEMPHIS BELLE MISS# | CAPT MORGAN MISS# |
| 07 Nov 42 | Brest | -- | -- | -- | 01 | -- | 01 | 01 |
| 08 Nov 42 | Brest/Abbeville | -- | -- | -- | 02 | 01 | -- | -- |
| 09 Nov 42 | St. Nazaire | -- | -- | -- | 03 | -- | 02 | 02 |
| 14 Nov 42 | St. Nazaire | -- | -- | -- | 04 | 02 | -- | -- |
| 17 Nov 42 | St. Nazaire | 01 | 01 BR (1) | 01 BR (1) | 05 | 03 | 03 | 03 |
| 18 Nov 42 | St. Nazaire | 02 | -- | -- | 06 | 04 | -- | -- |
| 22 Nov 42 | Lorient | 03 | 02 BR (2) | 02 BR (2) | 07 | 05 BR | -- | -- |
| 23 Nov 42 | St. Nazaire | 04 | -- | -- | 08 | -- | MA | MA |
| 06 Dec 42 | Lille | 05 | 03 | 03 | 09 | 06 | 04 | 04 |
| 12 Dec 42 | Rouen | 06 | RP (3) | -- | 10 | 07 | -- | -- |
| 20 Dec 42 | Romilly-sur-Seine | 07 | -- | -- | 11 | -- | 05 | 05 |
| 30 Dec 42 | Lorient | 08 | FTO (4) | FTO (4) | 12 | 08 | 06 [B] | -- |
| 03 Jan 43 | St. Nazaire | 09 | 04 | 04 | 13 | 09 | 07 | 06 |
| 13 Jan 43 | Lille | 10 | 05 | 05 | 14 | 10 | 08 | 07 |
| 23 Jan 43 | Lorient/Brest | 11 | 06 | 06 | 15 | -- | 09 | 08 |
| 27 Jan 43 | Wilhelmshaven | 12 | 07 | 07 | 16 | 11 | RP | -- |
| 02 Feb 43 | Emden (Hamm) | 13 GA (5) | GA (5) | GA (5) | RE (5) | -- | -- | -- |
| 04 Feb 43 | Emden (Hamm)(U) | 14 | 08 | 08 | 17 | 12 | -- | 09 [X] |
| 14 Feb 43 | Hamm | 15 RE BR (6) | 09 RE BR (6) | 09 RE BR (6) | 18 RE (6) | 13 | 10 BR | 10 BR |
| 16 Feb 43 | St. Nazaire | 16 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 11 |
| 26 Feb 43 | Wilhelmshaven | 17 | 11 [A] | -- | 20 | 15 | -- | 12 [X] |
| 27 Feb 43 | Brest | 18 | 12 [A] | -- | 21 | -- | -- | 13 [X] |
| 04 Mar 43 | Hamm / Rotterdam | 19 GA | 13 | 11 | 22 | MA | -- | MA |
| 06 Mar 43 | Lorient | 20 | 14 | 12 | 23 | 16 | 12 | 14 |
| 08 Mar 43 | Rennes | 21 | 15 | 13 | 24 | -- | MA [C] | -- |
| 12 Mar 43 | Rouen | 22 | 16 | 14 | 25 | 17 | 13 | 15 |
| 13 Mar 43 | Amiens | 23 | 17 | 15 | 26 | 18 | 14 | 16 |
| 17 Mar 43 | Rouen | RE BR (7) | RE BR (7) | RE BR (7) | RE | -- | -- | -- |
| 18 Mar 43 | Vegesack | 24 | 18 | 16 | 27 | 19 | -- | -- |
| 22 Mar 43 | Wilhelmshaven | 25 | 19 | 17 | 28 | 20 | 15 | 17 |
| 28 Mar 43 | Rouen | 26 | 20 | 18 | 29 | -- | 16 | 18 |
| 31 Mar 43 | Rotterdam | 27 | 21 | 19 | 30 | 21 | 17 [D] | -- |
| 04 Apr 43 | Paris | 28 | 22 | 20 | 31 | 22 | MA | MA |
| 05 Apr 43 | Antwerp | 29 | 23 | 21 | 32 | MA | RP | 19 [Y] |
| 16 Apr 43 | Lorient | 30 | -- | -- | 33 | 23 | 18 | 20 |
| 17 Apr 43 | Bremen | 31 | -- | 22 [W] | 34 | 24 | 19 | 21 |
| 01 May 1943 | St. Nazaire | 32 | -- | -- | 35 | 25 - Delta Rebel 2 | 20 | 22 |
| 04 May 43 | Antwerp | 33 | 24 | 23 | 36 | MA | -- | 23 [Z] |
| 13 May 1943 | Meaulite | 34 | 25 - Hell's Angels | 24 | 37 | -- | 21 [E] | -- |
| 14 May 43 | Kiel | 35 | 26 | 25 - Capt Baldwin | 38 | -- | 22 [F] | -- |
| 15 May 43 | Heligoland | 36 | 27 | -- | 39 | 26 | 23 | 24 |
| 17 May 43 | Lorient | 37 | 28 | -- | 40 | MA | 24 | 25 - Capt Morgan |
| 19 May 1943 | Kiel | 38 | -- | -- | 41 | -- | 25 - Memphis Belle [E][G] | -- |
|
*** Birdsong and several other pilots flew Delta Rebel 2's first 25 missions. Hell's Angles was long thought to be the first 8th AF B-17 to fly 25 combat missions. New research by Mick Hanou (91stBGMA) and Jeff Duford (NMUSAF) proved Delta Rebel No.2 was acutally the first to complete 25 missions. At this stage of the war, an ABORT counted as a mission. It usually meant that they got over occupied Europe, or were attacked or subject to flak. A “TURN BACK” did not count towards missions. [A] Hell's Angels Pilot - lstLt James H. McDonald on 26 Feb & 27 Feb 43 - Captain Baldwin on leave [B] Memphis Belle Pilot - Lt James Vernis (Morgan Crew CoPilot) on 30 Dec 42 - Capt Morgan was sick [C] Memphis Belle Pilot - Capt E.D. Gaitly, CoPilot & Col Stanley Wray on 08 Mar 43 [D] Memphis Belle Pilot - Capt H.W. Aycock on 31 Mar 43 [E] Memphis Belle Pilot - Lt C.L. Anderson on 13 May (Capt Morgan in London) and 19 May 43 (Capt Morgan had completed his combat tour) [F] Memphis Belle Pilot - Lt J.H. Miller on 14 May 43 - Capt Morgan in London [G] Memphis Belle's 25th Mission Crew:
[X] Captain Morgan flew in #41-24515 Jersey Bounce 324th BS (DF-H) on 04 Feb, 26 Feb & 27 Feb 43 [Y] Captain Morgan flew in #41-24480 The Bad Penny 324th BS (DF-C/B) on 05 Apr 43 [Z] Captain Morgan flew in #41-24527 The Great Speckled Bird 324th BS (DF-Y) on 04 May 43 FTO - Failed to take off due to mechanical problems RE - Division recall due to bad weather GA - Group aborted mission due to bad weather RP - B-17 stood down while under repair MA - Mechanical abort after takeoff before target reached BR - Bombs returned to base U - Exact target unknown - Group Navigator believed that six 303BG B-17s bombed Groningen (1) Group unable to locate target - Credited mission (2) Bomb rack malfunction over target - Credited mission (3) Bomb release intervelometer test requested (4) #3 Engine failed to start (5) Recall 30-40 miles off the Dutch coast. Non credited crew sortie (6) Recall between coast & Dokkum Holland - Credited mission (7) Recall between beacon 8 & 10 - Non credited mission (8) Weather obscured target - Credited mission |