“Mission 31 - Taking The Fight To The Germans” 80 Years Ago, Today – (Wed) January 27th, 1943, the skies over the port city of Wilhemshaven, Germany: The United States 8th Air Force comes to call with a force of 91 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators. The B-17s are from the following 8th Air Force Bomb Groups: 91st, 303rd, 305th, and 306th. The B-24's belong to the 44th and 93rd Bomb Groups. Due to poor weather the B-24's never find Wilhemshaven, their primary target. By contrast, the B-17's never find their primary target, Vegesack, 31 miles to the southeast. Turning around, the weather clear and the B-17's DO find Wilhemshaven... and Wilhemshaven finds out what steel rain is like. In an aerial extension of the Battle Of The Atlantic, the B-17's deploy 132 tons of general purpose demolition bombs from 25,000 feet over the German Navy shipyard located in the city. This is the first combat penetration of German airspace by the 8th Air Force, and the first American daylight bombing raid of German Territory. The combat honors of first bombs dropped go to the 306th Bomb Group, whose B-17s are shown here, c. late spring 1943. Casualties are light: only 3 planes are lost and 26 men killed. It is a very very light start to what will become a slaughterhouse in the skies over Continental Europe in the coming year. But for now, the Germans have just been delivered a very real gut-check by the 8th Air Force. 🇺🇲🇺🇲 ** Please Like & Follow "Sandy Hook History" on Facebook & Instagram for more amazing maritime and military histories of the Garden State and New York Harbor as well as a review of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle Of The Atlantic and World War 2** 🇺🇲🇺🇲 Photo: ww2db.com #visitmonmouth #newjerseybuzz #thejournalnj #locallivingnj #journeythroughjersey #onlyinnewjersey #njspots #centraljerseyexists #discovernj #yesnj #newjerseyhistory #newjerseyforyou #sandyhookbeach #sandyhooknj #sandyhookhistory #forthancockhistory #forthancock #battleoftheatlantic #8thairforce #armyairforce #daylightbombing #airstrike #boeingb17 #b17flyingfortress #b24liberator #wilhemshaven #steelrain #mightyeighth #heavybomber #firststrike (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn8NNjptHvA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Love this photo of my son Mike taken at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force last week. Curt and I had planned on joining Mike and my dad, but we were under the weather. Curt’s father served in the Mighty Eighth as a waist gunner and radio operator in a B24 Liberator. My grandfather served as a pilot of a B26 Marauder. We’ll definitely visit during our next trip to Georgia!

Take off from @newark_liberty #travel #travelphotography #travelblogger #travelling #takeoff #airport #savannahgeorgia #flight #mightyeighth #runway #travelgram #airplane #airplanewindow #flying #aviation #cominghome #sandiego #tosandiego #goodbye #goodbyesavannah #newark (at Newark Liberty International Airport) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuFBaOyhfln/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=pqtxnelbib1j

Airplane seats are getting less and less comfortable these days. Be sure to bring a big, hairy friend along for added cushioning and support. #travel #travelphotography #travelblogger #travelling #takeoff #airport #savannahgeorgia #flight #mightyeighth #runway #travelgram #airplane #airplanewindow #flying #aviation #cominghome #sandiego #tosandiego #goodbye #goodbyesavannah https://www.instagram.com/p/BuEuBQhBRUK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1lgq3py6xtkdk

An obligatory airplane window shot, to mark the end of our journey. Back to San Diego we go! Look at those vintage aircraft out there! Savannah is home to the Mighty Eighth Air force Museum, which commemorates the stories of the men and women who served in WWII. These are a little reminder of what to see on our next visit. #travel #travelphotography #travelblogger #travelling #takeoff #airport #savannahgeorgia #flight #mightyeighth #runway #travelgram #airplane #airplanewindow #flying #aviation #cominghome #sandiego #tosandiego #goodbye #goodbyesavannah (at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuEZ3R_hP9N/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=19n5m9byah87f

In flight! We're leaving Savannah with a layover in Newark, New Jersey, and then off to San Diego! #travel #travelphotography #travelblogger #travelling #takeoff #airport #savannahgeorgia #flight #mightyeighth #runway #travelgram #airplane #airplanewindow #flying #aviation #cominghome #sandiego #tosandiego #goodbye #goodbyesavannah #newark #newarkairport (at Pooler, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuEaB3uB_bT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=9qmhk6cm587k