Pooler in Chatham County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Black Thursday Oct 14 1943
Second Schweinfurt
Memorial Association
Photographed By Mike Stroud, February 28, 2013
1. Black Thursday Oct 14 1943 Marker
Courageous Airmen Of The
United States Army
8th Air Force
Who Against Overwhelming
Odds And Savage Defiance
Attacked And Severely Damaged
The Ball Bearing Factories In
Schweinfurt,
Germany
14 October 1943
Officially Known As
Mission No. 115
Known By Those
Who Were There As
Black Thursday
1st Air 3rd Air
Division Division
Groups Groups
91 ST 94TH
92 ND 95 TH
303 RD 96 TH
305 TH 100 TH
306 TH 385 TH
351 ST 388 TH
379 TH 390 TH
381 ST
384 TH
Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is October 14, 1943.
Location. 32° 6.951′ N, 81° 14.231′ W. Marker is in Pooler, Georgia, in Chatham County. Memorial can be reached from 175 Bourne Avenue. Located adjacent to I-95, Georgia exit 102, (US 80 east), at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pooler GA 31322, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. James H. Doolittle (here, next to this marker); 364th Fighter Group
this page online
Regarding Black Thursday Oct 14 1943.
8th United States Army Air Force who flew on Mission 115 - October 14, 1943 over Schweinfurt, Germany.This day is also known as "Black Thursday".
At dawn, on October 14, 1943, in foul weather, the 8th Army Air Force, also known as the Mighty 8th, dispatched 291 B-17 bombers to the town of Schweinfurt Germany,a flight of some 800 miles. Since this city was vital to the ball bearing industry, it was at the top of the list of strategic targets for the allied forces and had already received a first attack on August 17, 1943.
The bombers were initially protected by friendly fighter escort, which were forced to turn back about half way to the targets. Arriving at the target,
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2013
2. Black Thursday Oct 14 1943 Marker
The battle brought great loss to both sided. Sixty heavy bombers and 600 airmen perished. Many lost their
lives in the burning, badly damaged, crashed planes. Many became prisoners of war. Fifteen additional aircraft were so damaged they could never fly again. On the ground, 276 people died and countless more were injured. Businesses and homes were razed. Valuable and treasured possessions perished.
Consequently, October 14, 1943 - Mission 115, became known as "Black Thursday" in American military history and one of the greatest air battles of World War II.
Thirty years later some of the survivors from the Mighty 8th, including Colonel Budd Peaslee, S/Sgt. Phillip Taylor and 1st Lt. William Allen, decided to form an organization to commemorate their fallen comrades-in-arms. They called it the Second Schweinfurt Memorial Association, Inc. (SSMA), giving it direct connection to the second air raid on Schweinfurt.
The full members of this association are all veterans of the 8th Air Force who flew on Mission 115. Every year the members, and their families and
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2013
3. Black Thursday Oct 14 1943 Marker
14th of October to honor their dead fellow airmen.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. more Second Schweinfurt Memorial
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2013
4. 306 Bomb Group 369 Squadron Noack's Crew
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2013
5. 94th Bomb Group 332nd Squadron Mullinax Crew
Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2013
6. Black Thursday Oct 14 1943 Marker at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on March 17, 2013, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,577 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 18, 2013, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.
