The “Bloody Hundredth” Bomb Group and the Regensburg Mission
The third episode of Apple TV’s “Masters of the Air” focuses exclusively on the Eighth
Air Force’s 17 August 1943 double-strike on the Messerschmitt factories at Regensburg and the
ball-bearing plants at Schweinfurt, one of the darkest days for the “Bloody Hundredth” Bomb
Group and the Army Air Forces in World War II. The raids comprised 361 unescorted B-17s.
Sixty of those bombers—each carrying 10 men—were shot down; another 87 were written off
because they were too damaged to fly.
Obviously, those were not the results envisioned in designing the dual attacks on
Regensburg and Schweinfurt. The Fourth Bomb Wing, 139 bombers strong and containing 22
B-17s of the “Bloody Hundredth,” was to depart for Regensburg 15 minutes before the First
Wing followed it to Schweinfurt. The Regensburg mission would initially draw the Germans’
attention, and by the time the First Wing’s bombers approached Schweinfurt, German fighters
would have landed to refuel and rearm, which would allow the Schweinfurt force to proceed to
its target unhindered. Meanwhile, after bombing Regensburg, the Fourth Wing would avoid
further combat by flying across the Alps and the Mediterranean and landing in North Africa.
For the plan to succeed, it required near-perfect weather, crisp coordination between
multiple layers of command, and zero mishaps as two large formations of heavy bombers took
shape in the skies over East Anglia. But as “Masters of the Air” reveals, Clausewitzian friction
in the form of dense fog shrouded the British bases that morning. The Fourth Wing, led by
Brigadier General Curtis LeMay, departed for Regensburg 90 minutes behind the time originally
scheduled.
The First Wing departed for Schweinfurt five hours later than scheduled. As a result,
almost three hundred Luftwaffe fighters were available to attack both formations for the duration
of their time over the Reich.
Unlike the dismal weather in Britain, German skies were crystal clear, making them ideal
for bombing—and for fighter assaults against the B-17s. As “Masters of the Air” shows, the
Bloody Hundredth flew as the low and trailing squadrons in the larger formation comprising the
Fourth Wing, positions known as “Purple Heart Corner” because fighters often attacked those
parts of the formation first and then moved against the higher groups.
The portrayal of those assaults in the third episode was simultaneously riveting,
terrifying, and tragic. I don't think I’ve seen a Hollywood depiction of war—other than perhaps
the opening sequence of “Saving Private Ryan”—that moved me as much as that episode—and
yet I know that the depiction that I saw was far, far worse in real life. Given that Steven
Spielberg and Tom Hanks were executive producers of the series, I guess I shouldn’t have been
surprised by the realism.
Yet I was.
The Bloody Hundredth lost nine of the 22 B-17s that participated in Regensburg raid, 40
percent of its attacking force, and had the highest losses of any bomb group on the mission.
LeMay’s Fourth Wing lost 24 bombers total. The Wing had to abandon almost 60 of the B-17s
that made it to North Africa because of heavy damage; several of those also belonged to the 100 th
Bomb Group.
For the duration of the war, the Bloody Hundredth lost 177 B-17s. That was not the
greatest amount of loss by a single bomb group—the 91 st Bomb Group had that distinction with
197 bombers shot down. But for the 100 th , which flew 306 missions from 25 June 1943 to 20
April 1945, eight missions accounted for half of its losses.
Three weeks after Regensburg, 18 bombers from the 100 th flew against Munster. Five of
those had mechanical difficulties and returned to base. Of the 13 that continued to target, 12
were shot down—only the bomber piloted by 1 st Lieutenant Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal survived,
and he dropped his payload despite losing two engines plus the intercom and oxygen system.
“Rosie,” who’s depicted in the series, went on to complete an incredible 52 missions and was
shot down twice, evaded capture, and received the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars,
two Distinguished Flying Crosses (plus the British equivalent), and two Purple Hearts.
During a seven-day span in early October 1943, the Bloody Hundredth lost 148 bombers
and 1500 men. And on the great 6 March 1944 raid against Berlin, the Bloody Hundredth lost 15
bombers, despite having P-51 Mustangs as escorts.
For the war, Eighth Air Force suffered 26,000 fatalities—more than the entire US Marine
Corps lost in the Pacific. The Bloody Hundredth Bomb Group epitomizes those losses, and
“Masters of the Air” is a fitting tribute to those who “gave the last full measure of devotion.” I
would urge everyone with Air Force ties—USAFA and ROTC cadets, enlisted personnel,
officers, civilians, and retirees—to watch it, and, most especially, to watch Episode 3. It aptly
highlights the true heritage of the modern US Air Force.
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