S1 addendum: The Bloody 100th - Masters of the Air

The Aviation Medals of Honor

I started this episode as an extra to the first season on B-17s in the 8th AF, but put it away halfway done. With the release of Apple TV’s Masters of the Air I decided to revive it. This is the story of The Bloody 100th, the 100th Heavy Bomb Group, who operated over Europe from June 1943 until the end of the war. Probably the most famous of the 8th Air Force bomb groups, what set the 100th apart was the losses it suffered, in particular the huge losses it seemed to suffer over and over again. While other groups may have suffered the same fate on a mission or two, the 100th had eight separate missions in which it was almost wiped out. Rumor was among the men of the 8th that the Luftwaffe had targeted the 100th for destruction. Several topics hit on in this episode are covered more in-depth in my earlier season one podcasts on B-17s and the 8th. I recommend listening to those episodes prior to this one. I can be reached at [email protected] Feedback and reviews are appreciated. Semper Fi, Kelly "Beavis" Ramshur