America at War: The Schweinfurt/Regensburg Raid

The Schweinfurt–Regensburg raid was a strategic bombing mission carried out by  B-17s of the US Army Air Forces on August 17, 1943. The mission was designed to cripple the German ball bearing and aircraft industry. It involved large numbers of bombers attacking both Schweinfurt and Regensburg. It was the first American mission in which all or part of a mission landed in North Africa.The raid was an attack by 376 American bombers deep into Germany and well beyond the range of escorting fighters. The mission inflicted heavy damage but suffered the loss of 60 bombers with many more damaged beyond repair. When Schweinfurt was attacked two months later, losses were even higher. Join Duane E. Shaffer for a discussion on this important mission.