DOCUMENT 53621

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401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 220, 2 Mar 1945, Chemnitz, Germany. The Group was briefed for a long mission at the early hour of 0300. By 0707 hours, all operational aircraft were airborne. One aircraft was forced to abort, and two of the three spares also returned early. The Group provided three squadrons making up the 94th Combat Wing "C" Group on this mission. The primary target was the oil refinery at Bohlen, near Leipzig, in eastern Germany. However, the Buckeye Scouting Force (P-51's flying ahead of the bomber stream) reported clouds over the primary target and advised bombing the secondary target, the marshalling yards at Chemnitz. Following this direction, the secondary target was bombed using PFF (radar) techniques, with unobserved results. Little flak was encountered, and the Luftwaffe was not to be seen. Accordingly, the 401st suffered no casualties or battle damage. With briefing at 0300 hours and return to base at about 1600 hours, this was a long day. By 1556 hours all but three aircraft had returned from the mission. The three missing ships were soon located at other bases and were back at Deenethorpe by 1709 hours. Flying Control noted: "Good show!

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Units

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group, airborne in spite of the flak hole ripped into its left wing. Printed caption on reverse: '56751 AC- BERLIN DAMAGE- Flak over Berlin, March 18 1945, during the more than 1300 heavy bomber attack on rail and industrial targets in the capital city of the Reich, was responsible for the torn wing tip on the US Eight AF Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Intense anti-aircraft fire made things hot for the heavy bombers over the target. US Air Force Photo.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Bottle Baby
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron 615th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Diabolical Angel
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Miss Gee Eyewanna Go Home
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

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Mission

Revisions

Date:
Contributoracbernstein1
ChangesChanges to caption and aircraft associations
Date:
Contributoracbernstein1
ChangesCreated entry with unit associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations