B-24H · 42-94971 · GO · 328th SQDN
Bombed Primary
Pos
Airman
Status
Hamm, Germany
02 OCTOBER 1944 · MONDAY · STATION 104
Mission 659
Hamm
Bombed Primary
Intended Target
Hamm
Hamm, Germany
Operating Group
93rd BG
2BD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Landing Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
266 / 308
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
684.7
tons
ROUTE PLATE · TAKEOFF → TARGET
TAKEOFF · HARDWICK✛TARGET · HAMM
Bearing Out
99° T
Bearing In
284° T
Route Length
769 nmi
Time Aloft
4 h 50 m
§ Outcome
0
Ships Aborting
0
Ships Lost
0
Men Bailed Out
0
Men Lost
§ Times & Distance
- Reveille
- 02:30
- Stations
- 07:30
- Takeoff
- 10:40
- Form-Up
- 05:10
- Time Over Target
- 11:00
- Return Time
- 15:30
- Distance
- 769 nmi
- Fuel Aboard
- 2,700 gal
- Fuel Consumed
- 1,300 gal
§ Weather
- Cloud En-Route to Target
- Heavy two-layer overcast: low stratus covering 8/10 of the sky, topped by a complete (10/10) stratocumulus layer. Near-total cloud cover throughout.
- Air Temp at Altitude
- -31 °F
- Lowest Temp
- -31 °F
- Wind Speed
- 79 kt
- Wind Direction
- 10°
§ Bombing & Defense
- Bombing Altitude
- 23,000 ft
- Bombing Run Heading
- 330° True
- Forming Altitude
- 11,000 ft
- Fighter Cover
- 4 P-51 groups
- Bombing Accuracy
- PFF — target hit but not too good
Flak Description
Heavy at coast inbound and outbound; heavy at target and three places enroute
§ Sorties · 2 Aircraft Dispatched
Each ship that lifted off, and the men aboard her.
▸ 1 ship carrying your selectionUnknown · XX-XX898 · ??-J · Unknown Squadron SQDN
Bombed Primary
Pos
Airman
Status
Mission five took the crew to the marshalling yard at Hamm. The route followed a now-familiar path: in over the coast at Egmond, past Amsterdam, Apeldoorn, Enschede, and Münster to the target. The return ran through Gütersloh, Bielefeld, and Osnabrück. Flak was heavy at the coast coming and going, at the target, and at three points along the route. The official report noted no flak holes. The navigator's log told a different story: seven hits, a thirteen-inch tear in the bomb bay, three holes in the tail, two in the wing, and one in an engine. All crew returned safely. No fighters were encountered. The PFF bombing results were recorded as a hit on the target, though not a clean one.
Sources
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Published
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981