Finding Aid · Mission Log
14 OCTOBER 1944 · SATURDAY · STATION 104

Mission 676

Kaiserslautern
Bombed Primary
Intended Target
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern, Germany
Operating Group
93rd BG
2BD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Landing Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
117 / 117
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
330.8
tons
ROUTE PLATE · TAKEOFF → TARGET
TAKEOFF · HARDWICKTARGET · KAISERSLAUTERN
Bearing Out
124° T
Bearing In
309° T
Route Length
1,215 nmi
Time Aloft
6 h 00 m
§ Outcome
0
Ships Aborting
0
Ships Lost
3
Men Bailed Out
0
Men Lost
§ Times & Distance
Reveille
04:00
Stations
08:25
Takeoff
09:15
Form-Up
06:00
Time Over Target
11:15
Return Time
15:15
Distance
1,215 nmi
Fuel Aboard
2,500 gal
Fuel Consumed
2,100 gal
§ Weather
Cloud En-Route to Target
Thin stratus layer (2/10) beneath a complete (10/10) stratocumulus overcast — heavy cloud cover throughout.
Air Temp at Altitude
-20 °F
Lowest Temp
-20 °F
Wind Speed
71 kt
Wind Direction
230°
§ Bombing & Defense
Bombing Altitude
22,500 ft
Bombing Run Heading
172° True
Forming Altitude
13,000 ft
Fighter Cover
3 P-51 groups
Bombing Accuracy
Could not see — 10/10 cloud cover
Flak Description

Flak from gun positions on the bomb run; otherwise meager

§ Sorties · 2 Aircraft Dispatched

Each ship that lifted off, and the men aboard her.

1 ship carrying your selection
B-24J · 42-100355 · AG · 330th SQDN
Bombed Primary

The ninth mission took the crew south to the marshalling yards at Kaiserslautern. The formation assembled over London and crossed the coast at Boulogne, tracking through Lens, Douai, and Valenciennes to the target. The return ran out through Luxembourg, Trier, Mons, and Ostende. Flak was meager but accurate on the bomb run. Cloud cover was complete and Hughes again handled the bomb drop without a bombardier. Whether the bombs found the yards was impossible to say. The aircraft came back clean, and all crew were safe. Elsewhere in the formation, three men had bailed out.

Sources

Mighty Eighth War Diary
Published
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981