B-24H · 44-50600 · YM · 409th SQDN
Bombed Primary
Pos
Airman
Status
Munster. Flown in Wee Willie. Part of McGuire's March 21-24 sequence.
23 MARCH 1945 · FRIDAY · STATION 104
Mission 908
Rheine Bridge
Bombed Primary
Intended Target
Rheine Bridge
Rheine, Germany
Operating Group
93rd BG
2AD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Landing Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
79 / 319
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
216.3
tons
ROUTE PLATE · TAKEOFF → TARGET
TAKEOFF · HARDWICK✛TARGET · RHEINE BRIDGE
Bearing Out
90° T
Bearing In
275° T
Route Length
927 nmi
Time Aloft
6 h 00 m
§ Outcome
0
Ships Aborting
1
Ships Lost
0
Men Bailed Out
4
Men Lost
§ Times & Distance
- Reveille
- 02:00
- Stations
- 06:35
- Takeoff
- 07:10
- Form-Up
- 06:00
- Time Over Target
- 09:00
- Return Time
- 13:10
- Distance
- 927 nmi
- Fuel Aboard
- 2,700 gal
- Fuel Consumed
- 1,600 gal
§ Weather
- Cloud En-Route to Target
- Complete (10/10) stratus overcast — solid, unbroken low cloud horizon to horizon; instrument flight conditions.
- Air Temp at Altitude
- -20 °F
- Lowest Temp
- -20 °F
- Wind Speed
- 20 kt
- Wind Direction
- 60°
§ Bombing & Defense
- Bombing Altitude
- 22,000 ft
- Bombing Run Heading
- 289° True
- Forming Altitude
- 11,000 ft
- Fighter Cover
- 1 P-51 group
- Bombing Accuracy
- Perfect
Flak Description
Heavy and concentrated at the target
§ Sorties · 2 Aircraft Dispatched
Each ship that lifted off, and the men aboard her.
▸ 1 ship carrying your selectionUnknown · 44-50702 · AG · 330th SQDN
Bombed Primary
Pos
Airman
Status
The March 23rd mission went to Münster, one of the most heavily defended flak towns in Germany. The crew was flying deputy lead of the group. In the lead ship was Major Biggers, recently promoted and appointed commanding officer. On the bomb run the lead ship blew apart. The largest pieces the pilot could make out were an outboard wing panel burning as it fell, a wheel, and one engine. The pilot had carried a deep animosity toward Biggers since the difficult weeks following Pete Scott's death. Watching the lead ship go down, he made a decision. He would not allow himself to hate anyone again. The weight of it, he felt, was too much to carry. Their own aircraft came through without damage. Bombing results were recorded as perfect.
Sources
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Published
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981