24 DECEMBER 1944 · SUNDAY · STATION 104Bombed Primary
Mission 760.Ruwer.
Ruwer, Germany
Intended Target
Ruwer
Ruwer, Germany
Actual Target
Target of Opportunity
As bombed
Operating Group
93rd BG
2BD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Landing Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
27 / 634
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
71.3
tons
The cost.
§ Outcome
0
Ships Aborting
0
Ships Lost
0
Men Bailed Out
0
Men Lost
The route.
§ Takeoff to Target
Bearing Out
126° T
Bearing In
311° T
Route Length
1,045 nmi
Time Aloft
6 h 25 m
Operational data.
§ From the Debrief
Times & Distance
Reveille
06:45
Stations
10:05
Takeoff
10:30
Form-Up
06:30
Time Over Target
11:00
Return Time
16:55
Distance
1,045 nmi
Fuel Aboard
2,500 gal
Fuel Consumed
2,000 gal
Weather
Cloud En-Route to Target
Clear skies with unlimited visibility from departure to target — exceptional conditions.
Air Temp at Altitude
-26 °F
Lowest Temp
-35 °F
Wind Speed
55 kt
Wind Direction
70°
Bombing & Defense
Bombing Altitude
22,000 ft
Bombing Run Heading
124° True
Forming Altitude
12,000 ft
Fighter Cover
2 P-51, 2 P-47 sweep
Bombing Accuracy
Good results
Flak
Four-gun batteries scattered throughout the operational area
The formation.
31 aircraft · tap a ship for its crew
P2Lt Raymond A. Thon
CP2Lt Robert Ranker
NF/O Andrew F. Lavender
B2Lt [unclear] Paulson
E-TTT/Sgt Edward Parker
ROT/Sgt Wilfield L. Polissier
WGS/Sgt Thomas J. Callahan
WGS/Sgt Wayne Stone
TGS/Sgt Roger A. Ryan
Sources.
§ Provenance
2nd Air Division · 2nd Air Division Digital Archive · 1944
Official record
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981
Published