28 DECEMBER 1944 · THURSDAY · STATION 104Bombed Primary
Mission 766.Homburg.
Homburg, Germany
Intended Target
Homburg
Homburg, Germany
Operating Group
93rd BG
2BD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Landing Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
28 / 361
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
103.2
tons
The cost.
§ Outcome
0
Ships Aborting
0
Ships Lost
0
Men Bailed Out
0
Men Lost
The route.
§ Takeoff to Target
Bearing Out
127° T
Bearing In
312° T
Route Length
1,225 nmi
Time Aloft
5 h 30 m
Operational data.
§ From the Debrief
Times & Distance
Reveille
05:45
Stations
08:45
Takeoff
10:35
Return Time
16:05
Distance
1,225 nmi
Fuel Aboard
2,500 gal
Fuel Consumed
2,250 gal
Weather
Cloud En-Route to Target
Complete overcast (10/10) — total cloud cover; instrument flight conditions throughout.
Air Temp at Altitude
-29 °F
Lowest Temp
-33 °F
Wind Speed
39 kt
Wind Direction
15°
Bombing & Defense
Bombing Altitude
21,900 ft
Bombing Run Heading
145° True
Forming Altitude
11,500 ft
Fighter Cover
3 P-51 groups
Bombing Accuracy
Very good
Flak
Meager but accurate
The formation.
2 aircraft · tap a ship for its crew
P1Lt Walter F. Hughes
CPLt Douglas A. Schetter
N2Lt Louis H. Windsor
B2Lt Ralph Hendershot
E-TTSgt Conway Thorstenson
ROT/Sgt Norbert L. Ecclesfield
WGSgt Michael J. Kusnir
TGSgt Boyd L. Justice
NGSgt Robert T. Lee
GSgt Carroll F. Ruby
On December 28th the crew returned to Kaiserslautern, hitting the marshalling yards as part of the continuing effort to cut German transportation lines supporting the now-stalling Bulge offensive. Defenses were lighter than previous visits. The bombing results were assessed as very good. Five flak holes in the aircraft, all crew safe.
Sources.
§ Provenance
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981
Published