09 MARCH 1945 · FRIDAY · STATION 104Bombed Primary
Mission 875.Münster M/Y.
Münster, Germany
Intended Target
Münster M/Y
Münster, Germany
Operating Group
93rd BG
2AD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Landing Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
97 / 282
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
234.8
tons
The cost.
§ Outcome
2
Ships Aborting
0
Ships Lost
0
Men Bailed Out
0
Men Lost
The route.
§ Takeoff to Target
Bearing Out
95° T
Bearing In
280° T
Route Length
800 nmi
Time Aloft
5 h 15 m
Operational data.
§ From the Debrief
Times & Distance
Reveille
02:00
Stations
05:45
Takeoff
06:30
Form-Up
05:15
Time Over Target
08:00
Return Time
11:45
Distance
800 nmi
Fuel Aboard
2,500 gal
Fuel Consumed
1,250 gal
Weather
Cloud En-Route to Target
Mostly cloudy: stratus covering 7/10 of the sky — significant cloud cover but not total.
Air Temp at Altitude
-24 °F
Lowest Temp
-24 °F
Wind Speed
73 kt
Wind Direction
335°
Bombing & Defense
Bombing Altitude
22,000 ft
Bombing Run Heading
156° True
Forming Altitude
15,000 ft
Fighter Cover
4 P-51 groups
Bombing Accuracy
Very good — GH system bombing
Flak
Meager at target only
The formation.
1 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
A short mission to the marshalling yards at Rheine, just over the German lines in support of ground troops. Flak was meager and confined to the target area. Two German transport aircraft were spotted. No battle damage, no fighters. Bombing results were assessed as very good. All crew safe.
Sources.
§ Provenance
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981
Published