23 MARCH 1945 · FRIDAY · STATION 104Bombed Primary
Mission 908.Rheine Bridge.
Rheine, Germany
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
The cost.
§ Outcome
0
Ships Aborting
1
Ships Lost
0
Men Bailed Out
4
Men Lost
The route.
§ Takeoff to Target
Bearing Out
90° T
Bearing In
275° T
Route Length
927 nmi
Time Aloft
6 h 00 m
Operational data.
§ From the Debrief
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
Heavy and concentrated at the target
The formation.
2 aircraft · tap a ship for its crew
PCapt Edward L. McGuire
CP2Lt Victor H. Hanf
E-TTT/Sgt Cornelius J. Leach
ROS/Sgt Donald M. South
WGS/Sgt William H. Gardner
WGS/Sgt Edward S. Powell
TGS/Sgt Barney C. Eller
NGS/Sgt Theodore F. Szajna
Munster. Flown in Wee Willie. Part of McGuire's March 21-24 sequence.
Sources.
§ Provenance
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981
Published