24 MARCH 1945 · SATURDAY · STATION 104Bombed Primary
Mission 911.Nordhorn.
Nordhorn, Netherlands
Intended Target
Nordhorn
Nordhorn, Netherlands
Operating Group
93rd BG
2AD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Landing Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
58 / 480
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
121.7
tons
The cost.
§ Outcome
0
Ships Aborting
1
Ships Lost
0
Men Bailed Out
5
Men Lost
The route.
§ Takeoff to Target
Bearing Out
88° T
Bearing In
273° T
Route Length
850 nmi
Time Aloft
6 h 05 m
Operational data.
§ From the Debrief
Times & Distance
Reveille
04:30
Stations
07:35
Takeoff
09:10
Form-Up
06:05
Time Over Target
10:00
Return Time
15:15
Distance
850 nmi
Fuel Aboard
2,500 gal
Fuel Consumed
1,500 gal
Weather
Cloud En-Route to Target
Completely clear — the navigator recorded it as 'clear as hell.' The formation flew in full view of the Rhine crossing below.
Air Temp at Altitude
48 °F
Lowest Temp
48 °F
Wind Speed
12 kt
Wind Direction
166°
Bombing & Defense
Bombing Altitude
50 ft
Bombing Run Heading
48° True
Forming Altitude
3,000 ft
Fighter Cover
Area cover only
Bombing Accuracy
Supply drop in center area — three passes required
Flak
Small arms and 88mm fire from the ground; one piece of flak lodged in an engine
The formation.
30 aircraft · tap a ship for its crew
PLt Eugene J. Justen
CP2Lt Harry Shipon
NF/O Harold M. Perri
N2Lt Wight
BS/Sgt William [illegible]
E-TTSgt Joseph I. Nowak
ROLt Col Raymond O. Eck
WG2Lt William M. Richardson
WGSgt Carl L. Whitted
NGUnknown Harold W. Mcdonald
TGSgt Lawrence J. Zontini
Letter suffix of ship number illegible in source document.
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