8th mission: Hamburg

Today marked the 96th's final raid against the submarine yards at this famous port. And the group hit it very well. Heligoland flak seriously wounded waist gunner S/S Malcolm Perry on the way to the target. His pilot, Lt Gardner Norcross, returned to England landing at Deopham Green where the wounded gunner was rushed to a hospital. Over the next few days the sergeant's ground crew participated in multiple blood transfusions--but to no avail. He died. There were no other incidents on this raid. -- Snetterton Falcons

Target today was oil storage at Hamburg Germany. Bomb load was forty-two 100 Ib. incendiaries. Bombing altitude was 25,000 ft. and flying time was 7 hours and 30 minutes. Flax was medium. We were intercepted by a Me-262 on bomb run but it didn't fire on anyone. It was flying in the opposite direction at about our altitude and seemed to jump over our formation and kept going. LT Veal's crew (our Buddy Crew) who trained with us at Alexandria and assigned to the832nd. Sqd. At the same time we were hit directly behind No. 4 engine and peeled off and went into a dive before exploding about 5,000 ft below us. We saw no parachutes. We flew aircraft No. 931. -- Lyman R Huffman, Jr, 832 BS, 486th BG

Lt. Bennett (504) 1 ME262 shot down, 1 ME262 damaged in air; Capt. Sargent (504) 1 ME262 shot down; Col. Henry (HQ) 1 ME262 probably shot down; Capt. Rich (505) 1 ME262 damaged in air; Lt. Ananian (505) 1 ME262 damaged in air. Lt. Wager was the 3rd 339th pilot shot down by ME262's... he bailed out, but his parachute failed to open properly. -- 339th FG

Led by Lt Col Hall, 37 aircraft took off this date with the target designated as a sub pen and sub building yards at Bremen. There was a layer of clouds which caused difficulty in assembling. Bombing, from 26,000 ft, was visual with excellent results. Temperature was minus 37 degrees at bombing altitude. Lt Bennett, 535th, lost two engines over the target and fighters were called to escort him out but he is Missing In Action. Several German jets made attacks from below but no damage was reported. Flak was moderate and accurate. And only moderate battle damage was reported, with minor scratches being the only injuries sustained. Several ships returned on two engines and landed successfully. One had elevators and hydraulics shot out and ground looped while traveling quite fast. -- 381st BG

The squadron lost Lt Robert A. Bennett and crew to heavy flak on the bomb run of a 6/10th covered Bremen today. He was last seen lagging after bombs-away, with two engines out, and there was no report by midnight...The formation approached the target down a cloud free "alley", had perfect visibility for the bomb run and did an excellent job, with tight patterns on the Deschimag submarine and shipbuilding yards. There were no enemy aircraft attacking our formation but the boys reported an ME 262, twin-jet fighter, destroyed by Mustangs after attacking a straggler in a group behind ours. Lt Joe D. Newell, Lt Brashear's ball turret gunner, suffered a slight leg wound from flak over the target. He was not hospitalized and is on status for tomorrow... -- 535th BS