HEADQUARTERS
4 August 1944
SUBJECT: Report of Operations Officer - Mission of 4 August 1944 - Hamburg, Germany TO: Commanding Officer, 486th Bombardment Group (H). 486A Group 1. General Narrative: The 486th Group scheduled two (2) groups of twenty (20) a/c each to fly as 92B Wing for the day's operations. "B" Wing was to fly at a three (3) minute interval behind the lead (487th) 92A Wing. Take-off for "A" Group was at 0900 - 0916 with all twenty (2) a/c taking off at formation order after a thirty (30) minute delay in take-off time. All aircraft climbed through the overcast (tops - 600 ft.) and started forming on the lead aircraft immediately upon reaching upon reaching assembly altitude of 5,000 ft. The lead aircraft had reached this altitude over Buncher #22 (where assembly was carried out) at 0919 hours. Group (A) assembly was excellent, being completed in a minimum of time at 0940 hours; whereupon climb to wing assembly altitude of 12,000 ft. was begun immediately. Wing assembly altitude was reached at 1014 hours, and Buncher #22 then being inoperative (B-22 aw the IP of the wing assembly line), the air leader devised a new assembly plan and departed Buncher #12 at 1028 hours to make a horseshoe assembly; returning to Buncher #22, which had suddenly become operative, at 1047 1/2 hours, 2 1/2 minutes early. Since the 487th Group (92A Wing) was to proceed [sic] our wing, a series of "S" turns was begun because they were late, behind and to the left. The formation flew abeam Splasher #9 (?), turned right, and left the English Coast at Lowestoft at 1112 hours, one (1) minute late. The lead wing had pulled ahead (ours dropping back) on route out and had gotten into proper position as 92nd Combat Wing lead, and the English coast was departed with the formation (92 A & B wings) in proper position in the task force formation behind the 4th Combat Wing: 92 B Wing approximately two (2) minutes behind A wing. Climb to bombing altitude of 25,000 ft. began as the English coast was departed, and the briefed course across the North Sea to the enemy coast followed. The climb to altitude and flight across the water were uneventful, and the enemy coastline was crossed at 1251 hours, seven (7) minutes late, on course. Fighter escort had picked up our formation at 1245 hours and provided good coverage, escorting the formation in to the target area and all the way back to England. After crossing the enemy coast, the formation preceded inland along planned route to the pre-IP. After overshooting the pre-IP slightly, the leader corrected and passed directly over the assigned IP at 1329 hours, and flew exact IP - target course as briefed. The 487th Groups (A Wing) seemed to be over the target area. Our lead and high groups of "B" wing went in behind the 4th Combat Wing. Because of a 6/10 cloud coverage in the target area the clouds directly over the assigned target, a target of opportunity (highway and railway bridge along side of dry docks) was chosen and a short bomb run begun. Bombs were away at 1337 hours on the chosen MPI in the face of intense flak. Results -1- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- were unobserved. After the bombing, a left turn was made to the rally point and descent to 24,000 feet carried out as planned. Rally was affected between the two (2) groups of 92 B Wing, then the high group left the lead group and went on to bomb the secondary target at Einswarden; they having not bombed the assigned target at Hamburg because of weather conditions. At any rate, the groups split at the RP, and the lead group continuing along briefed route to the enemy coastline, crossing it at 1443 hours at an altitude of 22,000 ft. As for flak: Light, accurate flak was encountered at 5340N - 0899E [sic] - no damage. However, uncharted flak was encountered NE of Bremen which did cause considerable damage, and the loss of an aircraft. Just after passing over the IP, intense accurate flak was again encountered and kept up on into the target area. In addition to the one (1) aircraft mentioned above as lost, there were two others lost. This will, however, be brought out in the "Lost Aircraft" paragraph below. After leaving the enemy coast, the group (the high group in trail now after bombing secondary) continued on a straight course to the turning point north of Heligoland and proceeded to the English coast flying just right, and parallel to, the briefed course. The English coast was crossed at 1529 hours by the lead aircraft, alone then because it had been forced to leave the formation because of mechanical difficulties. The deputy lead had taken over, however, at 1439 hours and continued along on the same course as the leader. Visual contact was maintained and timings were approximately the same. The formation, however, crossed the English coast at briefed return entry point (Lowestaft [sic]) at 1525 hours, four minutes ahead of the straggling leader. The group continued to home base and landed at 1547 - 1637 hours. 2. Aircraft Not Attacking: There were twenty (20) a/c dispatched with 486A Group. There were no abortions, but three (3) a/c were lost before reaching the target. The remaining seventeen (17) a/c went over the chosen target with sixteen (16) attacking. A/C 992 could not open the bomb bay doors while on the target run and, after cranking open, dropped the bomb load in the city of Hamburg. There were ten (10) bombs that did not release on a/c #137, and these bombs were jettisoned at Bremerwarde. 3. Lost Aircraft: There were three (3) aircraft lost out of "A" group during today's mission. A/C $929 (flying #2 position, hi squadron, "A" Group) was lost to flak at 5309N - 0912E at 1304 hours. This was the position previously mentioned in the general narrative as being the uncharted flak NE of Bremen. The aircraft was seen to leave the formation, after being hit, and was turning over the spinning [sic] while descending. One (some report two) parachute was seen. A/C #'s 145 and 909 were lost in the vicinity of 5308N - 0910E at 1308 hours. A/C #909 (flying diamond position, low squadron "A" Group) was apparently hit by flak and suddenly nosed upward, colliding with #145. 909's wing tip was broken off, and he was observed to turn over on his back and split S on down, disappearing into the clouds at 15,000 ft. No further observation and no chutes. A/C #145 (flying #3 position, low sq., low element, "A" group) fell out of formation after being hit and after falling, apparently out of control, for 2000 ft., seemed to come under control and head back toward the coast. One (1) to three (3) chutes were observed. -2- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 486B Group 1. General Narrative: 486 B Group scheduled twenty (20) a/c, as did "A" group, to fly as the high group in our 92B wing formation. Take-off for all twenty (20) a/c was at 0917 - 0932 hours, and after completing assembly at 6,000 ft. at 1015 hours started climb to wing assembly altitude. During the climb, "B" group got in trail of lead "A" group, closing up into wing formation and climbing to altitude with them. 486B Group flew all the way in to the target (primary) as the high group, therefore, for a general narrative, refer to the above report of 486A Group. This group did not, however, attack the primary target at Hamburg for the same reason that "A" did not. Instead of choosing a target of opportunity around Hamburg, they proceeded with "A" group, joining them at the rally and immediately turned toward the secondary (Einswarden) target IP. Because of cloud conditions, it was impossible to use the briefed IP so Kohlen was chosen as an alternative. After a short run, bombs were away for them at 1353 hours, the bombing being unobserved because clouds drifted across the target coast at 1357 hours, and proceeded along briefed route back to England. They crossed the English coast at 1523 1/2 hours, arriving over the field at 1543 - 1612 hours. In addition to the flak as described in the general narrative of 486A Group, "B" group encountered a/c over the target (primary) area. Some damage was inflicted, but no aircraft lost. 2. Aircraft not attacking: There were twenty (20) a/c dispatched with the 486B group. A/C #800 joined the wrong formation at assembly. He left that group in search of "B" group and joined up with four other groups without finding his own. By the time he finally contacted the leader, "B" group was at CP #1 at a higher altitude, and it would have been impossible to join up. He returned to the field. The remaining nineteen (19) a/c proceeded over the target, but only ten (10) attacked. Of the nine (9) that did not attack six (6) salvoed their bombs either short or over the target because of: 973 - 2 engines shot out, 040 - flak damage, 027 - oxygen difficulties, 949 - bomb bay doors would not open, 945 - attacked by e/a - injuries aboard, and 954 - flak damage. A/C #949 could not open the bomb bay doors and bombs were returned to base. Two (2) a/c (#'s 877 & 142) dropped their bombs in the vicinity of the primary target when a/c 954 (previously mentioned) salvoed because of flak damage. 3. Lost Aircraft: None
RICHARD B. UHLE
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Declassified 06/19/03 |
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