Planes I Flew In

B 17: #292 “Baby Shoe II”

August 30, 1944

Our target today was a large plant at Bremen, Germany. We were hit on the bomb run and had to feather our #3 engine. I flew with Wegener again today and have complete confidence in him. Not being able to keep up with the formation, we had to drop out while still over Germany and had to make our way back home alone -- again. Only today, we didn't have our "Little Friends" to escort and protect us.

I did "pin point" pilotage navigation out of Germany and we finally got our "Buncher 22" on the radio after we crossed the coastline -- and followed it home. As they say, "It's rough in the E.T.O." There were no losses today. After we landed I discovered a couple of flak holes right over my head. Somebody upstairs is watching over us.

B 17: #910

September 1, 1944

Our target was to be the FW 190 plant at Mainz, Germany. Flew with Wegener again. Because of the bad weather over Germany we had to turn back. Our formation circled over Paris while they sent some P 51 's over the target area to see if it was clear enough to bomb. Between flying through thick clouds -- and "man-made" contrails -- we aborted, and had to bring our bombs back home.

#910 flew a total of 38 combat missions -- from August 1 to December 3, when it was recorded as, "crashed on takeoff". The pilot was, Raddatz. The plane was "totaled" but fortunately, no one was injured.

B 17: #856 “Lady ‘V’”

September 3, 1944

Our targets were the gun emplacements at Brest, France. We dropped "frag" clusters from 7,000 ft. It was a short mission -- right on the coast of France. Not much enemy opposition today -- for which we were thankful.

Wegener flew as first pilot and Bernie (copilot of my original crew), flew as his copilot. It was good flying with Bernie again. He flew as Wegener's copilot for two more missions.

"Lady 'V' " flew a total of 80 combat missions -- from August 01,1944 to April 10, 1945. It had quite a story: Made a forced landing on October 14 somewhere in Northeast France. Returned to Sudbury a month later, and transferred from the 833rd to the 834th. On April 10, 1945, she made another forced landing. This time at Venlo, the Netherlands. She was piloted by, Lt. Vanderhoef, who was earlier chastised for jettisoning a ball turret, which, it seems, were in short supply. Vanderhoef decided the next time he'd be better off just losing the ship, rather than lose another ball turret.

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