Official 398th Mission Narratives
24 August 1944
Airfield Kolleda, Germany
HEADQUARTERS 398TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (K-B-1)
Office of the Operations Officer
APO 557 U.S. Army
24 August 1944.
SUBJECT: Operations Officer's Report on Mission of 24 August 1944
TO:
Commanding General, First Bombardment Division, APO 557.
Commanding General, 1st Combat Wing, APO 557.
1. SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS:
A. Data:
| (1) Date of Mission: |
24 August 1944. |
| (2) Target Assigned: |
A/F Kolleda, Germany. |
| (3) Target Attacked: |
A/F Kolleda, Germany.
A/F Coslar, Germany. |
| (4) Units Paticipating: |
37 A/C of this Group including
2 PFF formed the 1st "B" CBW. |
| (5) Returned Early: |
None. |
| (6) Lost: |
None. |
| (7) Returned Early |
42-107203, 42-107183. |
2. NARRATIVE:
Lead Group, 1st "B" CBW [601st]
The 1st "B" CBW formation composed of the 398th Group, consisted of three, twelve ship groups and one spare aircraft. The Wing was briefed to bomb the primary target of an airfield at Kolleda, Germany with incendiary bombs following the 1st "A" CBW dropping demolition bombs. The Lead and High Groups bombed the primary, the Low Group bombed the secondary.
Take-off was at 0640 as briefed, with assembly over Debden at 5,000 ft, or as briefed 6,000 ft and three "Devils." Briefed altitude was reached at Division Line and followed thereafter. The bombing was 25,000 ft, clear, and visual.
No flak was encountered which was not skirted, none being over the target.
No enemy fighters were encountered.
Friendly fighter support was excellent.
Weather was better than forecast over Europe, being clear, and bombing results were good.
High Group, 1st "B" CBW [602nd]
Take-off and assembly were normal with the exception of a change of three (3) devils in assembly altitude. This group left Debden on time with 12 A/C and one spare. Route to target was as briefed. One A/C aborted (engine out - mechanical failure) some fifty (50) miles within the enemy coast. Spare aircraft from this group filled in a vacancy in the lead group.
Bomb run was made on primary at 26,500 feet, results were good. No flak was encountered on the bomb run. To the best of my knowledge, no flak damage occured in this group.
Proceeded to home station as briefed.
No enemy aircraft encountered.
Weather was as briefed.
Low Group, 1st "B" CBW [603rd]
Take-off was normal as was assembly except that assembly altitude was changed three (3) devils. We left Debden on time with twelve (12) aircraft. The route to the target was as briefed. The bomb run was made at 24,500 feet on PDI. Bombs failed to release at the primary due to a rack dysfunction. This group continued on to the secondary target and made another PDI run and got bombs away. Results as observed by gunners were good.
Flak was meager and accurate near Leipzig. It was avoided on rest of mission. There was little flak damage to this group.
After bombs away this group could not get back into 1st "B" CBW, so fell in with two other groups and returned with them in wing formation.
No enemy aircraft were sighted.
Weather was as briefed.
Returned Early
42-107183 returned to home filed early due to excessive engine temperature and engine was losing oil. Aircraft attacked a target of opportunity in Germany. Sortie.
42-107203 returned to home field early due to excessive oil leak. Aircraft attacked a target of opportunity in Germany. Sortie.
JEAN B. MILLER
Major, Air Corps
Operations Officer
398th History CD File: B0483a.pdf
PDF Page: 5,6
Numbered Page: 0005, 0006
Transcribed by: Ann Collins, Oct. 2003
HEADQUARTERS 398TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H), AAF
Office of the Group Bombardier
APO 557
24 August, 1944.
SUBJECT: Lead Bombardier’s Narrative, Mission 24 August, 1944, Lead Group (601st Squadron)
TO: Commanding Officer, 398th Bombardment Group (H), AAF, APO 557, Station 131.
1. Target - Airfield at Kolleda, Germany the primary target was bombed as briefed. Length of bomb run was 40 seconds on a magnetic heading of 315 degrees; IAS was 150 mph; indicated altitude 25,000 ft; bombs dropped on Group Leader at 1214.
2. Main Bombfall: 12 A/C in the 398th Lead Group dropped 120 x 500 lb M17 Incendiary bombs. One (1) of the A/C bombed with the 381st Gp. One (1) of the A/C dropped their bombs at 53 degrees 08’ W 10 degrees 10’ E due to engine trouble and was unable to keep up with Group. Fuse settings: M127 nose, no tail.
3. David L. Levy. Capt., was the lead bombardier for the Lead Group. The only difficulty encountered on the bombing run was due to the preceding wing. Their High and Low Groups were continually _______ back and forth across the path of the following group. There was no flak or enemy fighters. There was no malfunction of equipment. The C-1 Pilot was used for bombing and operated accurately with no malfunction. There were no difficulties in identifying the AP. The turn at the IP was moderate. The primary target was bombed as briefed.
TABULAR SUMMARY
|
-
|
A/C on Target
|
Bombing
|
Number of Bombs
|
| Main Bombfall |
10
|
10
|
100 x 500lb M17
IB M127 nose,
no tail
|
| Other Attacks |
2
|
2
|
20 x 500 lb M17
IB M127 nose,
no tail |
| Total on Target |
12
|
12
|
120 x 500 lb M17 IB M127
nose, no tail |
| Bombs Returned |
-
|
-
|
0 |
| Others Expended |
-
|
-
|
0 |
| Total (Loaded on A/C at T.O.) |
-
|
-
|
120 x 500 lb M17 IB M127 nose, no tail |
Carl J. Strickrott,
Capt., Air Corps,
Group Bombardier.
398th History CD File: B0483a.pdf
PDF Page: 36
Numbered Page: 0036
Transcribed by: Ann Collins, Oct. 2003
HEADQUARTERS 398TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H), AAF
Office of the Group Bombardier
APO 557
24 August, 1944.
SUBJECT: Lead Bombardier’s Narrative, Mission 24 August, 1944, High Group (Squadron 602nd)
TO: Commanding Officer, 398th Bombardment Group (H), AAF, APO 557, Station 131.
1. Target - Airfield at Kolleda, Germany the primary target was bombed as briefed. Length of bomb run was 2 minutes on a magnetic heading of 281 degrees; IAS was 150 mph; indicated altitude 26,500 ft, bombs dropped on Group Leader at 1214.
2. Main Bombfall: 13 A/C in the 398th High Group dropped 130 x 500 lb M17 Incendiary bombs. One (1) of the A/C bombed at 52 degrees 40’ N 11 degrees 13’ E due to engine trouble and unable to keep up with the group. Fuse setting: M127 nose, no tail.
3. Henry L. Mackie, Capt., was the Lead bombardier for the High Group. No flak or fighters encountered. C-1 Pilot was used and operated correctly. AP was identified 2 minutes before bombs away. Only handicap encountered was poor performance of the interphone. Turn at IP was moderate.
TABULAR SUMMARY
|
-
|
A/C on Target
|
Bombing
|
Number of Bombs
|
| Main Bombfall |
12
|
12
|
120 x 500 lb M17 IB M127 nose, no tail |
| Other Attacks |
1
|
1
|
10 x 500 lb M17 IB M127 nose, no tail |
| Total on Target |
13
|
13
|
130 x 500 lb M17 IB M127 nose, no tail |
| Bombs Returned |
0
|
0
|
0 |
| Others Expended |
0
|
0
|
0 |
| Total (Loaded on A/C at T.O.) |
-
|
-
|
130 x 500 lb M17 IB M127 nose, no tail |
Carl J. Strickrott,
Capt., Air Corps,
Group Bombardier.
398th History CD File: B0483a.pdf
PDF Page: 39
Numbered Page: 0039
Transcribed by: Ann Collins, Oct. 2003
HEADQUARTERS 398TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H), AAF
Office of the Group Bombardier
APO 557
24 August, 1944.
SUBJECT: Lead Bombardier’s Narrative, Mission 24 August, 1944, Low Group (603rd Squadron)
TO: Commanding Officer, 398th Bombardment Group (H), AAF, APO 557, Station 131.
1. Target - Airfield at Kolleda, Germany the primary target was not bombed as briefed due to rack malfunction. Secondary target was bombed instead. Length of bomb run was 2 minutes on a magnetic heading of 360 degrees; IAS was 150 mph; indicated altitude was 24,500 ft; bombs dropped on Group Leader at 1231.
2. Main Bombfall: 12 A/C in the 398th Low Group dropped 120 x 500 lb M17 Incendiary bombs. Fuse settings: M127 nose, no tail.
3. Carlton C. Moore, Capt., was the lead bombardier for the Low Group. No flak or fighters encountered on bombing run. C-1 pilot did not operate correctly and run was mad manually. The primary target was not bombed as briefed due to rack malfunction. Coslar, Germany the secondary target was bombed instead. Turn at IP was moderate.
TABULAR SUMMARY
|
-
|
A/C on Target
|
Bombing
|
Number of Bombs
|
| Main Bombfall |
12
|
12
|
120 x 500 lb M17 IB M127 nose, no tail
|
| Other Attacks |
0
|
0
|
0 |
| Total on Target |
12
|
12
|
120 x 500 lb M17 IB M127 nose, no tail |
| Bombs Returned |
0
|
0
|
0 |
| Others Expended |
0
|
0
|
0 |
| Total (Loaded on A/C at T.O.) |
-
|
-
|
120 x 500 lb M17 IB M127 nose, no tail |
Carl J. Strickrott,
Capt., Air Corps,
Group Bombardier.
398th History CD File: B0483a.pdf
PDF Page: 42
Numbered Page: 0042
Transcribed by: Ann Collins, Oct. 2003
Notes:
- The above document was transcribed from the Statistical History of the 398th Bomb Group which are available in the 398th PX. The transcription is as accurate as possible. It should be recognized that the some documents in the files are faded and sometimes difficult to read.
- This transcription is a reproduction of the original. Spelling and punctuation changes have been made to improve readability. In some circumstances, material may not have been transcribed or was rewritten.
- Clarification of acronyms or special words or guesses of certain words and added words are shown in brackets [ ].
- It should be recognized that the format and layout of the material may be different than the original. This is primarily due to the format constraints of web pages.
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