February
1945
The brutal winter
was interrupted by a February 1st thaw. Solid cloud cover remained,
however, and instrument take-offs and landings were the norm. Personnel
were assigned to pick up planes which had landed on the continent due
to battle damage. The long-time Red Cross girl, Erna Sittler, married
2/Lt Torney of the 707th at the church in Flixton. A nationally syndicated
American columnist visited the base and wrote an article which was read
all over the country. The 446th kept the "B" Pennant awarded
earlier as the bomb group with the best results. A few dozen enlisted
men were reassigned to infantry duty.
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February
3: Magdeburg
The "Siege of Magdeburg" began with this attack by 39 planes.
Magdeburg was a massive oil refinery 75 miles west of Berlin. The lead
navigator's plane received a flak hit which knocked out an engine, but
they were still able to get the group over the target. Flak severely
damaged "Lil Snooks" (42-94936), and it's crew bailed out.
9 landed in Allied occupied territory and 1 was taken prisoner. Photos
February
6: Magdeburg
39 planes again attacked Magdeburg, but hit the marshalling yards this
time. Results were unobserved.
February
9: Magdeburg
28 planes again hit the marshalling yards with unobserved results.
February
14: Magdeburg
31 planes made a return trip, hitting the marshalling yards with unobserved
results.
February
15: Magdeburg
31 planes hit the oil plant through heavy clouds.
February
16: Osnabruck
The marshalling yards were hit with good results. The group put up it's
first screening force on this mission.
February
19: Siegen
39 planes hit the marshalling yards with unobserved results.
February
21: Nurnberg
The marshalling yards were attacked with unobserved results by 36 planes.
My father's plane landed at the long airstrip in Woodbridge when flak
knocked out the hydraulics. Photo
February
22: Northheim
The roundhouse was blown to bits and the marshalling yard and railroad
tracks were hit with excellent results. The 446th flew as part of a
massive 6,000 plane force and bombed from just 8,000 feet. Photos
February
23: Osnabruck
The city was bombed after the primary target, the Gera marshalling yards,
was bypassed due to poor weather.
February
24: Hannover/Misburg
Both targets were hit through cloud cover with unobserved results.
February
25: Afscaffensburg
The tank assembly plant was hit with good results. Photo
February
26: Berlin
The group led a large force as 3,000 tons were dropped on the German
capital with unobserved results.
February
27: Halle
Intense flak met the planes as they bombed the marshalling yards, but
all returned.
February
28: Meschede
31 planes attacked a foundry with unobserved results.
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