Mission Date: February 19, 1945
OSNABRUCK, MY; MUNSTER, TOWN( S.T.)
100th BG Mission #: 261
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY...FEBRUARY 19,1945
At 0730 hours, thirty-eight crews were briefed on the day’s targets. The Primary visual target would be the marshalling yards in Osnabruck with the Secondary as the locomotive shed and turntable at Osnabruck.
The 13th Wing would lead the 3rd Division’s column of B-17s that day. The Wing’s formation would be lead by the 95th, with the 100th flying as its ‘B’ group, second in the Division and the 390th as its ‘C.’ The 100th’s formation would be lead by Major Martin and Captain Jones while the ‘C’ would be lead by Stivers and Dawson. It is unknown at this point who would lead the 'B' squadron.
After readying their ships, all crews departed the base at 1009-1038 hours, each loaded with two thousand five hundred gallons of fuel and once again in a 10/10 overcast. However, after breaking into the clear after departure, the formation encountered 10/10 cloud coverage once again over the entire North Sea. Weather ripe for hiding German fighters but fortunately the P-51 fighters met the Wing formation on-time at the enemy coast.
Prior to the turning on the IP, the High and Low squadrons reported weak beacons, prohibiting accurate bombing via "cat and mouse." The Lead squadron had already “committed to the run,” so the High followed the Lead in, dropping on their smoke bombs. However, due to the cloud coverage and equipment problems, Munster had been mistakenly identified as Osnabruck with both squadrons dropping on Munster.
Flak over Munster was reported as “moderate, accurate and tracking” and the ships were taking hits through the bomb run. Just before their bombs were away the Command ship was hit by flak. Lead Navigator Art Juhlin tells us, “…our mickey operator was hit by flak. Pieces of flak were popping all thru the ship and we were expecting to blow up any minute. A hit in the waist sprayed flak splinters in the eyes of our waist gunner. Due to our interphone being knocked out those of us in the front of the ship were in the dark as to what was happening back there…”
Turning off the run, the Lead’s Mikey Operator, Storm Rhodes, who had been injured in the leg on the bomb run, managed to crawl up to the nose and assist in getting a fix. It wasn’t until this time that their Bombardier noticed something wrong with him and administered first aid. Their Waist Gunner, Sam Foushee was hit in the eye with glass, breaking from the flak.
The Low squadron’s H2X system started to work and they went on to attack Osnabruck where the flak was barrage was inaccurate.
Aborting the formation over the North Sea, the Lead ship’s #2 wing man, LT Mashyna, also aborted due to an injury to his Ball Turret Gunner, Roberly Howe who was hit by flak through his leg, who was reportedly happy that he had been hit, yelling "I'm going home, I'm going home!"
All of the aircraft returned to Thorpe Abbotts safely, although with wounded aboard. Thirteen ships returned from the mission with battle damage with four of those ships requiring sub-depot repair.
That night, the light was red indicating a mission for the next day. SGT Donald Becker on the Painter Crew left us poignant words of his feelings the night before flying his #1 combat mission. “The light was red tonight and our crew no. was up on the call board so we were finally at the big moment - all our crew training was to come into use tomorrow. The gang was all nervous & quiet and thoughtful - it was hard to imagine what thoughts were passing thru they’re minds. It’s another one of those unexplainable feelings - of a little fear and regret for all the uncompleted things to do letters to write. It’s hard to imagine the feeling of knowing in a few hours you’ll be in danger of your life. That you’ll indirectly killing thousands of people & they’ll be shooting to kill you…and knowing that you might not come back - never to see home again to hear the voice of the one you love - see them or all that’s near & dear to you. I went to bed with thousands of thoughts & memories on my mind & had a few hours of troubled uneasy sleep.”
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: FAIR
Aircraft Lost: 0
Crew Lost: 0
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
Photos
100th over Munster Feb 1945
100th BG aircraft over Munster. (Photo courtesy of Ernie Havecker and his family: Eileen Rosenthal and Jodi Womack.)
