Mission Date: February 20, 1945
NURNBURG, CITY
100th BG Mission #: 262
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY...FEBRUARY 20,1945
At the morning briefing, the crews learned that they would be flying to Nuremburg with a Primary visual target of its large marshalling yards and a Secondary target via H2X of Nuremburg’s main railway station in the center of town. Briefed for one hundred forty-five guns over the target, the boys were told to expect heavy flak.
Flying last in the 3rd Division’s line, the 100th would fly as its Wing’s ‘B’ group, with the 95th leading and the 390th flying as its ’C’ group. Leading the 100th’s formation would be Captain Robinson and Lt. John Williams with Albrecht and Dawson leading the High squadron.
Thirty-eight crews made a normal take-off and assembled over Buncher 28 however due to interference from the 385th Group cutting in front of the Hundredth on a collision course, the wing assembly did not occur until mid channel. Again, the boys encountered weather different from what they had been briefed for as cloud coverage and dense contrails were experienced from mid channel to the Rhine and once again from the Initial Point of the bomb run to the target.
Experiencing flak over the enemy lines on the way in, the High squadron’s lead ship flown by Albrecht and Dawson was hit by flak causing a fire in one of their engines. A dive by the pilots in an attempt to extinguish the flames was unsuccessful and the ‘Bail Out’ order came. Trying to jump from the bomber, Radio Operator Chancy Finfrock was pushed back in by the slipstream, forcing him to jump a second time. Landing in woods and subsequently hiding, he viewed as other crew members were held at gunpoint by the civilians. Fortunately, the men were from the French Underground and all was well. All crew members survived the bail out and would return to fly again with the 100th, except for their copilot, John Lechleiter, who had been injured in the bail out.
Over Nuremburg, the boys encountered two flak concentrations with the first barrage covering from 1000 feet above to 2000 feet below the formation’s altitude. Attacking in group formation, the bomb run was made by H2X on the Secondary target with the High and Low dropping off the Lead squadron’s smoke bombs.
After the Rally Point, the 100th’s formation let down over the Continent but again experienced difficulties due to cloud coverage that went as low as four hundred feet, prohibiting the Group from staying in any type of formation. It was reported that most of the ships returned back to base alone, crossing the Continental Coast at five hundred feet at 1643 and the English Coast at 1722 over Aldeburgh.
Eight ships would return that day with flak battle damage. Another three ships had already returned earlier, aborting the mission were LTs Fillingame, Hansen and Baker. Two ships were reported to have landed elsewhere, flown by LT Blandfield who landed in Brussels and LT Pratt, who crash landed in Belgium. And still “outstanding” was the ship flown by Captain Albrecht and LT Dawson. Three days after the mission, the War Department sent a letter to Finfrock’s parents, stating that he was missing In action. “The flier, who with the help of the French underground workers, managed to get back to American control after five days, sent a telegram to his family immediately. His message to “disregard all messages from the War department.” Preceded the official announcement.”
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: GOOD
Aircraft Lost: 0
Crew Lost: 0
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
