Mission Date: February 21, 1945
NURNBURG, MY (S.T.)
100th BG Mission #: 263
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY...FEBRUARY 21,1945
On the 21st, the crews flying that day would be going back to Nuremburg, and were briefed for the same targets as the day before - Primary (visual) of marshalling yards and Secondary (visual or H2X) of the main passenger station and goods yard. Their Tertiary target had been designated as Ulm.
The 13th Wing, flying between the 4th and 93rd Wings, would only contain two groups; the 100th flying as its Lead and the 95th, flying as its ‘B’ group. Colonel Wallace would fly Command with Captain Brown, while Ferbrache and Blanding would Lead the 100th’s High squadron and Craft and Hutchinson the Low.
Thirty-eight ships took off that day from Thorpe Abbotts between 0710 and 0740 hours with a normal assembly, crossing the Continental Coast at 0912 hours. Tail Gunner, Donald A. Becker was on his #2 mission with the Bernard Painter Crew. He recorded, “Today found us tired & relieved after going number one & we went out to the ship knowing a little of what to expect - we took off & Formed - Again I saw more beautiful, tremendous sized formations of airplanes imaginable - We crossed the channel - sighted France & started in - As we crossed the lines we encountered no flak so the tenseness of anticipation passed unnoticed. After hours of cold we were on the bomb run again & the flak was terrific - all over the sky & right on us too - we were hit again & everyone just about died of heart failure - again the violent tactics & we were on our way home - jubilant…”
All three squadrons made individual approaches using the H2X method on the Secondary target with bombs away between 1124-1126 hours from altitudes of 24,000, through the moderate and accurate flak.
On the route out, more flak was encountered. Laurence Lazarri remembered that there were no fighters but a lot of accurate flak. “4 puffs damn near got us, but I took a steep turn to the right and got out of it.” Donald Becker continued his journal entry, “crossing the lines only four bursts were fired - they all seemed to explode right under me & I died again - That’s all just 4 bursts & all on our ship - when you can hear them they’re on you! Again more long cold tiresome hours & we hit that wonderful England again - we were home!!!”
After being in the air for seven hours and forty minutes, with three of those hours on their oxygen masks, the boys returned to base and most considered it a “milk run.” The maintenance crews however, had some work ahead of them as thirteen ships returned with battle damage from the flak.
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: FAIR
Aircraft Lost: 0
Crew Lost: 0
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
Photos
Nurnburg
Nurnburg mission photo (from the collection of Anthony Pecyk)
