Mission Date: February 23, 1945
TREUCHTLINGEN, RAIL JUNCTION
100th BG Mission #: 265
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY...FEBRUARY 23,1945
Another day of attacks under ‘Operation Clarion’. Thirty-eight crews were again in the briefing room where the Primary visual target was revealed as Treuchtlingen’s marshalling yards. No Secondary was identified and although they could bomb any “marshalling yard, railroad bridge, railroad or rolling stock,” the boys were told to 'make every effort to bomb the Primary.'
The 100th went from flying last in the Division line to its Lead as it would lead the 13th Wing and the 3rd Division, with the 390th flying as its ‘B’ group. The 95th would not fly. LT Colonel Price would fly the 100th’s command ship with Gerald Brown, the High would be lead by Robinson and Williams and the Low by Craft and Ellis.
Departing Thorpe Abotts between 0650-0720 hours, the pilots made an instrument take off through the high clouds and assembled at 15000 feet as a Group, climbing another 2000 feet to make the Wing Assembly. LT Calder, flying in the High squadron would abort before crossing the sortie line due to the oxygen system being out in the nose of his ship, returning his bombs to base and receiving no sortie credit. LT McLeod however, flying now as a first pilot, would cross into enemy lines, but also return early due to a non functioning oxygen system, receiving sortie credit.
When the 100th’s formation came within thirty miles of the target, clear conditions prevailed. On the bomb run, as the formation closed in on the target, the Lead Bombardier had picked up the wrong target, forcing a 360 degree turn in order to make a second run on the target. Treuchtlingen’s railroad yards were bombed with excellent results. The High and Low also dropped on Treuchtlingen but with mixed performance ratings and another 360 degree turn.
The Rally Point was made and the Group’s formation returned without encountering flak or fighters. A weather system at the English Coast however, forced the Group to fly back to mid channel while they looked for a break in the clouds through which to descend. Peeling off at the buncher, the ships were reported to have approached at five hundred feet requiring an instrument let down in the clouds and rain over the base.
It was a long mission - nine hours and thirty minutes and the boys were on their oxygen systems for four of those hours. The mission light was on that evening indicating a mission on for the next day.
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: VERY GOOD
Aircraft Lost: 0
Crew Lost: 0
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
Media Articles
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Media Item | Type | Page | Volume/Issue | Broadcast Source | Time | Description | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Woodruff describes Treuchtlingen damage | 12:00 am |
Photos
TREUCHTLINGEN
TREUCHTLINGEN strike photo (From the collection of Keevin Moriarty)
