Mission Date: March 30, 1945
HAMBURG, SHIP YARDS
100th BG Mission #: 290
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY...MARCH 30, 1945
In the evening of the 29th, the 100th had been alerted for a mission and pilots’ names and ships were marked on the Squadron boards. Pilot, William G. “Gris” Smith, had been alerted that he and his crew would be flying their #1 combat mission the next day. Veteran crews could be rough on new crews and Smith recalled, “ …We were pretty nervous… I guess the thing that got on my nerves most — was some of the boys playfully trying on my clothes for size…”
At the next morning’s briefing, the targets for the day were revealed: Hamburg, with the first priority visual target of the engine erecting shop of the Blohm & Voss shipyard. The Secondary target would be an industrial area next to the Primary. There would be no third priority targets given and the boys were told that no targets of opportunity were to be attacked.
Flying third in the Division Line, the 100th would once again lead the 13th CBW with the 95th flying as its ‘B’ group and the 390th as its ‘C.’ Flying the four squadron formation, LT Colonel Price would fly as Air Leader with John Williams. The High would be led by Ferbrache/Blanding, the Low by Ellis and the Low Low by Hellerich.
Loaded with six 1000 lb. bombs, the thirty-eight bombers took-off in 3/10 cloud coverage, assembling over Buncher 28 as a Group and completing Wing assembly over Felixstowe.
With the weather over northern Germany even cloudier, it was excellent cover for the ME-262s that started an attack on the 3rd Division’s column as it approached the Hamburg area. Fortunately for the 13th CBW, their P-51 escorts were on time and on the ball, scattering the enemy aircraft.
Reaching the 25000 feet bombing altitude fifteen minutes prior to the IP, the 100th overshot the IP by four miles due to interference from another Group. Unable to bomb the first priority target visually, the formation’s squadrons set up for individual runs on the second priority target.
It would be the intense accurate and barrage flak encountered over Hamburg, that would impact the men on this mission. TG Elmer Hooper flying his third time to Hamburg, reported two hundred eighty flak guns at the target and stated, “Third time there and all most last. Flak in horizontal stabilizer through tail, four big holes. One piece set off ammo in box. The closest I come to being hit yet and I did think I was. Flak was ample and accurate. Fighters and jets were up but escort took care of them…Heated suit shot out.” Dan Moore, ROG flying on Roy Forrester’s ship recorded, “Lots of flak and plenty accurate. We received some hits in wings and tail section.” And twenty-two year-old CP Wilbur “Willy” Kreamer flying with the Munoz crew on #20 mission, leaves us his diary entry, “Am almost convinced that this is our "jinx" target. Once again we lost an engine while on the bomb run. Flak was intense, accurate and tracking. We picked up over 20 flak holes - about five in the tail section - fortunately no one was injured. Manifold pressure on # four engine was shot out, and no. two gas tank hit…”
Continuing through the flak to their target, bombs were away at 1333-1334 hours. According to Gris Smith, flying in Grumblin Gremlin II, “On bombs away at 1333, we made a pretty steep turn to the left in an attempt to avoid the flak….I was flying the run and therefore couldn’t see much, but out of the corner of my eye saw the Squadron on our right in a pretty thick concentration of flak. Further to the right was a Yellow Tail outfit. The flak around us was thick, but that Yellow Tail group was really taking a beating. Right waist gunner reported that one ship went down with two chutes opened… We came out heading north and then to the West out of Denmark. We only had about a 93 knot ground speed coming home due to head winds. Almost home, we had to go south four miles to avoid a thunder storm. Landed at 1700. Pilot’s truck picked me up as soon as I pulled the ship into the hardstand and took me to the interrogation where I got a very welcome double shot of Cognac.”
After close to an eight hour flight, with five of those on oxygen, the boys returned safely to base. With two engines out and not returning with the formation, Munoz's ship was struggling to reach Thorpe Abbotts. Copilot Kreamer ended his diary entry with, “… In order to maintain level flight, we had to jettison guns, flak suits, etc. - everything loose. Sweated out a dip in the North Sea but managed to limp home to the base - an hour late! Almost given up for lost.”
Fortunately, there were no losses that day over Hamburg but ten ships returned with flak battle damage. Later that evening, the mission light glowed red and the crews were alerted for another mission.
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: HIT TARGET
Aircraft Lost: 0
Crew Lost: 0
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
