Mission Date: April 3, 1945
KIEL, SUB YARDS
100th BG Mission #: 292
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY...APRIL 3, 1945
April commenced quietly for the 100th BG, with no air operations on April 1 - 2 due to adverse weather conditions. Prohibited from traveling in England during the Easter holiday period to allow the British people use of their own transportation without hoards of American soldiers, the men had been restricted to base with most attending Easter services. With the weather clearing on April 2, the 100th was alerted for a mission planned for the next day.
At the Tuesday morning briefing, the crews were shown the mission map and their target - the U-boat harbor at Kiel, north of Hamburg. With their route and in and out over the North Sea, they were warned about the one hundred four guns in the target area, plus an additional twelve guns southwest along the Kiel canal as well as naval guns.
Flying last in its Division column, the 390th would fly as the 13th CBW’s Lead group, while the 100th would fly as its ‘B’ group and the 95th as its ‘C’. The 390th would specifically target the ship building slips on the eastern side of the harbor for their visual Primary target while the 100th and 95th would target the harbor’s erecting and testing shop. All groups would have the u-boat dry docks as a second Priority target if the H2X method of bombing was utilized.
Leading the 100th’s formation would be its own Commander, Colonel Frederick Sutterlin flying with John H. Williams. The High would be led by Staples/Blanding, the Low by Weiland and the Low Low by Kodas and Wofford with the Jesse Wofford crew flying their 1st mission after an additional month of lead crew training and six weeks of not flying. Although they flew training missions every day, TG Joe Urice remembered, “Not being used for German target practice for a while was a very positive factor…”
Putting up thirty-eight ships that day, each loaded with six 1000 lb. bombs, take-off was scheduled for 0700 hours. However, the poor weather that had moved in caused an unprecedented seven-hour delay, with all aircraft not taking off until 1345 hours in light rain and 7-9/10 cloud coverage.
Assembling over Buncher 28 at 17000 feet due to clouds, the 100th joined its Wing north of Felixstowe, folding into the Division line at Southwold and flying in 9/10 cloud coverage all the way.
Reaching bombing altitude an hour prior to the IP, and with the Primary visual target covered, the 100th’s squadrons peeled off for H2X runs on the dry docks. Flying through contrails, smoke screens and meager to moderate flak at the target, the 100th’s Fortresses released their bomb loads between 1743-1744 hours from 25700-26500 feet altitude.
Unable to release his bombs due to a bomb release mechanism failure, twenty-two year-old pilot William E. Baldwin, closed his bomb bay doors and headed home, eventually releasing his bombs on the route back. However, at 1850 hours, Baldwin lowered his wheels, indicating he was leaving the formation and called over the VHF saying he was low on fuel and would try to get back alone. Carrying the heavy load of bombs had used up too much fuel. Rather than ditch in the sea, his NAV John H. Buckley plotted a course to an Allied field in Brussels. “The A/C peeled off and went down into the undercast. At 1952 hours, a second message was received from the pilot, saying he had 80 gallons of fuel left and estimated he was fifteen minutes from land.”
At 2040 hours, all but one of the 100th's aircraft returned after a seven and one-half hour mission and all without any battle damage.
Straying off course, Baldwin’s ship had ended up over northern Holland where at five thousand feet, flak destroyed two engines and set the front of his plane into flames. Seeing the interior fire, his ROG Kermit Jones and RAD/CONT Howard O. Weber bailed out. BTG Randolph A. Goodwin followed, but his chute tangled in the tail assembly. Moments later, the plane exploded with its wreckage falling on the island of Texel, off the coast of Holland.
Kermit Jones landed one-third mile out in the water and swam in, being captured by the Germans as he waded into shore. Taken to an underground bunker, Jones stated, “They kept me in a screaming brace for three hours with no clothes on as a form of gentle persuasion… I was wet and miserable.” The wind had pulled Howard Weber’s parachute three miles out to sea, where he was picked up by three brothers in a Dutch boat and taken to their home to recuperate. Eventually the Germans would find him and he was reunited with Kermit in the same underground bunker.
Although time was spent in a POW camp, the prisoners began marching to flee the advancing Russians. Weber remembered that he was “hungry, unwashed and marching until he thought he could march no more.” Then he added, “Then I heard the German guard click a bullet into the chamber of his gun. I did 10 more miles that day and never complained again.” In an odd note, before the war, Weber, and his childhood friend, comedian Jonathan Winters, would ride the bus together “cutting up by telling stories to one another loudly in faked German accents.”
The two were finally liberated on May 4,1945 by British troops and would return to the States. Kermit Jones would spend five months in the convalescent hospital at Miami Beach. In 1985, the two would be reunited for the first time when they were honored and celebrated in Holland at a special ceremony.
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: MISSED
Aircraft Lost: 1
Crew Lost: 10
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
