Mission Date: April 8, 1945
EGER, MY (CZECH)
100th BG Mission #: 297
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY...APRIL 8, 1945
Thirty-eight ships took off from Thorpe Abotts at 0700 hours, heading for the marshaling yards at Eger, Czechoslovakia for their Priority visual target, bombing from another lower than normal altitude.
At that morning's briefing, the crews had been told that “not only would the destruction be in direct aid to ground forces, but and even more important, it would prevent the passage of supplies into Hitler’s hideaway.” If the Priority target was covered, the Secondary target was briefed as Plauen.
The 13th Wing would be led by the 95th with the 100th flying as its ‘B’ squadron and the 390th as its ‘C.’ Leading the 100th’s formation would be Staples/Ellis. Robbs/Hellerich would lead the High squadron, Milling/Wieland the Low and Hensey/Gilbert the Low Low SQ.
Assembly and the route in to the target would be uneventful. At the IP, the 95th and 390th Bomb Groups peeled off to make their squadron runs over the marshaling yards but due to enemy aircraft in the area, the 100th remained in Group formation for protection over the target.
The P-51 fighter escorts however, did an excellent job of chasing any enemy aircraft away from the 100th’s formation and its bombs were away at 1237 hours from 14900 - 15500 feet.
Although it was a longer mission at eight and one-half hours, the men were only on oxygen for just under two hours. With no flak encountered, the crews were thankful that today was an easier mission than the day before and considered it a “milk run.”
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: EXCELLENT
Aircraft Lost: 0
Crew Lost: 0
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
