Mission Date: April 14, 1945
ROYAN, GROUND DEFENSES
100th BG Mission #: 301
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY...APRIL 14, 1945
At the 0230 briefing that Saturday morning, the target was revealed when the black curtain was pulled. The 100th would fly to Royan - Vaux-sur-Mer, in support of the Allied French troops, beginning two and one half days of air-ground attacks in France under Operation Venerable.
The Germans had first arrived at Vaux-sur-Mer in 1940, turning it into a fortified area that protected the Girond estuary and passage into Bordeaux from the Atlantic. Although heavily bombed on January 5,1945 by the RAF, there were still flak batteries operating and guarding the estuary, denying the Allies access into Bordeaux.
The 13th CBW would fly second in the Division column with the 100th again leading its Wing and the 390th flying as its “B” group. The 95th would Stand Down. Major Gibbons and Jean DePlanque would lead the Wing and the 100th, with the High squadron led by Liljenquist/Ellis, the Low by Wofford and the Low Low by Gilbert.
The men were further briefed that if necessary, the 100th would make a dozen runs on the target to accomplish the mission. With clear weather and carrying six 1000 lb. GP bombs, thirty-eight departed from Thorpe Abbotts, forming over Buncher 28.
The route was flown as briefed but a wind shift and low cloud layer encountered enroute made it necessary for the Wing to start the climb to bombing altitude earlier than planned. Because of dense and persistent contrails at 21000-22000 feet, the 100th leveled off at 20000 feet where the fanout by squadrons was made at the Pre-IP. Pilot, James Lantz, tells is, “Coming over the French Coast we could see the results of D-Day and the terrible bombings and shelling the enemy took. There were thousands of shell holes and ME 109s and JU 88s were blasted all over the place.”
The target was picked up immediately after the turn at the Initial Point and the target was visually identified ten miles out. Bombs were away at 1043 hours from 20,000 feet with the Low squadron encountering “violent prop wash” from the preceding squadrons on the run. On his #35 mission, BTG Frank Volk in David E. Wood’s ship remembered the dangerous prop wash when he stated, “Our right wing man nearly collided with our plane.”
Encountering no flak or enemy fighters and with no fighter escorts, the ships all returned safely to Thorpe Abbotts. Finishing their #35 mission, the David E. Wood Crew became jubilant. They would never have to fly another combat mission over Germany again, officially joining the “Luckye Bastardes” Club and the list of April’s “Happy Warriors.”
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: EXCELLENT
Aircraft Lost: 0
Crew Lost: 0
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
