Mission Date: April 18, 1945
TABOR, MY & STRAUBING, MY (S.T)
100th BG Mission #: 305
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY...APRIL 18, 1945
When the black curtain was pulled back from the briefing map, the thirty-two crews in attendance learned that the 100th would be flying back to Czechoslovakia. Their first Priority visual target would be the marshaling yards at Tabor. The Secondary Priority target would be the marshaling yards at Straubing in southern Germany, halfway between Passau and Regensburg.
Leading the 13th CBW would be the 390th BG with the 95th flying as its ‘B’ group and the 100th as its ‘C.’ Flying only three squadrons again, the 100th’s formation would be under the command of Major Staples, flying with Robert Ellis. The High Squadron would be led by Gunn/Wofford and the Low by Evans.
Loaded with twelve 500 GP bombs, each pilot took off successfully from base, forming up as a Group over Buncher 28 at 5000 feet and completing Wing assembly at Felixstowe.
On the route to the target, the formations were notified that the first Priority target was covered so the decision was made to proceed to the Straubing target with all B17s reaching bombing altitude thirty minutes prior to its IP.
With German fighters still giving some resistance to the 8th Air Force's Divisions the day before, according to Lyman Fillingame, they “sweated out fighters but they didn’t come, thank goodness.” So close to finishing up, the Fillingame Crew, on their #30 mission, had flown seven out of the previous ten days and had experienced a crash landing.
The crews would not encounter nor even observe any flak or fighters that day but there was traffic interference from Groups of B-24 Liberators who were bombing a different target in the same area.
The Squadrons fanned out for their individual Squadron bomb runs with the Lead and Low squadrons’ bombs away at 1314 hours.
However, the 100th’s High squadron failed to drop on its first run. In Wofford’s Lead ship, the C-1 auto pilot failed and bombardier Alfred Paterno was not satisfied with his synchronization. Completing a second bomb run, the High's bombs were away at 1348 hours. The 100th’s High would not be the only squadron formation to make a second run over the target. Both the 390th’s Low and the 95th’s High squadrons would make a second run on Straubing.
The Rally Point was made good and after a nine hour mission with three hours on oxygen, all ships returned safely to base except for George Lenke and crew, who had landed at Brussels due to a runaway prop. Returning later to base, sortie credit was given.
At 1540 hours, as the second B17 to land from his formation at Thorpe Abbotts, Earl Cullimore brought 'Silver Dollar' down on runway 17. Donald Goldsmith, flying 'Heaven's Angel' was following closely behind and landed too close to Cullimore’s ship and which was still stopped on the runway. Immediately, Goldsmith locked his brakes but was unable to stop in time. With major damage to both aircraft, 'Silver Dollar' was eventually repaired but taken off of combat duty while 'Heaven's Angel' was scrapped two days later.
'Silver Dollar's' ground crew chief, twenty-two year-old O.T. Reeves and Earl Cullimore had previously been interviewed when Cullimore had returned 'Silver Dollar' safely to base after its 100th mission. The reporter wrote, "that's a lot for a bomber over flak-hot and at times fighter-infested Germany." Cullimore then stated, "It still flies like a new bomber" and Reeves retorted, "She ought to. We've taken care of her like a baby."
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: EXCELLENT
Aircraft Lost: 0
Crew Lost: 0
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
