Mission Date: April 20, 1945
ORANIENBURG, MY, LAST 100TH BG MISS
100th BG Mission #: 306
Mission Summary
ON THIS DAY…APRIL 20,1945
Although there were no air operations on April 19, the noose had tightened around the Nazis. General Eisenhower declared that the German armies were “Totering on the threshold of defeat.” The Russians were reported at the gates of Berlin while the American lines were only forty-five miles from the Russians. An Allied broadcast to slave laborers asked them to stay where they were for “in a few days the gap between the armies of liberation from the west and from the east will be closed.”
In support of the approach to Berlin, the twenty-nine crews seated in that Friday morning’s briefing listened intently as the target for their mission was revealed. The 100th would be flying to Oranienburg, a suburb seven miles north of Berlin where their first Priority visual target would be the center of its marshaling yards. Their second Priority target would be the engine test beds on an airfield at Rechlin, Germany.
The 13th CBW would fly third and last in the Division line with the 95th BG leading with an additional six ships in a chaff force while the 100th’s formation would fly as its ‘B’ group and the 390th as its ‘C’ group.
Commanding the 100th’s formation would be Major Stivers flying with Hellerich while Albrecht/Dawson would lead the High squadron and Wieland the Low.
With the 100th’s ships loaded with ten 500 lb. GP bombs, the twenty-nine aircraft were airborne beginning at 0615 hours. Group assembly over Buncher 28 was without issues and the Wing successfully assembled at Felixstowe.
At the Pre-IP however, the 100th’s High squadron encountered prop wash from the ships flying ahead, losing one thousand feet in altitude and forcing the Low squadron even lower.
Fanning out for the squadron runs on the target, bombs were away at 1014 from both the Lead and High squadrons but the Low was forced to make a second run on the target when just before its bomb release, it found itself below the open bomb bay doors of the 390th’s Lead squadron. Completing a 360 degree turn to the right, the Low initiated its second run from halfway down the original bomb run, with bombs away at 1022 hours.
The Rally Point was made good and after almost eight hours in the air, all ships returned safely back to Thorpe Abbotts. Ernest Coble’s ship, had already returned early due to his #3 engine being out. Jettisoning his bombs, no sortie credit was given to the crew.
This would be the last combat mission that crews would get sortie credit for as the next briefed missions on April 21 and April 23 would be ultimately scrubbed before take-off.
Bombing Results
Bombing Results: EXCELLENT
Aircraft Lost: 0
Crew Lost: 0
Claims of Enemy Losses (CLS): 0
Aircraft Returned:
