Mission

ON THIS DAY...SEPTEMBER 6-7,1944

Through the night of September 5, heavy rains continued across the Continent while heavy rain squalls were reported over England’s Dover straits. Alerted for the 100BG’s next mission, the crews that were awakened at 0200 on September 6 knew that at that hour, they could only be headed deep into Germany. At the briefing, groans from the airmen were released into the room as the S-2 Officer uncovered the large map and they followed the red string all the way to Berlin. Briefed for their Primary target, the 100BG would be attacking a depot at Spandau, just outside of the city of Berlin.

The 3rd Division would be sending eleven wing formations to Spandau. Led by the 4CBW, the 13CBW would fly three wings, with its ‘A’ and ‘B’ wings flying second and third in the Division line and targeting Spandau’s tank depot. Its 'C' wing would fly last in the Division line behind the 93CBW and would target Spandau’s Ordnance Depot.

With the B-17s already loaded up with twelve 500# bombs, the briefing ended but soon the take-off times were delayed. Roland Hetrick, NAV on Walter Radke’s crew recorded into this diary, “Today we tried hard for a mission. We got up at 0200 and were briefed for Berlin. Everyone on the field knew where we were going. I'm glad we didn't go there. They stopped us before engines started. Walt (Radke) and I had to wait in the briefing room for over four hours. Capt Giles swiped a jeep and took me riding. It is almost as much fun as buzzing with him…”

With the Berlin mission ultimately scrubbed, the already loaded B-17s and mentally prepared air crews would not be released. Hetrick continued, “At 1130 we were briefed for Bremmen. We got off the ground this time only to be called back. They made us stay up for over 0400 hours though. We were rather angry when we had to do that.“ 

That day, Intelligence Officer, Red Bowman recorded into the Group's journal, “About an hour after getting into the blue, they were recalled. Then came a stand-down for the evening. Meanwhile the combat crews had failed to eat since early morn. No good!!!”

Under a Stand Down order for September 7 due to the continuing heavy rains, the 418th squadron diary tells of its new alert system. “The white flag flew from the flag pole by the orderly room . A flag system now indicates what sort of alert is on. A red flag means that a mission is in progress, or is scheduled; blue is standby; white is standdown. The flag pole, across the road from the orderly room, is about 20' high and so situated that most barracks have a clear view of it.”

On the lighter side of combat life for the airmen, two events gave the men with free time on their hands, something to look forward to. WACs and local civilian girls were over to Thorpe Abbotts for a dance held at the Sergeant’s Club, with the music provided by the base’s own band named ‘The Century Bombers.’ However, the men seemed to be the most excited about the opening of a new motion picture theater. Originally the Officer’s Mess and Club when the 100BG first arrived at Thorpe Abbotts, the building had become the theater and now housed 35 mm projectors. The 418th’s squadron journaler recorded, “We’re getting high class for the grand opening. The feature was a ripsnorting technicolor western, “The Desparados” plus a recent English newsreel and a 1936 animated color cartoon…It’s a pleasant contrast to the flickering, dim pictures and the hazy distorted sound of the 16 mm portable projectors.” Vernon Sheedy from the Quartermaster’s group added, “They have been using 16 mm machine so long, it is hard to get used to the idea of having this perfect set-up. The floor being elevated and seats with backs on them, well it is just too good to be true. Can remember back when you could go to a show and have the machine breakdown two or three times, or the film would break,”