Mission #4 
(Kiel) 

Between the hours 0802 and 0825, 4 January 1944, 21 A/C of the 447th 
Bombardment Group (H) took off. Group assembly occurred as briefed, 
easily and uneventfully. The 4th Combat Wing, 385th Bombardment Group 
leading, 447th Bombardment Group low, assembled easily, but not as 
briefed. The 447th Bombardment Group was proceeding as briefed to 
Buncher 12, the point specified as the beginning of the Wing assembly 
line. While still approximately one minute away from Buncher 12 the 
385th Group pulled in behind the 447th Group from approximately 90º 
to the left. The 447th Group executed a turn right of about 90º and 
joined the climbing formation at 0931. The wing left the English coast 
south of Cromer, the prescribed point of departure, seven minutes 
ahead of schedule. Off the coast the Wing executed a 360º turn to the 
right, proceeded north to the course, then flew the prescribed course. 
Both enroute out to the target and enroute in from the target, the lead 
Group flew much too fast. The lead ship of the low Group indicated 
172 mph when flying in perfect formation, which caused the high squadrons 
to fall behind both in the lead Group and in the low Group. Enroute 
home, having reached a point in the North Sea which made fighter inter-
ception improbable, the leader of the low Group throttled back to 155 mph 
IAS and brought the slow Group back to base alone. In the target area 
fighter support was present continuously. The Group leader considers 
that their work was excellent. Although gunners spotted German fight-
ers in the area, none of them had the temerity to attack in the face 
of such superior fighter protection. The 447th Group brought all 21 A/C 
back safely to base. One A/C had to leave the formation shortly after 
the target because of damage to the oxygen system by flak. However 
the pilot brought the ship home at low altitude and rejoined the 
formation at the English coast in. There is nothing to report on 
Enemy Air Opposition as no attacks, were made on this Group. E/A reported 
sighted were: 1 ME110, 3 JU88's, 8 ME109's, 1 ME-210, 4 FW190's and 
1 DO217. Reports were received of one and possibly two strange B-17's. 
One was reported sighted at 1317 hours flying about one thousand yards 
from our formation for some time. In the same vicinity another of our 
A/C reported a B-17 flying at 15,500-feet toward the German coast. 
This was observed at about 1300 hours. A B-17 was observed at 1213 
believed to be from the high squadron in the Group in front of our 
formation. Its #2 engine was on fire and it was losing altitude when 
last seen. Another B-17 from the Group in front of our formation was 
observed to lose altitude and to be in some distress over Nordstrand 
Island. It had friendly fighter protection when last seen. Crews 
observed the very effective friendly fighter support and the speed with which 
they covered stragglers. A request for some visual signal from the 
lead squadron to the high squadron on "bombs away" was made by several 
crews.

1	George Y. Jumper / Bryce B. Smith (709th)	42-39864
2	Merton C. Putnam (708th)	42-31154
3	Thomas W. Gilleran (708th)	42-31207
4	Herschel A. Jarrell	42-31104
5	Charles S. Hopla	42-31095 Ground Pounder
6	Howard S. Pauling	42-31127