Return to Chronology of the 447th

Mission Commentary

Mission #6 
(Ludwigshaven) 

    Twenty-one A/C of the 447th Bombardment Group (H) took off between 
the hours of 0742 and 0805, 7 January 1944. Of the 21 A/C three aborted. 
Lt. H. L. Kreuzer in A/C 145 became ill, cause unknown, and became un-
conscious over England. The co-pilot brought the plane back to base. 
Lt. L. A. Kinsinger lost the formation in the overcast, was unable to 
find it, and after searching until such time as to be too late to catch 
the formation returned to base. Lt. L. Kaffun, in A/C 112, had to 
leave the formation inside Germany when the tail gunner's parachute 
harness became entangled with the oxygen line, rupturing the line when 
the gunner freed himself. Lt. Kaffun returned safely to base. The 447th 
Group was leading the 4th Combat Wing, 385th low, 94th high. 
Group and Wing assembly occurred approximately as briefed, except that 
cloud at and above the flight level of the Wing caused considerable 
difficulty, resulting in parts of all three Groups being intermittently 
on instrument conditions while in defensive formation. The 4th Combat 
Wing was second Wing over the target. Fighter support was continuously 
present and very effective. No A/C of this Group were lost, all returned 
safely to base except A/C 671, pilot C. T. Leach, which landed at Colt-
ishall, and A/C 082, pilot Lt. C. H. Marcy, which became lost over England 
and landed at Wattisham. Bombing results were not observed in as much 
as this was a PFF mission and bombs were dropped on PFF A/C. No fighters 
were encountered. Two unidentified S/E fighters dropped what appeared 
to be loop antenna into formation between target and rally point. 
At 50°10'N,02°30'E craters observed on French airfield and widespread 
damage to former installations there. At target, white trails looking 
like rockets soared by and above the formation with red particles 
breaking on explosion above formation. These appeared to be ground 
dispatched.

Lead 

High 

Low

Ground Spares

Notes:

The PFF aircraft (42-3484) was flown in from Alconbury to lead the group on this raid.

Harold L. Kreuzer (#8 in high squadron) was stricken with the bends (15 minutes after reaching the coast out point at 19,500 feet) and passed out which necessitated the copilot (Lawrence P. Koenig) to bring 42-31145 back to Rattlesden. Koenig landed the ship at 1102 hrs, after 2 hours and 55 minutes aloft. (No sortie credit).

Lawrence A. Kinsinger (#2 in high squadron) lost the 447 formation in the overcast and was unable to find it. At 1005hrs. and 16000 feet, he gave up and returned to Rattlesden, landing in 42-37842 at 1136 hrs after 3 hours and 45 minutes aloft. (No sortie credit).

Edward Kaffun (#3 in low squadron) had to return while flying over Holland on their way to the target. At 1046 hrs, his tail gunner, Kenneth J. McIntyre, finally freed his parachute harness which had become tangled with his oxygen line. In so doing, he pulled loose the oxygen line and broke it. This would bleed the oxygen from the tail of the aircraft with dire consequences. Kaffun decided to return to Rattlesden, which he did at 1230 hrs after 4 hours and 40 minutes aloft. Kaffun and crew got credit for a sortie.

There were oxygen mask freezing problems on many of the ships (nine) during the course of the mission and two ships landed at alternate airfields upon return. Clifford T. Leach in 42-37871 landed at Coltishall (just north of Norwich) and Charles H. Marcy landed at Wattisham (Northwest of Ipswitch), presumably due to poor visibility.

No.

Type

Tons

K

W

M

Maj.

Min.

Briefed at 0430 a.m. Target Ludwigshaven, Germany. Big chemical works. Took off at 0740, full fuel load, 10 500 lb HE's in Lt. Chardi's "Solid Sender." Flew deputy lead of low squadron - #4 position - 23,000 ft. lead of wing today. Non-eventful- Bombed through overcast. Perfect fighter cover. No enemy fighters. Moderate flak - no battle damage - sea of B-17s & 24s. Impressive. Lt. Kaffun aborted on way to target. No trouble. All guns fired. Field overcast on return. Used "Gee" to get in. Mission accomplished. Two out of four. No group ships lost.

Got up at 8: 15, the C.Q. was late waking us up. Consequently we took our own darn time eating breakfast; walking into the theater 15 minutes late. A lot of fellows came in after our crew came in so Jarrel couldn't start the role call until about 9 o’clock. I was told to be at the equipment room at 11:30 to fly as radio op on Lagasse's crew on a practice mission to check the lead ships as they do every day. We got back down just before the fellows returning from their mission. No planes were lost, fighter protection all the way in and out. They bombed some city in the interior of Germany. After chow Harris, Mac and I went to the show, after which a G.I. magician gave a pretty good show. Came back to the barracks to find out I take a mission tomorrow with some other crew. Today is the first time I've ever flown with another crew. B 9:30