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Mission Commentary

MISSION #7 
(Brunswick "A") 

Between the hours 0740 and 0804, 11 January 1944, 21 A/C of the 447th Bombardment Group (H), "A" group, took off. Group assembly was approximately as briefed, except that bad weather conditions made the assembly very difficult. Because of bad weather, A/C 206, pilot Lt. J.M. Hodges and A/C 127, pilot, Lt. J.A. Stenvig lost the formation. Being unable to locate the formation they returned to base. A/C 095, pilot, Lt. A.S. Heed, lost #1 engine and returned to base. Lt. M. Putnam, in A/C 146, unable to locate the formation, joined formation with the 305th Group and proceeded to the target. The rendezvous with the Wing was extremely difficult because of bad weather. However, the 447th did make the rendezvous and proceeded in Wing formation to the target. 447th Group "A" reports seeing very few friendly fighter throughout the mission. All A/C of 447th "A" group returned safely to base. At the IP, 447th "A" peeled off and made a visual run on the target. The leader reports weather having been CAVU, and target identification easy. Having completed the run, 447th "A" turned as briefed to the Rally Point, At that time the leader tried to locate the 94th Group. He could not identify it but did see the 390th Group, alone and leaving the target. Knowing that the 94th Group had turned for a second run, and having dropped his bombs, the leader did not try to rejoin the 94th Group, but joined in low position with the 390th Group. Strike photos show excellent results on primary target on Brunswick. Direct hits appear to be on MPI from smoke observed. Smoke from bomb bursts completely cover 2 of 3 sub-assembly plants and partially on the third. E/A were observed at various points along entire route in and out from the target. Attacks were not pressed home. Main concentration of E/A were at Rally Point, target, and Dummer Lake. Preliminary claims for this group are 2 E/A destroyed, 4 probables, and 2 damaged.

MISSION #7 
(Brukeburg "B")

Between the hours of 0712 and 0803, 11 January 1944, 15 A/C of the 447th Bombardment Group (H), "B" group, took off. Group assembly was approximately as briefed. Because of poor visibility, ships 095, 165, 225, and 148 could not find the formation and returned to the base. Two other ships, A/C 161, pilot, Lt. W.H. Johnson, lost number one engine and returned to base and A/C 096, pilot, Lt. J.G. Jellison reported that oxygen dropped from 375 lb to 100 lb on pilot's and navigator's system necessitating his return just before reaching the channel. The rendezvous with Wing was approximately as briefed with this Group taking position as top Group. Group leader Lt. Col. C.H. Bowman with pilot, Lt. H.A. Jarrel in A/C 107 is missing and right Wing leader, Maj. C.L. Elder with pilot, Lt. M.L. Chardi, in A/C 217 reports taking over lead on call from Col. Bowman. Later Col. Bowman called about taking over lead in a silver ship but in the poor visibility this was not possible and 9 A/C stayed with Maj. Elder. Two of these turned back. With 7 A/C Maj. Elder joined his formation to the 96th and bombed their target dropping incendiaries at the proper interval after they had dropped their GP's. Very little flak was encountered and the formation was not attacked by any fighters. Group leader reports observing 2 JU88's attack another Group flying directly behind the 96th Group. Leader left the formation at the English coast and landed at this base. Six A/C returned with him when the 7th ship left the formation. This leaves 3 A/C unaccounted for. Lt. Col. C.H. Bowman in A/C 107 and Lt. C.L. Hickey in A/C 082 are still missing. Lt. H.E. Fouts in A/C 842 came down in the North Sea and all members of the crew have been rescued and are now at Great Yarmouth Naval base.

"B"Group (continued) 

2 A/C of this Group bombed the primary target. Results. unobserved. Nieburg believed hit by one A/C with good results. Other A/C in this group bombed on PFF from 96th Group. Believe area bombed to be in vicinity of Rinteln or Minden.

A Group
Lead 

High 

Low

B Group
Lead

High Squadron, Low Group, 4A Wing 

NO STRIKE PHOTO AVAILABLE

No./Type

Tons

K

W

M

Maj.

Min.

Briefed at 0400 a.m. Target Brunschweig. Fighter assembly plant. Flew Lt. Kaffin's 160, "Mickey." Take off at 0710. Scheduled to fly #8 position high squadron. Had difficulty forming at 17,000 ft. Weather lousy. Everything was mixed up. Headed out over North sea with only six ships. Finally formed as low squadron flying #2 position. Bombed through overcast. Incendiaries 38-100 lbs. Group attached to dropped HE's Bomb doors would not retract. Alt. 21,000 ft. light flak. Not much fighter opposition. Ball gunner got a crack at two Ju 88s who made a pass at us. 8 hr. mission. Lost Col. Bowman, Lt. Hickey, and Lt. Kegley. Kegley a P-47 man and a real buddy. Hope he got down okay. Other groups took an awful beating. Total losses 59 aircraft. Got over 100 Jerries. Did a job on several of their aircraft plants. I've been awfully lucky. Mission generally snafu but accomplished. Three out of five.

Rattlesden January 11 Tuesday We got up at 7 o’clock this morning, had roll call in the officers barracks at 8:30. Afterwards all of us went back to the barracks to get ready to go to town. I walked down to operations and got the passes. Crew #5 left at noon by G.I. truck from the mess hall. We didn't have to show our passes. We got to Stowmarket at 1230, caught a train for Ipswich after waiting 15 minutes. It took 20 minutes to go to Ipswich about 17 miles. As soon as we hit town we got beds in A.R.C. got supper there and went to a show. Mac went to a dance instead, getting to bed at 11. The trolleys in this town are as modem as anywhere, good service too. Most of the people seem pretty friendly, contrary to what most of the fellows say. The first impression of the town gives us a good impression of things. Gene + Dill went to London to spend their passes.

January 12 Wednesday At 8 the four of us got up and had breakfast at the A.R.C. Service Club. It wasn't a bad breakfast, stretched sausages, potatoes, bread toast butter and jam. Afterwards we went out and bought souvenirs, pilots caps and squandered money in general. I spent about £10 for a necklace, brooch and purse, but they are all well made, and very pretty. I think I'll send the brooch to Mom, purse to Lois and necklace to Alice. I guess the jewelry is pretty expensive for the Britishers but the Yanks spend their pounds like water. After lunch the four of us started walking to see the town. We went thro a park with a big pond filled with Mallard ducks + geese. Really beautiful. On the grounds was a mansion that was an art gallery and very old domestic furniture dating back to 13th century. We found another museum and went thro it in a half hour when 2 days wouldn't have been enough time. Natural history, zoology and gun collections filled most of it. A show finished up a swell day. B 11

January 13 Thurs. M.D. and I got up at 7, took a shower and shaved, Fred and Mac got up at 8:45. Soon afterward we went to the A.R.C. Service Club to get breakfast. M.D. and I went off shopping while waiting for the two to finish their coffee; stopping at a jewelry store. Met them at the train station, leaving at 1015, getting to Stowmarket at 1045 where we met the rest of the crew, including the officers back from London. After waiting a while we got a ride to the base in the mai1 truck. A class from 330-530. P.W.+ naval ident. Charlie Harris had to ditch on the last mission when Col. Bowman + Jarrel's plane blew up. Harris and crew had a rough time: the ship broke up, sank in 30 sec. but the whole crew got into boats O.K. The R.O. got an S.O.S. off. 15 min. after landing a Hudson circled, 3 hrs later they were picked up by the Limey coast patrol. All of the fellows suffered from exposure and shock. C. Harris says he's going to quit flying. B 10

OAK LEAF CLUSTER TO SILVER STAR
General Order: 185 Date: 18 March 44 Headquarters: VIII AF

"CHARLES H. BOWMAN, 0-21994, Lieutenant Colonel, Army Air Forces, United States Army, Missing in Action). For gallantry in action, while serving as Pilot of a Flying Fortress on a bombardment mission over Germany, 11 January 1944. Colonel Bowman had been assigned to lead a group formation, but due to a mechanical failure he was forced to return to base and secure another airplane. As a result of this, he was only able to make contact with two other planes of his group and with them, joined another unit. When the first bombing run failed, Colonel Bowman lead his element over the target a second time and bombed it with excellent results. After leaving the target area, the formation was viciously attacked by hostile fighters and a running battle ensued that lasted for an hour. Just prior to re-crossing the enemy coast, his aircraft was hit by a rocket, which traveled through the entire length of his plane, setting it afire. As the flames enveloped his whole plane, Colonel Bowman maneuvered it out of the formation so as not to endanger other aircraft and appeared to be trying to maintain level flight in order that his crew might have the chance to bail out. His gallant actions on this occasion set an inspiring example for others and uphold the highest traditions of the Army Air. Forces."

447bg.com reference: B0558-0932

     "Miss Boo" was one of the many Fortresses that took part in the large Eighth Air Force bombing assault on the German target of Brunswick on January 11th. "Miss Boo" turned on the I.P. with the formation and made one run over the target. The formation started a 360 degree turn and it was in this turn that a large numbers of enemy fighters concentrated their attacks on "Miss Boo." Fourteen ME110's came in from the right and ten JU88's from the left and turned in towards the tail. They shot their rockets first and the air around the Fortress was filling with bursting rockets. Five rockets in succession burst just underneath number three engine and it caught fire. The first wave of ME110's turned away and the JU88's continued on in followed by four ME110's that came in high on the tail. 
     The tail gunner says, "The air behind us was like a forest fire caused by the cannon of the oncoming fighters." The tail gunner picked out one JU88 in an attack of six and started firing at it. The German fighter came in so close the tail Gunner could see the spent cases and ammunition links falling into the engines. The German fighter burst into flames and spun earthward. 
     The above action all took place during the turn over the target. In spite of such opposition the pilot, 2nd Lt Fouts brought his ship over the target and scored a perfect hit. As they pulled away from the target large sheets of flame were observed rising from it. More fighters pressed home their attacks on the crippled fortress. The pilot had succeeded in extinguishing the fire in number three engine by cutting off the gas but could not get it going again. Number one engine was hit by flak and the prop could not be feathered. This left "Miss Boo" with only two good engines and consequently she had to drop out of formation. 
     The Fortress remained under constant attack for one and one half hours from large numbers of German fighters. The right waist gunner, Staff Sergeant Louis P. Szurleys, had the sight blown off his gun but continued to fire and brought down one of the fighters. The radio operator, Staff Sergeant William Trobaugh, Jr., also, brought down one and so did the top turret gunner, Technical Sergeant William J. Wilmurth. The attacks were not all toward the tail position. Several JU88's came in towards the nose and one was knocked down by the bombardier, 2nd Lt. John C. Kidd. Both the chin turret and the ball turret were hit by cannon fire and put out of action. The ball gunner, Staff Sergeant Eric Hill, tried to keep the tail gunner supplied with ammunition by carrying belts back to the tail gunner at various intervals. The Germans had a four-engined bomber that looked like a Fortress, in the air against the crippled Fort. This plane did not come close but fired broadsides of rockets and cannon fire. The pilot of "Miss Boo" had been taking evasive action all this time against both flak and fighters. This caused many of the Axis bullets to miss their mark. When the North Sea was sighted all the German fighters left, except one ME110, that made several passes at the Fortress but took off when four P-47's showed up. 
     The two remaining engines now started to falter and the co-pilot, 2nd Lt. Don Lionadikas, gave orders to throw everything overboard that they could and prepare to ditch. This they did and assumed crash positions in the radio room. The ship hit with a terrific crash and broke in two at the radio room. The control cables held the two parts together. Part of the crew walked out of the cracked fuselage and others went out the top of the ship. "Miss Boo" sank in 40 seconds. The crew were exhausted from their long fight with the Luftwaffe and this new ordeal lowered their spirits. The tail gunner, Staff Sergeant Charles L. Harris, did not have the strength to pull the cord on his Mae West but he later found strength to pull the right waist gunner out of the water into the rubber boat. Others had difficulty in climbing into the boats because of the high sea that was running. Soon a Hudson bomber appeared and circled their position for almost three hours when an Air-Sea rescue craft reached them and picked up the survivors. Almost all the crew had lost the use of their limbs through cold and exposure and had to be carried ashore. 
     The crew of "Miss Boo" is back on this base now resting up. They have nothing but the warmest of praise for the Air-Sea rescue personnel and the kindness with which they were treated after landing. The names of the crew who all returned without a scratch to show from their rough experience are: 2/Lt Richard E. Fouts, 22, pilot, of 1531 So. Erie St., Massillon, Ohio; 2/Lt Don Liondakis, 27, co-pilot, of 3008 E St, Sacramento, Calif.; 2/Lt Elbridge M. Park, 26, navigator, of Box 18, Richmond, Va.; 2/Lt James C. Kidd, 22, bombardier, of 312 So. Main St. Lexington, Va.; T/Sgt Billy J. Wilmurth, 21, top turret gunner, of 105 14th St., Mt. Pleasant, Texas; T/Sgt William J. Trobaugh, 25, radio operator, of 323, E. Main St., Waynesboro, Pa.; S/Sgt Eric Hill, 21, ball turret gunner, of 120-20 18th Av., College Point, Queens, N.Y.; S/Sgt Charles E. Harris, 20, tail gunner, of Route 2, Bradford, Va.; S/Sgt Louis P, Szurleys, 24, waist gunner of 296 Detroit St., Fall River, Mass.; S/Sgt Stanley J. Pustelnick, 23, waist gunner of 1223 Farmington Ave, Conn. Sgts Pustelnik and Szurleys went along on the mission as waist gunner replacements for two of "Miss Boo's" crew who were temporarily grounded.