Mission Details for Mannheim (#140)

Briefing

Details

Number: 140
Date: 9/9/1944 12:00:00 AM
Commander: Col. H.E. Rogner
Crews Briefed: 39
Details: Railroad marshalling yards

Flying Control

Runway: 23
Engines: 0640 Thumbnail image for /Images/Takeoff/Plan23.jpg
Taxi: 0655
Take Off: 0710
E.T.R.: 1356
Notes: The Group was briefed at 0400 hours, and by 0816 42 aircraft, including three observers, had take off. One aircraft aborted and the two spares returned early as well. One other aircraft returned ahead of the Group, bursting a tire upon landing. With one aircraft missing, the remaining Group aircraft had returned by 1540 hours.

Debriefing

Aircraft: 39
Lost Over Continent: 1
Lost Other: 0
Summary: On this mission the 401st put up the three Boxes making up the 94th Combat Wing "A" unit. The briefed target once again was the I. G. Farben Industries chemical plant in Ludwigshaven. However, the Group had been ordered not to drop on the primary unless it could be sighted visually, and the target was once again obscured by clouds. Accordingly, the Group turned to the secondary target, the marshalling yards at Mannheim, which were bombed by PFF (radar).
Flak over the target was moderate to intense, and one 401st aircraft, "Casey's Strawberry Blonde" (No. 42-97962), flown by the veteran crew of Lt. David Loughlin, received a direct flak hit and went down. Two crew members survived but the other seven were killed.

Mission Assignments

Squadron Participants