Mission Details for Hamm (#145)

Briefing

Details

Number: 145
Date: 9/19/1944 12:00:00 AM
Commander: Lt. Col. E.W. Brown
Crews Briefed: 39
Details: Railroad marshalling yards

Flying Control

Runway: 5
Engines: 0905 Thumbnail image for /Images/Takeoff/Plan05.jpg
Taxi: 0920
Take Off: 0935
E.T.R.: 1545
Notes: Briefing took place at 0630 hours. By 1004 39 operational aircraft and one observer were airborne. At 1045, a Spitfire landed in very poor visibility, overshooting the runway and nosing up about 50 feet beyond the end of the runway.
Upon returning to England, the Group's aircraft were diverted to twelve other airfields because of bad weather at Deenethorpe, returning the following day.

Debriefing

Aircraft: 39
Lost Over Continent: 0
Lost Other: 0
Summary: The 401st provided three Boxes of 12 aircraft each, making up the 94th Combat Wing "C" unit. When the Group reached the I.P. it was met with a weather front of 10/10th's clouds rising to 28,000 feet. Having concluded that the primary target could not be reached, the Group turned toward the secondary target, the marshalling yards at Hamm. However, the three Boxes became separated in the clouds and were unable to reassemble. In the end, the Lead Box dropped on a target of opportunity with poor results; the High Box managed to bomb a secondary target by PFF (radar) with unobserved results; and the Low Box, which was without PFF equipment, finally jettisoned its bombs.
There was no enemy air opposition, but four aircraft received minor battle damage from flak in the vicinity of Hamm. The Group history records this mission as one of those "screwed up messes".

Mission Assignments

Squadron Participants