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Summary:
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The Group provided the three squadrons making up the 94th Combat Wing "B" Group. At the IP a deck of clouds extending upward from 18,000 to 30,000 feet caused the formation to become somewhat scattered, and necessitated bombing by PFF. The High Squadron dropped on Eisenach, a target of opportunity. The Lead and Low Squadrons bombed Merseburg. The results of the bombing could not be observed.
Flak over the target was intense and accurate and resulted in the loss of the deputy lead aircraft, No. 42-97600, piloted by Captain Francis E. Rundell, Jr., which received a direct hit in the No. 2 engine, after which the wing broke off. All crew members were able to parachute safely to earth and became POW's. Another 401st aircraft, No. 44-6104 ("Homing Pigeon"), piloted by Lt. Robert J. Keck was crippled by flak and then attacked by a lone enemy Me-109, which in turn was shot down by 401st gunners. Of Lt. Keck's crew, the radio operator, S/Sgt. R. E. Engler and ball turret gunner, S/Sgt. E. W. Norr, were killed in action, while the other crew members survived and became POW's.
B-17 No. 42-107113, piloted by Lt. P. J. Sullivan, was forced to land in Belgium, but the crew returned safely to Deenethorpe. In addition, to the downed aircraft, two 401st ships received major battle damage and 21 received minor flak damage. Four 401st crewmen were wounded, one seriously.
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