September 19, 1944
Flight Crew |
Name |
Rank |
Duties |
Miller, Elmonte R |
Lieutenant |
Pilot |
Nowacki, Jack W |
Lieutenant |
Co-Pilot |
Hodgkiss, Bernard V |
Lieutenant |
Navigator |
Katsiginis, Spiris T |
Lieutenant |
Bombardier |
Lohr, John F |
Cpl |
Radio Op/Gunner |
Weese, Jackson D |
Cpl |
Engr./Top Turret |
Cunningham, Charles L |
Cpl |
Ball Turret gunner |
Whiting, Edward H |
Sergeant |
Waist Gunner |
Johnson, Marvin J |
Cpl |
Tail Gunner |
The Mission#206
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A/C name Lil Satan |
Country Germany |
Target Marshalling
Yards |
A/C number 42-97890 |
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Squadron Position Lead Squadron |
A/C Pos Low Element Left
Wing |
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City Hamm |
Slightly weary from a three
day pass I boarded my bicycle and headed for the mess hall. Fried eggs,
sunny side up, bacon, toast and a canteen cup of grapefruit juice. It
looked like a good idea at the time but on top of the excesses I had
enjoyed on the three day pass, it was not a good idea. At 1500 hours the
grapefruit was still burning like a red hot coal in my stomach. That was
the least of my problems as it turned out. The briefing officer
described our target as just across
the border from
Holland
and showed us beautiful pictures of a
large railroad marshalling yard. Alas it was not o be. For reasons that
my memory cannot retrieve we lost an engine somewhere near the target
area. We started loosing altitude and our bombardier found a target of
opportunity. It was a small town called Haiger about 20 mi south of our
intended target. Again we were all alone because we could not keep up
with the group due to our loss of power and the heavy bomb load. Aside
from the loss of an engine our damage from flack was light. The Co Pilot
later recorded only one hole in his notes. Monty called the crew on the
intercom and asked if we were all game to try to cross the
English Channel
as opposed of attempting a landing on
the Continent. We were all in favor of going home so off we went loosing
altitude mile by mile. By the time we had
England
in sight we were too low to bail out.
Fortunately the British had planned for such an eventuality and had
thoughtfully constructed an airfield near Lands End. We made it, but
just barely, one of our remaining engines failed just as we were
landing. Fortunately it was on the opposite side from the first dead
engine. The mission lasted 7 hours and 30 min. We slept aboard that
night which was not too comfortable to start with but the constant anti
aircraft fire from the battery about 20 ft away really was the last
straw. They were firing at V-1s (buzz bombs) which were headed for
London
and I had visions of them bringing one
down on top of us. The shrapnel that was landing all around was a
bit disconcerting as well. There is an old saying among airmen, “Any
landing you can walk away from is a good one”
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