Comments on: Target Berlin http://libertyladybook.com/2009/05/04/target-berlin/ a B-17 bomber crew, the OSS, and a wartime love story Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:02:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Pat http://libertyladybook.com/2009/05/04/target-berlin/comment-page-1/#comment-1210 Pat Sun, 10 May 2009 14:45:37 +0000 http://libertyladybook.com/?p=1340#comment-1210 Yes, what an orientation your Dad and his crew had! I'm glad you mentioned weather, because that's a great intro to my next post. If you don't mind, I will use your comments. Thanks again, Rowdy, for your contributions. Yes, what an orientation your Dad and his crew had! I’m glad you mentioned weather, because that’s a great intro to my next post. If you don’t mind, I will use your comments. Thanks again, Rowdy, for your contributions.

]]> By: Rowdy http://libertyladybook.com/2009/05/04/target-berlin/comment-page-1/#comment-1209 Rowdy Sun, 10 May 2009 00:39:42 +0000 http://libertyladybook.com/?p=1340#comment-1209 My father's 447th BG, together with the other groups of the Eighth, flew their 3 March mission to Berlin--it was Dad's first combat mission. It was to have been the Eighth's first daylight mission to that target, but it was scrubbed due to bad weather. They launched again on 4 March bound once more for Berlin and again the mission was scrubbed due to bad weather. However, this time Dad's plane lost 2-engines on the same side causing them a forced landing at Eastchurch, an RAF fighter base. I believe that there was no 5 March mission and Dad's crew returned to their base about mid-day on 6-March to discover that the Group had gone once again to Berlin. This time the weather cleared and the result was what you've read in this book. However, all the 447th planes returned on the 6th, demonstrating what a matter of chance so much of the air war was for the young men. Dad and his crew flew missions to Berlin on the 8th and the 9th before the target was shifted to Munster the next day. For them, their first 3-missions as a rookie crew were to Berlin. Quite an initiation for a rookie crew... during a 7-day period, the Eighth flew 5-missions to Berlin, Dad's crew flew 3 of those first Berlin missions, but missed the big one on the 6th through a stroke of good luck caused by two engines out! Rowdy My father’s 447th BG, together with the other groups of the Eighth, flew their 3 March mission to Berlin–it was Dad’s first combat mission. It was to have been the Eighth’s first daylight mission to that target, but it was scrubbed due to bad weather.

They launched again on 4 March bound once more for Berlin and again the mission was scrubbed due to bad weather. However, this time Dad’s plane lost 2-engines on the same side causing them a forced landing at Eastchurch, an RAF fighter base.

I believe that there was no 5 March mission and Dad’s crew returned to their base about mid-day on 6-March to discover that the Group had gone once again to Berlin. This time the weather cleared and the result was what you’ve read in this book. However, all the 447th planes returned on the 6th, demonstrating what a matter of chance so much of the air war was for the young men.

Dad and his crew flew missions to Berlin on the 8th and the 9th before the target was shifted to Munster the next day. For them, their first 3-missions as a rookie crew were to Berlin. Quite an initiation for a rookie crew… during a 7-day period, the Eighth flew 5-missions to Berlin, Dad’s crew flew 3 of those first Berlin missions, but missed the big one on the 6th through a stroke of good luck caused by two engines out!

Rowdy

]]> By: Barbara Ann http://libertyladybook.com/2009/05/04/target-berlin/comment-page-1/#comment-1206 Barbara Ann Tue, 05 May 2009 08:28:43 +0000 http://libertyladybook.com/?p=1340#comment-1206 The book does sound intense! Enjoyed the video. You are right....it is neat to listen first hand to the crew. Must have been quite a day. The book does sound intense! Enjoyed the video. You are right….it is neat to listen first hand to the crew. Must have been quite a day.

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