 |
|
|
Hitler's V-1 rocket program was still striking London. The Mighty 8th was furnished updated intelligence reporting the possible locations of the crossbow sites. The 2nd Air Division was ordered to the Siracourt area again. Pathfinders were dispatched to lead the raids on the camouflaged targets.
|
|
The Group put up 22 ships and crews to attack a No Ball near St. Paul, France. No Ball is a slang term for a crossbow site. One of the planes had to abort during assembly.
|
|
|
The 8th Air Force didn't dispatch nearly as many fighter escorts as it had on the last run to Siracourt. By this time the Luftwaffe was practically non-existent in western France.
|
|
|
Absolutely none. The flak guns couldn't locate the Group because of clouds, thrown chaff and radar jamming equipment flown by a special squadron. If there were any enemy fighters left stationed in the area, they didn't come up to challenge the Allies.
|
|
Some of the other groups did encounter flak at their targets. Although the 8th Air Force didn't lose any bombers or escorts that day, they did have some damaged ones.
|
|
|
Since the V-1 rocket bases were well hidden under camouflage, the mission's success couldn't be gauged. Like before, the Pathfinders marked the spot and the Group dropped there. For whatever reasons, 2 of the credited sorties weren't able to bomb their target.
|
|
|
The return trip home was like a Sunday drive. And yes, this mission was on a Sunday. Every crew wished that all of their remaining missions would be this easy.
|
|
|
Perhaps the 492nd needed an easy mission after the hard luck they had on the last one. Certainly the choice for the day's target wasn't based on the Group's emotional needs, but it was timely just the same. The missions to France were getting easier. That price had been paid by the deep missions into Germany.
|
