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Doolittle's Mighty 8th was ordered to engage in another maximum effort. The main targets was the Berlin metro. The 14th Wing drew an industrial facilty that manufactured aircraft engines, located at Genshagen on the outskirts of Berlin. This would be the Group's first trip to the Big B.
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The 492nd could barely muster up 11 planes for the effort. Three of the crews were survivors of yesterday's battle. Major Adams led the Group, flying with the Harding Crew 902.
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The B-24 force was very well protected. The escorts actually outnumbered the bombers.
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For the 492nd, flak was the greater threat. The flak was heavy over the target, but didn't find any of the planes in the Group. Enemy fighters were observed escorting the Group. Every once in a while they would make a teasing bluff at the Group, but stayed out of harm's way.
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Although it was a cloudy day, the 14th Wing was able to locate and hit their target with fair results.
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What goes around, comes around. That old saying applies to good luck as well as the bad. On this day, the Mighty 8th suffered the loss of 45 heavy bombers. Hundreds more were damaged by flak, but the 492nd flew in and out without incident.
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Part of that was good luck, but some of that was by design. Normally, when possible, a group would be given the day off after substaining a large loss. But on this day that wasn't an option, so the mission planners positioned the 492nd to fly in the safest spot they could give them.
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| Mission Data |
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36
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Date:
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21 Jun 44
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Genshagen, Germany
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Aircraft Facilty
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Aircraft
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Bomb Load
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Tons:
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29
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Type:
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100 lb GPs
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Result:
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Fair
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Enemy Action
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Flak:
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Heavy
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GAF:
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Me-109s
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Counter Action
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Kills:
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0
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492 Casualties
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KIA:
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WIA:
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POW:
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INT:
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