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Angels Unknown - Prologue by John Bybee -- 764th Bomb Squadron Since May 1944, Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers had hammered at fuel plants and oil refineries located at Ploesti, Vienna, Silesia, Poland, Sudetenland, and Budapest. In July, overcoming some of the most potent resistance encountered over Europe had cost the Fifteenth Air Force 318 heavies. By the end of August the Italian-based B-24's and B-17's had sent 1.8 million tons of crude oil up in flames, and reduced 90% of the Ploesti complex to rubble. On August 24, 1944 what Winston S. Churchill called, "The taproot of German might," - Ploesti closed down. The cost was high, 350 heavy bombers had been lost in the Ploesti campaign alone. Combating the Fifteenth's oil offensive cost the Third Reich 400 fighter aircraft a week. The average life span of the brave, young, Luftwaffe pilots was seven missions - their attrition rate - 14% per mission. At dawn, 7 August, the Germans counterattacked at Mortain and advanced towards Auranches on the Sea. To protect the Allied drive across France, Eisenhower ordered maximum support from the heavy bomber force. Strategic bombers were pulled off oil targets and sent out to destroy bridges, railroads, airfields, and carry emergency supplies. On 23 August 1944, 9 out of 24 451st Bomb Group Liberators attacking Markersdorf airdrome at Vienna were shot down by waves of German fighters. This was one of the last major concentrated attacks by the Luftwaffe fighters on Fifteenth Air Force bombers. During September, Allied forces pushed back the wedge of German forces and sealed the gap at Palaise-Argenton. General Patton and his 3rd Army had outrun his supply lines. The Combined Bomber Offensive stalled as heavy bombers were used as transports to haul supplies to Patton's army. German aircraft production had shifted entirely to fighters. From September to November fighter production almost doubled. In November 4,000 new fighters were produced. The number of twin-engine fighters rose from 675 to 855. Until the Fifteenth's heavy bombers returned, ammo production trebled. General Adolph Galland, head of the Luftwaffe Fighter Command hoarded gas and pilots and decided to commit them only against specific Allied bomber missions. Ken Smith's stateside bomber crew number 6757 was assigned as replacement crew number 2-3 to the 461st Bomb Group, 764th Bomb Squadron on Wednesday, 29 November 1944. On Sunday, 17 December 1944 Ken's crew took off on mission number 151 with 30 other 461st B-24's to bomb the Odertal Refinery. 17 December 1944: after a pronounced absence, the decimated but undefeated Luftwaffe rallied and surged into the winter skies over Czechoslovakia and Poland to deliver Der Grosse Schlag - The Great Blow. Ken's bomber - disabled by a mechanical failure - was brought down by flak near Trencin, Czechoslovakia. Eighty miles to the Northwest, near Muglitz, Germany, 100 plus ME-109's, FW-190's pounced on the 461st Bomb Group. In fifteen minutes, 8 of the remaining 25 B-24's were shot down. Five bombers were damaged, and only 15 of the original 31 B-24's made it to the target. Losses were lighter in the 484th Group/824th Squadron, but not less tragic. 1st Lt. Charles A. Himmler's B-24J, "Little Joe" began to lag due to an overheated number two engine. Attacked by six enemy fighters - "Little Joe" burst into flames and entered a spin. Tragedy also struck the lead group of the 451st Group/726th Squadron - Flight leader Captain William T. Shelton's B-24 collided with his deputy leader 1st Lt. Theodore C. King flying B-24 number 47 shortly after the rally off the target. Returning to Italy, while still north of Vienna, Captain Mixson of the 461st Group/764th Squadron was startled when a German voice using the correct call sign broke in on Mixson's radio and asked, "Where is the rest of your formation?", laughed and signed off. 1st Lt. Eugene F. Ford was the last casualty of mission number 151. Ford ditched his damaged Liberator off the Island of Vis. Ford, 1st Lt. R. Landry, and T/Sgt. C. Priest were unable to escape from their sinking bomber. |
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