Major Cole took off in #42-38168 Dear Mom, 358BS-M, but had to return shortly due to mechanical difficulties. He left again in a spare 358BS B-17, Ole George, and joined the Group before it departed the English coast.

Colonel William L. Travis (C/S 41 CBW) flew as co-pilot with Capt. W.H. Bergeron in the lead ship of the low 360BS formation. Capt. Bergeron completed his tour of 25 missions. Twenty-two aircraft of the 303BG-A main formation took off. Seven aircraft of the 358BS flying in the low Squadron of the 41 CBW high Group took off with no abortions.

The 303BG-A formation attacked the primary target, the airdrome at Lechfeld, Germany with 732 120-lb. fragmentation clusters from 22,700 feet with good results. One aircraft dropped 50 bundles of leaflets on Freiburg, Germany. The 358BS formation dropped M41 120-lb. fragmentation clusters on the Memmingen, Germany Airdrome, a target of opportunity, from 26,700 feet. One aircraft jettisoned its bombs in the English Channel and another dropped its bombs on a target of opportunity. Visibility was good at both targets.

The 303BG-A Fortresses encountered meager, inaccurate flak at scattered points along the route. Flak was moderate and accurate at Lechfeld. One aircraft sustained major damage and five, minor damage.

The 358BS experienced flak at various points and six aircraft sustained minor damage. F/O Heibert 358BS navigator, suffered a flak wound in his knee cap. Both formations found enemy air opposition to be weak – only a few enemy aircraft were seen with no attacks or claims. Fighter coverage was excellent and effective. All aircraft returned to Molesworth.

The extremely complicated set-up of targets and formations for the mission made it difficult to execute smoothly, especially in view of its 8 hour, 45 minute length. The take-off delay of one hour added to crew tension and contributed to mission difficulty.

Pvt. Edward W. Flannery, 358th BS Ground Personnel, was killed in a accident involving a cletrac, which is a tractor used to tow aircraft.

More info on this mission at the 303BG website

42-31966 Lt. P. Martin - Shot down by fighters. POW 1, KIA 9.

42-37825 Lt. G. W. Mears - Landed in Switzerland. Crew interned.

42-37832 Lt. W. R. Illies - Shot down by fighters. POW 4, KIA 7.

42-38032 Lt. R. E. Neuberg - Shot down by fighters. POW 5, KIA 5.

32 aircraft assigned to this mission: Completed Mission - 23. Failed To Return - 2. Aborted - 1. Spare, Returned As Briefed - 3. Ground Spare, Unused - 3
42-31871 LaSeur, William Veryle - Failed to Return - MIA; at 1445 hrs called Grp Leader saying he had two engines out and would try for home; had escort of four friendly fighters; f/l Dubendorf, Switzerland; MACR 3485.
42-37793 Smith, Roger Clement - Failed to Return - MIA; at 1440 hrs he turned from formation; at 1455 he called Grp Leader that two engines were out and he was heading for Switzerland, escorted by P-38s through a mountain pass to the south; flak; c/l Altenrhein, Switzerland.
42-38208 Bennett, Phillip N - dropped 21 M47A1s, 10 parcels of G-26, 20 parcels of G-19 'Nickles'
42-39888 Yokie, John O - Aborted at 1246 hrs b/c #3 supercharger went out and a/c could not maintain position in the formation

Our 24 a/c were airborne between 0920 and 0956 hours, and the three spares returned to base as scheduled. Formations were effected without difficulty and all but two a/c proceeded to the target on the briefed course. The two a/c aborted over France because of mechanical problems after the spares had returned to base.

Finding the briefed targets covered by clouds, it was decided to make a visual bomb run on Oberfaffenhofen, a target of opportunity. Bombs were away at 1431 hours from 20,000 feet on a 30 degree mag heading. Strike photos show poor results.

Meager flak was seen at the enemy coast and at Amiens. A moderate barrage was encountered at Ausburg which was good for altitude but off course. At Munich very accurate flak was encountered, both barrage and tracking type at which time most of our planes suffered some damage.

Enemy a/c attacked the high squadron just south of Strasbourg on the return route. The Me 109's made head-on attacks from the high position passing under the squadron. On these attacks, the diamond plane of the second element (Lt. Caffee) was hit by a 20mm shell with Lt. Robb, Bombardier and Lt.Mundy, Navigator, being wounded.

All of our planes returned to base by 1906 hours.

A return trip saw better results, but still not what was expected. Flak was intense and accurate, causing one plane (42-7625) to land in Switzerland. All crewmen were interned by Swiss authorities, though one later escaped and returned to England.