posted on September 6, 2000 06:47:51 PMThis is an entry in the transcription of Lt. Vern L. Moncur's bomber mission journal, which he kept during his service as a B-17 Pilot for the 303rd Bombardment Group (H), 359th Bombardment Squadron in Molesworth, England.
MISSION #5
Date: January 11, 1944
Target: Oschersleben, Germany
Altitude: 20,000 feet
Plane: N-029 "Wallaroo"
Position: No. 6, Lead Squadron, Lead Group
This mission was the toughest mission thus far, and as later events proved, it was the toughest mission we had in the whole combat tour. It was rated as one of the three toughest missions that the 8th Air Force ever flew. (In this my crew and I heartily agree!!) Immediately upon crossing the French coast, we were engaged by very accurate flak guns. This continued for three hours - three hours which seemed like an eternity. Many of the bursts were right ahead of us, under our nose, wings, behind us - in fact all around us. All of them were far too close to suit any of us.
This raid was sort of botched up. Our wing was the second wing to go in. Because of very bad weather closing in over England, the whole mission received orders to return to base immediately. Our wing, the second one, was only ten minutes from the Initial Point from which our bomb run would begin when the recall message came through. Because of our nearness to the target, the recall was disregarded and we went on in to bomb. The wing ahead of us did the same thing. However, the fighter escort which was supposed to be with us received the recall too, and our entire escort turned around and went back to England with the other wings of bombers. Within five minutes after the P-47s left us, the Luftwaffe came up in great numbers and gave us a running battle for the next three hours and forty-five minutes.
In the first wave of enemy planes, there were at least one hundred ME-109s, FW-190s, JU-88s and a few ME-110s and JU-87s. The first pass made at our group included thirty to thirty-five ME-109s and FW-190s. The low group, to our left, had three Forts go down from this first pass. We also saw three German fighters shot down by this group during this time. The No. 4 ship, lead ship of our element and on whose wing we were flying formation, had its No. l engine hit. It immediately burst into flames and dropped out of formation. A few minutes later, this plane exploded. Soon afterward, the No. 3 ship ahead of us also caught on fire in the No. l engine and peeled out of formation. This ship exploded, also. Lt. Purcell was the pilot, and he and his crew didn't have a chance. (Purcell and I had been together through all of our training.) I then moved my ship up into the No. 3 position, flying on the left wing of the Wing Leader, General Travis.
Several fierce attacks were made on our squadron - the other groups were getting worked over by the Krauts, also. We were all really catching hell. We made several evasive maneuvers to get away from the fighters during this time. It looked like the Germans thought we were headed for Berlin on this mission, and were making an all out effort to stop us.
Our bomb run was made amidst accurate flak bursts and continued fighter attacks. Our target was the factory that produced 45% of the German FW-190 fighters. From all reports, we did a highly satisfactory job of bombing and destroyed practically all of this plant. Later on, we were awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation Badge for this day's work. Just before we turned on our bombing run, possibly fifteen or twenty minutes before, a FW-190 made a pass at our lead ship and then came on through the formation towards us. S/Sgt Rosier, top turret gunner, shot him down and thereby got his first fighter. The ball turret gunner, Sgt. Hein, got a "very probable" fighter within two or three minutes after Rosier had nailed his fighter.
Upon our withdrawal from the target, we were attacked spasmodically by fighters and shot at by some very good flak gunners. During the concentrated fighter attack, our plane received damage from a 20mm shell that was fired from a little above and to the left of the cockpit, going just over the cockpit, grazing the fuselage, going through the stabilizer and elevator on the right side of the plane. Apparently the Gods were with us, because this shell didn't explode when it hit. Otherwise, we would have been blown to Kingdom Come.
We also had a large hole shot through the No. 3 engine oil cooler, which just grazed a gas tank and then hit the hydraulic line which operates the No. 4 engine cowl flaps. Another lucky hit for us!
As we approached the German border, two more Forts in our group were lost - only two or three men got out of each ship. I also saw another Fort (ahead and to our left) do a very steep wing-over, nearly going over on its back, and then go down in flames. About this time I saw a German fighter get hit by a flak burst and explode. This made us all chuckle! High above and ahead of us, a P-47 hit a German fighter, and the Jerry's plane exploded. And to our left, a P-47 knocked down a JU-88 at about the same time. (We had a few P-47s and P-51s come out to help us on our withdrawal as soon as Bomber Headquarters found out that there were two wings of bombers which had gone on to their targets.) As an added feature during all of this time, we were continually being shot at - and far too accurately, too - by some very good Kraut flak gunners.
Upon reaching beautiful England, we found the usual weather awaiting us. England was socked-in with a very dense overcast, and to get below it. we came in over the coast at about 2000 feet and then had to drop down to about 300 feet before we ever reached the base. The field was really socked-in, and after buzzing the field, we finally located the runway and landed. Immediately upon touching the ground, I locked the brakes because I had landed too far down the runway for a normal landing roll. We slid both wheels - the pavement was wet from the rain and sleet - and did just slide to a stop not over thirty feet from the end of the runway. We had just enough room left to turn the plane around by locking one wheel and turning on a point.
Lt. McManus, my roommate, was reported to have landed somewhere in England, so we all felt relieved and happy that he and his crew were safe. Mac and I are the only ones left of the original ones in our squadron who started together in primary training.
All of us were a very happy and thankful bunch of boys to get our feet on the ground that day England never looked so good! There was no injury to any member of the crew, though our plane was shot up quite a bit in several places. Our bomb load was 6 five-hundred pound demolition bombs, and we also carried one bomb bay gasoline tank.
The last reports we received from this mission listed ten planes lost out of our group. Altogether, sixty-one Flying Fortresses and crews were lost on this mission. Of the ten crews lost from our field, I knew five of the First Pilots personally and had done much of my training with them. They were Lieutenants Purcell, Eich, Schwaebe, Simmons and Hallden.
posted on September 6, 2000 07:14:43 PM
I just recently saw the movie Saving Private Ryan. It was one of the best movies that I have ever seen so I wanted my 11 year old daughter to see it too. I bought a copy on Amazon. She has watched it 11 times, every night when she goes to bed she watches a portion of it.
posted on September 6, 2000 09:32:25 PM
Saving Private Ryan is also one of my very favorite movies. I was in the Army once. Are you sure that a movie with that level of violence, blood and gore is appropriate for an 11 year old? Heather
posted on September 7, 2000 12:31:52 AM
Good question Heather. I don't know long term. I did consider it. But strangly enough in that context of reality it did not bother me. I want her to understand war and history and as long as she does not fear it in a way that affects her happiness and security, then I think of it more as education than anything.
How do you discuss the death penalty? How do you explain abortion? or the threat of nucler war, terrorism, end of times, the death of Christ? School shootings? Racial lynchings? Child abuse? Poverty? We go over some very very difficult historical issues in our homeschool curriculum.
Real life issues are hard. We get through them the best we can with much discussion. She is an extremely quiet passive child. Nothing seems to bother her at all. She deals with some difficult situations with horses from time to time that can seem frightening and violent (to me). She hunts with her dad and learns to kill for food. So far I see no ill effects of anything that she has faced. She is perhaps much more aware of certian things than many children her own age.
I think it's how you approach the difficult things in life. I believe that children require a healthy and completly non-threatening home life. Security, gentle fair discipline and unconditional love.
It is the pointless violence that bothers me the most. Hockey is her favorite sport and I think the violence outside the game is uncalled for. I don't like movies that portray it as glamourous or exciting. I don't let them watch even mildly violent cartoons at all.
Each parent has to decide individually for each child what they are able to cope with and spend many many hours making it all make sense in it's own context. It (the movie) might not be right for many children. So far we are ok.
T
[ edited by jt on Sep 7, 2000 12:32 AM ]
posted on September 7, 2000 01:14:06 AM
Terri, I do understand, in a way, where you are coming from. My children are 4 and 5, none of the issues that you listed are something that has come up yet. I do believe that everyone should know of the sacrifices that the Veterans made to make us all free.
Yes, real life issues are so hard. My younger brother died in a gun accident when he was 15. Now, I will not have a gun in my home, no matter what arguement that anyone makes. There is just too much that can happen, whether the children are responsible or not. Did anyone see that hidden camera they did with the children left in a room with what looked to be real guns? Even though all had been taught to never touch them or play with them, all of them broke down and played with it. My concern with seeing that kind of violence is that children become desensitized to it. There is so many arguements for this, and I am not going to bring up any of them. This is not an issue of gun control. (So any of you with the NRA running through your veins, or those that need their weapons for "protection" please do not start. I have my own beliefs and values, and no one is going to change them for me.)
I think you have written very well for your point of view and I admire that, although I do not agree with you on some points. I have one child that is fascniated with scary movies and play guns, all those boy things. Any thought that he ever has is spoken. On the other hand I have a daughter who is very quiet, it is suprising what she knows about life. My 29 year old brother has terminal brain cancer. She never said a single word about it until 6 months after his diagnosis. That 5 year old little girl reeled off things about brain tumors, chemotherapy, radiation, and brain surgery that would shock you. All that time she listened and never said anything until it was too much for her. That is the kind of child that needs to be worried about, they internalize everything, and later on you find out they know a heck of a lot more than they ever let on. My daughter sounds like your daughter, quiet, passive, and sweet as can be. I am so tired I think I am not making sense, but I think that you will understand what I am trying to say. There is so much going on in this world, why start them out so young? I am guilty of this also, so please do not think I am trying to attack you. I have read your posts for quite sometime and can tell you are a mother to be proud of. Heather
posted on September 7, 2000 05:41:25 AM
Thanks for the link, digitalman. My late father-in-law was actively involved with the 303rd. We met him in San Francisco a few years ago for one of the conventions. It was interesting to see the displays and hear the stories. I think there's a museum in Georgia - Savannah, perhaps - that's dedicated to that group. This year's convention is in San Diego later this month.
posted on September 7, 2000 09:10:22 AM
hcross, I do understand what you said. I appreciate your comments. Don't think that I TRY to expose her to all these difficult things. I ONLY answer as questions are brought to me. This is often due to self exploration on her part. She will read the World Book and ask me questions, or watch the news and questions arise, etc. She looks through medical books and science books for hours on end...just browsing asking, browsing asking. She was interested in WWII and has asked questions about it, thus I knew the movie would be of great interest to her. We skimmed it last year but SO briefly. Now we are studying Japan and it comes up again and again in her reading...BUT it isn't to be covered until next year in depth.
I get accused (especially by other parents in RL) of sheltering them MUCH more often than of exposing them to too much. To me that says we have a pretty good balance going.
I am sincerely sorry about your brother. I respect your views. We take many precautions.
T
posted on September 7, 2000 03:23:51 PM
Digitalman:
Great post. Thanks to people like you we will not forget. All it takes is a few people
who care to keep these men alive in our memories.
My family has lost men in every war this country has been in and although I don't
know all their names I think of them every time I stand in line to vote.We may have
some pretty crummy choices at times but we have choices because many men and
women sacrificed everything to preserve our right to choose.
I have always been a sappy patriot and darn proud of it.
I did my turn in the Military not because I liked green but because I felt it was the
least I could do for the country that gave me such freedom and opportunity.
I know as a women that it is not expected but I still felt this way.(Although my first
Sergeant once told me that in his two wars and one police action I was the best
assistant he has ever had , and the worst soldier he had ever seen.
Well I did try.
posted on September 7, 2000 08:19:27 PM
Thanks digital...my pops was a B-17 pilot based in Italy...I can still remeber taking a summer vacation in 1965 to visit ALL the members of his crew. My Mom still recieves X-mas cards from the survivors...
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
posted on September 8, 2000 05:27:02 PM
TSgt James Andrus was the radio operator on the same flight. Here is a different perspective of the same mission.
Mission Journal of TSgt James S. Andrus
FIFTH MISSION
"WALLEROO"
Date: January 11, 1944
Target: Oschersleben, Germany
Take off: 08:10 hours
Altitude: 20,000 ft.
This raid was the worst raid of this theatre of operations. We were bombing the Foche-Wolf airplane factory and we sure made a mess of it. We had P-47 escorts at the beginning of the raid and we were supposed to have P-51 escorts near the target, but they didn't show up. As soon as our escorts left us we were hit by FW-190s, ME109s, JU.88s and JU.87s. The JU.87 is the Stuka dive-bomber. They appeared to be waiting on us, because when we saw them they were already coming into the attack. The whole German Luftwaffe must have been up there, because most of the B-17s didn't have a chance. I was looking out the hatch in the radio room and I saw the first attack on the group behind us. It's an amazing sight to see B-17s going down.
We were in the lead group, lead squadron. When we ended up we were riding on General Travis' left wing. All the other planes had been shot down that originally held that position.
Lt. Moncur and Lt. Cunningham saved the day with their evasive action. The evasive action was so violent, half the time we were off the floor and the next thing you knew you were on the flat of your back. Bob Rosier destroyed an FW-190 and so did Walter Hein. The guns were certainly hot that time. The flak didn't bother us much, but there was plenty of it. I saw a lot of enemy fighters go down and a lot of B-17s. We lost two out of our squadron and ten off the whole base. That was one raid that the General didn't look for. The next time he goes, I think I'll stay home. Those Jerries must have known he was coming because they were waiting for us. All together we lost 124 aircraft.
posted on September 9, 2000 09:29:47 AM
Thanks Digital!!!!!
I was going to post a couple of entries from Dad's flight diary, but all the stuff is buried (by "eBay items" in the garage.
Maybe if I listed some things I could find it!!!
Thanks again for the link!
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
posted on September 9, 2000 01:59:34 PM
Just a question for you guys. Where these flight journals required or are they like personnal journals?
I find the entries fascinating.
Ubiedaman: Please dig them out we would love to hear some excerpts.
posted on September 17, 2000 11:32:51 PM
I honestly don't know the answer..I can only say that my Dad's where written in a 2x4 flip notebook..I don't know if these were notes he made to fill out the daily reports, or if these were the actual notes read during debriefing....sorry I can't give more info!
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
God Bless Our Veterans 
in the garage.
