Target: Magdeburg - 3 February 1945 - Mission #233

The beginning of February's missions would see the Group being assigned on five occasions to strike the major oil complex around Magdeburg. This raid was the first of these. There had been six different Field Order instructions on various targets before it was settled to go with two target option plans once again. Plan "A" designated a primary of the oil refinery complex just north of Magdeburg with a secondary of the marshalling yards in the same city. Plan "B" called for striking targets in Berlin. General briefings for 30 crews were held at 0430 and 0600 hours with Plan "A" finally being selected.

At 0824, all crews began launch with 29 going over the secondary target and releasing 292 500-pounders by H2X methods. A visual bomb run had been commenced on the primary but low clouds drifting over the target area at the last minute necessitated the radar run on the marshalling yards. The number 3 engine on a/c 42-50709 failed on the bomb run, so this plane jettisoned its bombs about 5 minutes before the target. There were no enemy fighters seen but flak fire, particularly at position 5273N-0437E, was moderate and fairly accurate. Six returning B-24s suffered battle damage but all returned safely at 1504.

With the Russian front line continually advancing westward, a teletype from 8th Air Force HQ gave these directions: "Until agreements are reached with Russian authorities the following instructions will be followed by combat crews in case ACFT [aircraft] are damaged on missions and are closer to the Russian front lines than to the western front lines:

1. ACFT will proceed to home base if possible.

2. ACFT will land at friendly bases west of the western front lines if necessary.

3. ACFT will land in Sweden if friendly bases cannot be reached.

4. If it can be avoided, it is recommended that ACFT of this command do not attempt to land behind the Russian front lines as ACFT approaching those lines from Germany may be regarded as hostile and may be attacked by either German or Russian ground or fighter forces.

In the event that procedures No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 cannot be followed and in order avoid landing in Germany, the Russian lines should be crossed at as high an altitude as possible and landing should be made as far east of the lines as possible. If the safety of the crew is jeopardized by Russian attacks, crew may abandon ACFT in flight."

CREW LOADING LIST - MISSION #233