donaldbyers
10/5/2016 8:07:51 PM | By Don Byers Group Historian….
ONE WAY TICKET TO BERLIN by John Meurs
ISBN: 978-1-938879-19-7 Price $25.00 Plus S/H through Quail Ridge Press, 1-800-343-1583 or www.quailridge.com.
This book is focused on 29 April 1944 Mission to Berlin Germany. The book has many stories within its 849 pages and includes stories of the 401st Bombardment Group (H) starting on page 481 and ends on page 532. Although this is not an 401st BG book it is a good read with all the stories and what their experiences were during Mission 327 of the 8th AAF and Mission 60 for us.
SATURDAY, 29 APRIL 1944 (8th AAF Web Site)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 327: 679 bombers and 814 fighters are dispatched to bomb Berlin, concentrating on railway facilities; they claim 95-33-48 Luftwaffe aircraft; 63 bombers and 13 fighters are lost:
1. 210 of 228 B-17s bomb Berlin; 10 B-17s are lost and 150 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 7 WIA and 100 MIA.
2. 218 B-17s are dispatched to Berlin; 158 hit the primary, 24 hit Magdeburg, 10 hit Brandenburg and 4 hit targets of opportunity; 28 B-17s are lost and 161 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 20 WIA and 260 MIA.
3. 212 of 233 B-24s bomb Berlin; 25 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 121 damaged; 13 airmen are KIA, 11 WIA and 246 MIA. Escort is provided by 117 P-38s, 463 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 234 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; 3 P-38s and 10 P-51s are lost; 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair; 7 P-38s, 16 P-47s and 7 P-51s are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 12 MIA.
I do recommend this book if you’re interested in reading some good stories.
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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