TARGET: CENTER OF BERLIN

BERLIN, GERMANY

8 MAY, 1944

The center of Berlin was the target. The 457th put up the lead box and two-thirds of the high box in the 94th Combat Wing. Col. Luper served as Air Commander of the lead A Wing, with Lt. Russell M. Selwyn as pilot. Captain William F. Smith was Air Commander of the high box, while Lt. Charles D. Brannan was pilot. The 40 1st Bomb Group comprised the low box.

Lead crew Lt. Edward B. Dozier

The target was completely overcast, so the fourteen attacking aircraft bombed the primary target with unobserved results. Ten aircraft bombed Brandenburg and its vicinity, also with unobserved results; eleven craft attacked targets of opportunity.

Bombing was done in a wing bombing formation. The smoke bomb of the wing lead PFF craft failed to operate and trail smoke. This complication caused a problem to develop because the low and lead groups could not see the bombs fall. Upon being advised the bombs had been dropped, the other craft sought optional targets.

Flak opposition was intense, damaging seventeen aircraft. One of the craft in the low box (401st) took a direct hit causing it to go into a spin and crash. Only one chute was observed.