TARGET: SYNTHETIC OIL PLANT
LEIPZIG, GERMANY
20 JULY, 1944

The prospect of generally good visual bombing weather caused the dispatching of almost 1300 heavies on widespread policing raids of synthetic oil plants, aircraft and other factories in central Germany. The target assigned to the 457th Group was a small but relatively important ball bearing factory situated in the western part of Leipzig. It specialized in bearings for aircraft.

The twelve-plane box inaugurated on the Augsburg mission for deep penetration was used. The Group furnished the lead and low boxes for the 94th B Combat Wing, flying seventh in the Division formation. Lt. Col. Hoffman led, with Lt. Stafford as pilot. Captain J. L. Smith led the low box.

The initial half of the route over enemy territory was the same as on the flight to Augsburg. The departure from it was made just before passing Frankfurt. This deception, coupled with the fact that a large force of heavy bombers from Italy was en route to the Munich area, confused the enemy’s fighter controllers. The Group encountered no fighter opposition and only small attacks were made on the entire force. As the course was flown the clouds decreased from ten-tenths over England to three to five-tenths in the target area. However, ground haze was dense.

Visual bombing conditions, which had existed for the first wings into the vicinity of the target, were suddenly changed by a large cloud bank which moved into the area during the bombing. This was the situation as the 457th approached Leipzig on the bomb run. The center of the industrial area was the assigned target under such conditions. Bombing was by PFF from 25,000 feet.

A small break in the clouds at the time of impact permitted location of the bursts on the strike photos. They hit four miles southeast of the center of Leipzig with the main weight in open fields. Moderate antiaircraft fire was experienced by the Group, from more than a hundred guns in the area. Thirteen planes suffered minor damage. For the day, the Eighth Air Force lost nineteen bombers.