TARGET: DAIMLER-BENZ ENGINE WORKS
GENSHAGEN, GERMANY
6 AUGUST, 1944

The target for the 457th was in the Berlin area, the route leading out around the German capital. Twenty-three wings of Eighth Air Force heavies attacked industrial targets in north- central Germany and Poland, and No Ball targets in France. The Group’s target was the Daimler-Benz engine works at Genshagen, 20 miles south of Berlin, largest aero engine factory in Germany and main producer of Daimler-Benz 603 and 605 engines, as well as maker of jet engines.

The 457th put up three twelve-aircraft boxes, forming the 94th C Combat Wing. For this thrust into the heart of the Reich, Major Watson was the Air Commander and Captain Dozier was pilot.

With the Group flying ninth position, the First Division pointed out across the North Sea on headings as on the previous day’s mission, crossed the enemy coast in the same area and again struck southeast between Hamburg and Bremen. Near Luneburg, the Group had a near encounter with 30 to 60 Me 109s. These passed the formation without attacking, apparently trying to evade P-51s. Thence the route led to a point forty miles north-northeast of Berlin and from that point arched around the city in a clockwise direction.

From the IP the target was clearly identifiable. The MPIs were workshops dispersed in the wooded area of the plant. It was a comparatively short bomb run from the IP and flak was thick. The Group flew a straight and level course and salvoed the bombs in the factory area.
The Wing turned left after bombs away and was not in flak more than three or four minutes, but one of the B-17s, piloted by Lt. Vincent L. Frost, was hit by flak in No. 2 engine and its left wing was in flames. From six to eight chutes were seen, but one of these fouled and the crewman fell without it. Moments later the aircraft blew up. Four of the crew failed to survive.