TARGET: BARRACKS
ELSENBORN, BELGIUM
9 AUGUST, 1944

Success of the planned mission by seventeen combat wings of heavy bombers, against aircraft and tank plants, and air and fuel depots in southwestern Germany, was prevented by weather. The target of the Group, forming the lead and low boxes of twelve aircraft each of the 94th A Combat Wing, was the Neubiberg Air Depot, southeast of Munich, which the planes never reached. Instead a barracks area near Elsenborn, Belgium was bombed. Lt. Col. Hoffman led as Air Commander and Lt. Brannan as pilot.

The route was rough from both weather and flak. Just after crossing the Dutch Coast, the wing had to climb to 23,000 feet to get above clouds, and as the planes penetrated southeastward conditions grew worse. Passing between Liege and Aachen, the formation was hit by antiaircraft fire through clouds. Dense, persistent contrails, combined with the clouds, finally made penetration to a greater distance inadvisable, the planes flying at times with complete undercast and overcast. There was a Division recall about 25 miles north of Strasbourg. The Wing did a 180 degree turn and commenced “S-ing” in search of a target of opportunity. A barracks area which was thought to be in Germany, but later turned out to be in Belgium, was selected as a target, and the Wing dropped their bombs from 21,000 feet.

On withdrawal, the Wing again encountered flak in the Aachen-Liege passage. Otherwise the return flight was without incident. For the day, the Group suffered major battle damage to five aircraft and minor battle damage to thirteen others.