TARGET: MARSHALLING YARDS
COLOGNE, GERMANY
14 OCTOBER, 1944

Cologne was an important industrial, communications, commercial, transportation and population center in Germany. Situated in the heart of the Rhine Valley, it presented a variety of targets for the Eighth Air Force, and was the target of many attacks by the Eighth. It was also a heavily fortified target.

Col. Rogner was anxious to get the Group back in action. On 14 October, Major Dickinson led the 457th to attack the Cologne marshalling yards. Notwithstanding the losses suffered on 7 October, the 457th’s thirty-six planes comprised the 94th C Combat Wing and was last over the target. Other efforts were to be attacks on other marshalling yards, and the Ford Plant in Cologne by the 2nd and 3rd Division, and on Saarbrucken by the 41st Wing.

Lead crew Lt. Higgins (air commander Col. Rollins)

Lead crew Lt. Dawson (air commander Col. Wallace)

The route to the vicinity of the IP was flown on course at approximately 600 feet above briefed altitude in order to avoid contrails The formation overshot the IP, because of a misunderstanding between the lead navigator and the PFF navigator.

The Group bombed the secondary PFF target due to ten- tenths cloud coverage. The lead squadron turned about ten miles east of the briefed IP, and the bomb run proceeded smoothly. Bombs were released from 25,800 feet for the lead squadron. The low squadron bombed in trail on the smoke markers of the lead squadron. Meager to moderate flak was encountered, but it did not interfere with the run. The high squadron bombed in trail, but performed its own bombing on instruments.

Target Cologne, Germany

The flight from the target was flown in trail of the Division Leader. The formation was considerably north of course, but could not deviate because of the necessity of remaining in the Division formation.

The Group proceeded to the Base without incident. All crews returned safely with no loss of aircraft.