TARGET:
KASSEL, GERMANY
4 DECEMBER 1944

The winter weather had become a reality-cold, damp, foggy days with only afew hours of daylight. Coke for heating was rationed, with little available to heat the crew huts. Base personnel, using American ingenuity, resorted to various and sundry means to secure an extra fuel supply, whether it be a raid on the coke storage house, cutting limbs (or entire trees) from the King ‘s Forest, or burning cardboard or used engine oil. The dismal weather created a gloomy atmosphere and there was little doubt among the crewmen that the war would extend into 1945. It was 4 December before a mission could get airborne.

When it became apparent that it was impossible to catch the formation, the Group Leader called for fighters to escort the Group to the target. The course was flown approximately as briefed, but the formation lost about seven minutes from the first Control Point to the last turn before the IP, because winds were not as briefed. The 457th succeeded in joining the Division formation between the second and third group, a few minutes before the IP was reached.

The IP was crossed on course, and as cloud coverage was ten tenths, it became necessary to make a PFF run on the target. Bombing was done in Group formation with the lead craft performing the sighting operation. Meager, inaccurate flak caused no interference on the bomb run, and bombs were dropped at 25,000 feet. Although photos showed the ground to be obscured by clouds, analysis of the position of the aircraft after bombs away with relationship to the ground as seen through a hole in the undercast, shows that built up areas were definitely hit.

All crews returned safely. Although takeoff had been in early morning, the bombers barely returned before the early afternoon darkness.