TARGET: MARSHALLING YARDS
DRESDEN, GERMANY
14 FEBRUARY, 1945

The primary target was the marshalling yards at Dresden. The Group comprised the 94th B Combat Wing with Major Maguire as Air Commander. Wing assembly was accomplished without difficulty, on time, on course and in proper position in Division formation. Division assembly line was flown as briefed.

After crossing the enemy coast, the formation came upon increasingly difficult weather conditions and was forced to climb to briefed altitude plus 1,700 feet to avoid clouds and contrails. Deviations to the left and right of course to the IP were executed in order to remain in the Division column. The IP was reached seven minutes early because winds were not as briefed.

Cloud coverage in the target area was five to ten tenths and it was necessary to bomb the secondary target by instruments. Bombing was done in Group formation with the lead aircraft of the lead squadron performing the sighting operation. Bombs were dropped from 26,700 feet. Bombing results were reported as fair to good, but partly obscured by cloud coverage.

Flak was moderate with four aircraft sustaining damage. Eight aircraft landed on the Continent because of low fuel.

(Compiler Note: Dresden had become an administrative and communications center for the Third Reich.)