TARGET: MARSHALLING YARDS
HALLE, GERMANY
31 MARCH, 1945

The Group was to return to Merseberg with the marshalling yards at Halle the secondary target. The Group comprised the 94th B Combat Wing with Major Stann as Air Commander.

Assembly conditions were poor. Haze and heavy contrails made it necessary to raise assembly altitude to briefed plus 4,500 feet. Both the 351st and the 401st Bomb Groups crossed over the 457th’s assembly area during assembly. The 457th, briefed to follow the 351st, assembled in Wing formation behind the 401st instead. The 35 1st was unable to locate the Wing formation at this point because of heavy contrails and clouds, but later joined the Division bomber stream.

Route to the target was uneventful and was flown on course at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 feet above briefed in order to avoid contrails and clouds.

Cloud coverage at the target was nine to ten tenths and it Was necessary to bomb the PFF secondary in Group formation. Poor visibility caused constant interference. Bombs were dropped from 25,000 feet. Bomb results were not observed. Flak was moderate but accurate, with seven craft sustaining damage.

March ended with the Group having flown 24 missions, putting three boxes aloft on every mission except the 24 March mission, when the two missions in one day were flown.