Standing right: Warren A. Polking, 392nd mission leader, Gotha: Jim Goar, 392nd News Editor: Seated, Jim Marsteller. Photo taken at 392nd reunion 24 May, 1998

Field Order #1215

This mission was to go down in the annals of bombardment aerial warfare history as one of the most vital strikes ever made in World War II against Germany. The 392nd was to play the most important role in leading (6) of the 2nd Bomb Division 3-24 Groups to the correct target when the leading Combat Wing of (3) Liberator Groups made a critical navigational error and turned to an incorrect attack heading. Thus the 392nd turned a nearly disastrous mission for the Division into one of the most successful ever executed. The 392nd losses would be extremely heavy this day from some of the most fierce and relentless enemy fighter attacks ever encountered for such a long period of time - over 2 1/2 hours into and from the target area. The enclosed pages of summaries and diagrams taken from the Group's tactical mission records relates in small measure the history of that raid - the "Battle of Gotha".

General briefing for the (36) aircrews committed to this mission was concluded around 0530 hours. The 579th Squadron was assigned lead of the (3) 392nd Sections with Lieutenant Colonel Johnson flying as Command Pilot in the lead aircraft #42-27599 with 1st Lieutenant McGregor's crew and 1st Lieutenant Good as Lead Bombardier. In the Second Section, the lead aircraft was from the 576th Squadron with Lt Feran's crew in #492. Lt Reade's crew in aircraft #478 from the 578th lead the Third Section. Aircraft from the High Block, Second Section , led by Lt Ferran, would take the heaviest losses this day from fighter attacks. The Lead Bombardiers in the Second and Third Sections were Lts. Ziccarelli in #492 and Joachim in #478. The lead aircraft with Lt McGregor's crew in "MAC's SACK" took off at 0850. The unit's history records that (32) Liberators were dispatched on the mission of the (36) aircrews briefed. A total of (31) would reach the target area. A total of (384) 500 # GP bombs were loaded on those launched aircraft. After the aircraft reached the Dutch coast, for approximately the next 1 1/2 hours to the target and until one hour after bombs away, an estimated total of 100-150 single and twin-engine enemy fighters would prosecute their attacks against the Group and other 2nd Bomb Division B-24s.

This relentless running air battle in which the Group's gunners would claim (21) enemy kills or probable kills saw the German Air Force commit many types of fighters and employ numerous air-to-air tactics by cannon, rocket fire and even cable type bombing of the close-knit bomber formations. Of the approximate (150) fighters attacking, aircraft types included the single-engine FW-190 and ME-109 and the twin-engine rocket carrying JU-88, ME-110, and ME-210. Though friendly P-47 Thunderbolt Fighters afforded the striking bomber force excellent support, a covering P-SB Lightening Group did not come to assist when summoned. A B-17 Flying Fortress Force, flying the same drew off some of the attacking fighter waves as these bombers diverted over Germany to strike their assigned target of Schweinfurt. As the 392nd made its fateful and correct turn to a true heading of 085 degrees to start the bomb run, after the 389th, 445th, and 453rd Bomb Groups up ahead in the 2nd Combat Wing had turned in error, the first (2) of the Group's (7) aircraft and aircrews were lost in the ensuing run to bomb release at 1321 hours.

At 1318 2nd Lieutenant J. V. Johnston and his crew from the 577th Squadron, flying in the Low Block in aircraft #658 in "O" for Oscar, was believed hit by enemy aircraft fire and seen to blow up and crash on the bomb run with two chutes observed - all members MIA. At approximately the same time, 2nd Lieutenant T. J. Cox, flying Element Lead in the High Block in a 576th aircraft #102 "H" for Hotel, was seen being attacked by (5) FW-190's. With #3 engine on fire, the bomber peeled off to the right, exploded, and crashed before "bombs away."

In airplane #496, 2nd Lieutenant J. V. Barnett's crew of the 577th was last seen under fighter attack, exploding and crashing in the target area after release with (3) chutes observed from his aircraft. Another aircraft from the 576th Squadron, #527 with 2nd Lieutenant J. B. Patterson's crew flying "U" for Uniform, also was seen to explode and crash in the target area after bombs away, having come under enemy fighter attacks. It was believed (3) chutes were seen from this ship as it went down. After bomb release, the Group continued being pressed heavily by enemy aircraft as it withdrew, and (3) more Liberators and their air crews were to be lost- all MIA. From the 576th, 1st Lieutenant M. T. Johns, flying the Slot Position in the High Block with his crew on their 23rd mission in aircraft #511 "L" for Lima, was seen under attack by fighters and losing altitude with #3 engine on fire . This crew is believed to have regained control of the airplane and headed toward Switzerland. In airplane #192 'X" for Xray, 2nd Lieutenant Robert K. White's crew from the 577th was last seen (17) minutes after bomb release at 1338 at position 50370N-08400E under fighter attack with the ship going down and (3) chutes confirmed. Also from the 577th, aircraft U 344 'W' for Whiskey with 2nd Lieutenant M. E. Schlossberg's crew was also last seen being attacked by fighters, breaking up, and (3) to (5) chutes seen from this ship. And the toll to the 392nds aircrews would not be finished. In aircraft U 131 "K" for King, 1st Lieutenant E. T. Wittel from the 578th Squadron would land in southern England with his crew which included two dead from 20MM shells, Technical Sergeant J. Polonchan and Staff Sergeant Donald D. Miller. All totaled, the 392nd's aircrew casualties would be (73) persons: (2) killed in action, (1) wounded, and (70) others whose fates were not precisely known and were listed as missing-in-action. The losses on this mission would rank third only to those suffered at Friedrichshafen on 18 March 1944 and Berlin on 29 April 1944 which had (154) and (77) aircrew casualties respectively with (15) and (8) Liberators being lost during each.

The bombing results of Gotha would earn the 392nd the Distinguished Unit Citation as it led the remaining 2nd Bomb Division B-Us to the target. In the 14th Combat Wing, the Group led the 44th (nicknamed "The Flying Eightballs") Bomb Group, the B-24s of the 20th Combat Wing composed of the 93rd ("The Traveling Circus"), the 446th, and 448th Bomb Groups. The 392nd's bombing impacted (317) 500 U GP weapons on target with (64) percent within a 1000 foot radius of the briefed aiming point and (97) percent within 2000 ft. - completely destroying the main aircraft production works. Post target recon showed (24) buildings of the primary Gothear Waggonfabrik Plant completely destroyed; (11) almost destroyed; (14) plant buildings badly damaged, and (10) others significantly damaged. This facility, which contributed to almost one-third of Germany's twin-engine aircraft production, was never to recover fully from this bombing effort. The 577th Squadron suffered the heaviest aircrew losses with (4) crews MIA while the 578th lost (3). The 578th and 579th crews were to fare much better with both losing no personnel except for the two members KIA from the 578th. The High Block Section of (11) aircraft would be the heaviest hit by fighters having lost (6) of the bombers in that formation with the another bomber being lost in the Low Block Formation in the so-called "Purple-Heart" corner position.

This mission information was taken from The Liberators from Wendling, the history of the 392nd Bomb Group, by Robert E. Vickers Jr. available through the 392nd BG Memorial Association.

The Books plane, Sweet Chariot, had the nose wheel shot off and Pilot Dallas Books landed the plane safetly at Wendling air base in England.

After the books crew crash landed Sweet Chariot on their first mission, it was repaired and put back in service with a new crew as shown.