Fifth Mission, 8 March 1945   Target Aluminum Plant, Frankfurt

Tony's Mission Log:

This was a lucky day for the Eighth Air Force. They dispatched 1,353 bombers and 356 fighters and they reported "NO AIRCRAFT ARE LOST AND THERE ARE NO CASUALTIES!" I gather from the Bomb Group mission records that this was a cloudy day and they bombed the target with the aid of radar through the cloud cover. The enemy probably used radar as well for fire control and never had a clear view of the target. Bombing results were unobserved.

The following is an account from SSGT Clarence Kooi, another gunner from the 486th Bomb Group who flew the in the same mission.

"We went to Frankfurt to-day- going into the continent over the Zuider Zee and then south to Frankfurt making a circle after the target and out over France across General Patton’s big offensive. We dropped our seven M-17 incendiaries and seven 500 lb. G.P.’s on an aircraft factory that made a lot of different aircraft parts including jet units for the ME- 262. The flak was light and we saw no enemy fighters. Most of the eighth Air Force hit in the northern end of the Ruhr Valley except for us. We took off at 1045 and landed at 1830 dropping our bombs from 24,000 ft. through 10/10 clouds. (temp. –36^oC.)"

M17 Incendiary Cluster Bomb used in the mission. Primacord tube is explosive and blows the straps to allow incendiary bombs inside to scatter in the air and widen the coverage on the ground.

Frankfurt is the most modern city in Germany thanks to the Royal Air Force. The city center was devastated by RAF raids. I have been to Frankfurt and many historic buildings had to be reproduced (not rebuilt, there really wasn't much left) from scratch. The city became a blank canvas for what it is now, the only German city with sky-scrapers.  

The Cathedral of Saint Paul somehow remained standing after the bombardments.

"Old" buildings in foreground are reproductions. Modern skyscrapers in background. 

Tony makes a comment about his ship flying in "purple heart corner". This refers to flying in the MOST EXPOSED position in the formation. In that corner you are the first choice for any attacking fighter. But luckily, they didn't see much (if any) fighter opposition that day.  

Purple Heart Corner, last plane in the formation and most exposed.