Twenty First Mission, 8 April 1945               Target:  Marshalling Yards, Hof, Germany

This is "Wee Willy" from the 91st BG, hit by flak directly on the left wing in the skies of Germany on 8 April 1945. A month that would prove to be an ordeal for the Eighth Air Force. The 486th flies on 8 April and loses 4 ships on their formation. And on 10 April loses 4 more.  Tony's Squadron, the 832nd, is the most affected. 

Tony's Mission Log:

Missions were getting harder and harder, and the Germans more desperate by the minute. 

The missions on 8 April and 10 April were absolutely brutal to Tony's Squadron. For some reason Tony's crew didn't fly on 10 April (probably because they were granted crew rest), but on that mission the 832nd Squadron was thoroughly abused. 

The squadron was flying 9 of 12 ships on 8 April. Of those, 8 returned to base. 

On 10 April, 9 ships go on the mission, and only 4 return to base with the Combat Wing.  LT Robinson's crew eventually straggles into Sudbury on two engines. 

Here is the citation for LT Wood's Crews actions on 8 April (reprinted from 486th's website):
"The Blue Fairy, piloted by Billy Wood, was hit in the left wing on the mission to Hof, GR, and left formation. #3 caught fire which quickly spread to the rest of the aircraft. Two crewman were KIA in the initial attack. The copilot, LT Doerschlag, kept the aircraft under control long enough to allow the rest of the crew to escape. The aircraft then entered a violent spin, lost a wing and exploded. LT Doerschlag was ejected from the aircraft with head injuries and a shattered foot. He landed safely and was made POW with the rest of his crew. For his actions that day, LT Doerschlag would win the DFC [Distinguished Flying Cross] 40 years after the fact."

Other aircraft lost that day were LT Hohmann's crew and LT Sauler's crew. This is the citation for LT Sauler actions (reprinted from 486th's website): 
"On a mission to Hof, GR, LT Sauler's plane was hit in the cockpit area causing a fire to break out there. The aircraft spun out of formation, but LT Sauler apparently was able to gain enough control of his aircraft for his crew to bail out. He died when the aircraft crashed. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (posthumous) for his actions that day, and awarded the Silver Star in 2003."



The bombing of Hof was conducted in good weather and from a lower altitude (15,000 feet). The results were very good, the rail facilities became useless. This video, taken when American troops captured the town shows the level of the devastation inflicted on the rail system.