Night of the Intruders: The Slaughter of Homeward Bound USAAF Mission 311

By Ian McLachlan

This WWII history recounts the harrowing Allied bombing mission that led to heavy losses for American pilots as German fighters followed them home.

On April 22nd, 1944, Allied forces launched an audacious assault on Germany’s largest railway marshalling yards, located in the city of Hamm. The raid resulted in ferocious aerial combat against night fighters. But the worst was yet to come for the USAAF pilots who sought the sanctuary of their own airfields.

The German fighters followed the air armada home after the raid, picking individual bombers off on their return over Europe and England as the American force struggled to land. Aviation historian Ian McLahclan vividly describes the aerial combat involving many famous USAAF, RAF and Luftwaffe units. With a combination of powerful human stories and fascinating technical details, this volume chronicles the mission from the planning stage to its bloody finale, untangling what went so horribly wrong.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jun 30, 2010
• ISBN: 9781473816763

Book preview

NIGHT OF THE

INTRUDERS

Other books by the same author:

FINAL FLIGHTS

Dramatic wartime incidents revealed by aviation archaeology

EIGHTH AIR FORCE BOMBER STORIES

Eye-witness accounts from American airmen and British civilians of the perils of war (co-authored with Russell Zorn)

NIGHT OF THE

INTRUDERS

The Slaughter of Homeward

Bound USAAF Mission 311

IAN MCLACHLAN

First published by Patrick Stephens Limited in 1994

Republished in this format in 2010 by

Pen & Sword Aviation

An imprint of

Pen & Sword Books Ltd

47 Church Street

Barnsley

South Yorkshire

S70 2AS

Copyright © Ian McLachlan, 1994, 2010

ISBN 978 184884 294 6

The right of Ian McLachlan to be identified as Author of this work has been

asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is

available from the British Library

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any

form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording

or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the

Publisher in writing.

Printed and bound in England

By CPI

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Contents

Dedication

For my Mother and Father and countless

others of their special generation who

stood against tyranny.

Detail from a map found in the buried wreckage of a 448BG Liberator shot down during the Night of the Intruders.

Author’s Introduction

IN 1968, THE discovery of maps in the wreckage of a World War II bomber, long buried beneath East Anglian marshland, proved to be the starting point for this book. The navigator, whose pencilled lines led to Seething, never did reach his destination. Neither did a tragic number of other USAAF pilots and crews that night.

Mission 311, on 22 April 1944, went badly wrong. With invasion of Europe threatened, the Allies launched an audacious assault on Germany’s largest marshalling yard, at Hamm, nerve-centre of the Reich’s railway system. Any raid would face fierce opposition from enemy fighters and flak. But this one was even more dangerous. Because of adverse weather reports, the American airmen, usually deployed as daytime bombers, did not depart for Hamm until late afternoon. The 824 B-17s and B-24s — with more than 8,000 aircrew — had to contend with the additional hazards of darkness. Nearly 1,000 American and British fighters accompanied the bombers, but they could do little to alleviate risks such as disorientation, mid-air collisions, getting lost, or being savaged by night fighters.

The fighting over Europe was ferocious. Then, as the survivors limped home, Luftwaffe intruders mingled with them, under cover of darkness. The battle-worn Americans were attacked by the enemy as they sought the sanctuary of their own airfields — and in the resulting carnage and confusion, Allied coastal and airfield defences were firing on friend and foe alike. Agonized, local inhabitants could only look on as aircraft, consumed in flames, seared across the night sky to destruction on farmland and marshes. Others, too low for baling out and too damaged to climb, struggled to land before fire severed vital controls or detonated ruptured fuel tanks.

That night the Americans suffered their highest ever losses to German intruders. I hope that this book, which tells the full story for the first time, will serve as a memorial to the men who died, and a tribute to the courage of all those involved.

Ian McLachlan

Suffolk, 2010

Acknowledgements

I INTENDED THIS book to be my first, but changing circumstances saw Final Flights and Eighth Air Force Bomber Stories appear, hopefully providing a platform of credibility before the challenge of Mission 311. While not a constant activity, my research started nearly 30 years ago and has threaded through my life ever since. I would like to thank Jenny and Julie for the contributions they made, and admire my partner Susan Rose, for not only typing this lengthy manuscript, but taking on an author still smitten with the writing bug.

Throughout the years of preparation, one feature clearly emerged — the courage of that special generation now in the twilight of their lives. Ordinary people, they faced the horrors of war and surmounted them to win a peace for us all. Mission 311 was a small part of that conflict, but exacted a heavy toll. It is important that the generations inheriting that peace will value and protect it, in a world where tyranny still exists. To those who played a part in resisting the Nazis during World War II, I offer my respect and admiration. Specifically, I would like to thank the following veterans, East Anglians, fellow enthusiasts, organizations, friends and family:

A E Abendroth, S Adams, R and B Adamson, G S Alexander, K C Allstaedt, John W Archer, H E Armstrong, A E Anker, E Arnold, C Atkins, Mr J Auman, Thomas E Bass — A Fort Nut, M J Bailey, Susan Sneed Bailey, J M Balason, Jake & Maddie Balls, G Barker, R P Bateson, Beccles & Bungay Journal, N Beckett, C R Bell, Henry G Bennett, Sheldon F Berlow, Bert A Betts, B Bines, Mrs G A Bickers, Cliff Bishop, Stan Bishop, Dr H Bläsi, Allan G Blue, Rosemarie Boje-Pike, Steve Blake, Vernal L Boline, Martin W Bowman, C Bowyer, Dr V J Boyle, J D Bradshaw, W K M Braithwaite, Homer L Briggs, Mabel Brooks, D Brown, I L Brown, H Brühl, Ron and Don Buxton, R Cain, Donald L Caldwell, Cambridge Evening News, Mrs J Carey, Jeff Carless, Glenn D Carlson, F Carman, Lt Col L K Carson, W Cartwright, S R Chaplin, Tony Chardella, Amanda Chester, N Cocker, D N Collier, K Collinson, Robert J Collis, Harlan L Cook, Mrs J Cowley, G Cross, William L Cullen, R M Cunningham, Philip G Day, Lt Col Merritt E Derr, Lt Col A P De Jong, Deutsche Aerospace, Wolfgang Dierich, Arthur F Dirks, Abel L Dolim, John J Driscoll, Major Kenneth L Driscoll, C T Dungar, P Dunham, S Dunham, George P DuPont, Colin Durrant, B G Dye, J Dye, Eastern Daily Press, Eastern Evening News, East Anglian Daily Times, Hans Ebert, Lee B Eddington, W A Edwards, C R Elliott, Dan Engle, Stewart P Evans, J H Everson, Pat Everson, J P Flanagan, R Forbes-Morgan, John C Ford, R E Forward, Ursula & Ted Foster, Roger A Freeman, Royal D Frey, F C Frost, J G Frost, Garry L Fry, Dr Carl Fyler, Adolf Galland, I Garstka, Gene Gaskins, Mick Gibson, M L Giddings, Maj Gen Edward B Giller, W Girbig, B Gladden, George Glevanik, Harry D Gobrecht, H C F Goff, E Goldsmith, Stuart Goldsmith, C K Gollagher, C Gotts, S Gotts, P G J Gray, Lt Col Charles W Grace, V Grimble, Gt Yarmouth Mercury, B J Guymer, R M Hague, A Hall, Cliff Hall, Col Frank N Halm, K Hammel, A Hammer, A Hanagarth, Teague G Harris, Sid E Harvey, J B Haycraft, Charles F Hayes, Ian Hawkins, A W Heiden, R Herbst, John A Hey, S High, R M A Hirst, Lily Housden, A Huber, G Hukins, Imperial War Museum, Glenn B Infield, Brig Gen James H Isbell, Phil Jarrett, Tony Jeckells, G B Jermy, E S Keeler, John A Kennedy, Lt Gen W E Kepner, G Keppler, James N Kidder, F Kozaczka, Dan C Knight, D Knight, E Knie, J Kronschnabel, N Krüger, D G Land, E Lea, Mr & Mrs Leamon, Col F H LeFebre, James K Leonard, V Lewis, W Lindermeyer, E T Little, Lt Col R M Littlefield, D Loades, I Loades, Jesse D Long, Lowestoft Journal, John L Luft, E Lux, J Mace, Edward F MacLean, B Mastin, R Malster, M Martin, Vic Maslen, Glenn R Matson, Harry L Matthew, Paul R Maxwell, Mrs R Messenger, Abram A Millar, Kent D Miller, John Mills, Walt Mitchell, William G Mitchell, Eric Mombeek, Danny Morris, Mr & Mrs Morrish, Louis D Morrison, J Mortinson, Les & Vi Murton, Mr & Mrs A Musto, Robert B Mynn, Vere A McCarty, Charles J McClain, Ralph McClure, Ernie McDowall, David McGuire, William P McGovern, Alan McLachlan, Bethan & Rowan McLachlan, James K Newhouse, Dr W D Noack, Tony North, Gilbert M O’Brien, Joe O’Hara T Olausson, R Oldman, Margaret Oldrin, Don Olds, Merle C Olmsted, M Osborn, M C Pannell, George W Parks, Simon W Parry, Lt Col Thomas B Parry, D Pascoe, M Payne, Herman A Peacher, Robert G Peel, James A Pegher, Clair A Penners, Peterborough Evening Telegraph, C W Peterson, Loy F Peterson, W A Phillips, Mike Pike, R L Pinson, H L Pittam, Russ & Babs Pleasance, C B Pluck, M J Podd, J Poetter, R Pointer, Irwin L Pomerantz, Alfred Price, Ron W M A Putz, P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots’ Association, Mrs L R Pye, H Radkat, P Ramm, C J Ramsbottom, P Ransom, F Rayns, P A W Rausch, C E Rawston, A F Rely, George A Reynolds, G Reynolds, Mrs E Richmond, Bill Robertie, Samuel C Robeson, Col George L Robinson, Ormond E Rolfe, Klaus Romanek, Marvin J Rosvold, A Rowe, Ken Rusby, Kenn C Rust, Gene E Ryan, John W Ryan, Miss W F Sadd, V H Saville, Harold E Schildknecht, Dr W Scheiter, Earl F Schmidt, Dr Helmut Schnatz, Mervin M Shank, W E Sharrock, Francis X Sheehan, H Siederer, Peter Simmonds, Alvin D Skaggs, Ivan Skipper, Keith Skipper, Harry E Slater, Dorothy B Slaymaker, Jonathan Smith, J S Smith, Frank S Sneed, K J Sorace, A C Spencer, R Spooner, Keith J Spink, Wendell R Stanton, L Stevens, Raymond E Strate, Russell A Strong, D J Stubley, Earl J Stutts, Dr L Suschko, C R Temple, H Thein, O Theisen, Art Thorsen, P & N Thrower, C M Thurgar, M Tipple, Col George E Tormoen, K H Trimble, Paul J Trudeau, Carl J Valentine, J Vasco, C Vincent, Curt M Vogel, G Waag, David Wade, Clinton E Wallace, Lt Col Delmar H Wangsvick, Geoff Ward, Mrs M B Ward, Richard H Watters, Bill Weaver, John L Weber, Lt Col Walter P Weigle, K Weinert, Allan J Welters, Whitley Bay News Guardian, G Willimott, Bert Wilson, Mervyn Wilson, A Wöffen, Col V R Woodward, John Woolnough, Mrs R Wooltorton, George Wortham, M Wysocki, Earl L Zimmerman, Ray and Russ Zorn.

American Ex Prisoners of War Inc, Albert F Simpson Historical Research Centre, 100BG MAM, 390BG MAM, Eighth Air Force Historical Society, Second Air Division Association, General Archives Division Washington DC, 2nd Air Division Memorial Library, Radio Norfolk, Public Records Office, Lincolnshire Aircraft Recovery Group, 19(F) Squadron RAF, Bundesarchiv, Gemeinshaft der Jagdflieger.

●

CHAPTER ONE●

Cee Gee II

ANXIOUSLY SCANNING THE lower darkness, Staff Sergeant Ralph W McClure felt lonely and exposed. Trained as a B-24 tail-gunner for daylight operations, Mac had little experience of night-flying — and none in combat conditions. His crew’s Stateside training included limited nocturnal hours in clear, friendly skies with towns twinkling below like inverted stars. Mac cursed the planners responsible for what he felt was a foolish April Mission — even if it was the 22nd and not the 1st. His ship Cee Gee II sat amidst a whole darned mess of airplanes descending in late dusk over the sullen, stygian swell of the North Sea. The proximity of other 453BG Liberators, comforting in daylight, now threatened the nightmare of collision, which was barely alleviated as position, passing, recognition and formation lights transformed fading silhouettes into diamantes of red, white, green and blue paste set in a sky of indigo velvet. Fearfully, Mac recognized that reducing one risk heightened another — the display of lights might alert prowling intruders. His senses tautened with each darkening second. Into his mind came the advice from an RAF Lancaster gunner whose battle-damaged craft had sought refuge on Mac’s base at Old Buckenham: Look low, especially between 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock — segment your search area — shoot first, you may scare him off. Remember, you’re first on his list! Mac shivered. He pulled his makeshift scarf — a towel — more closely, but his shivering was not entirely due to the blast of cold air thrashing his back from the open waist-windows. The tambour doors of his turret had remained open on every mission since February when a spent shrapnel-fragment penetrated the aluminium skin near his head and dropped harmlessly beside him. Open doors doubled the thickness of aluminium on either side and promoted some sense of security. His decision to fly with this physical discomfort would prove providential — fate had much in store for the crew of Cee Gee II. The Pilot, Lieutenant James S Munsey had named their first B-24 after his young daughter, a bouncy toddler, Carol Geane, nicknamed Cee Gee. (The youngster’s namesake had been lost with another crew, hence the replacement being christened Cee Gee II.) Munsey led his crew on most missions but his coolness and leadership made him an ideal choice for breaking in new crews. Only two days before he skilfully landed Queenie after flak smashed the rudder controls, decapitated the tail-gunner and panicked her neophyte crew. Munsey kept to himself his opinion of this mission to the marshalling yards in Hamm, but Mac would have subscribed to the 735th Squadron diarist’s view, It was a ‘snafu’ affair from start to finish. Somehow, the lead airplane got off course in the target area taking everyone across the Ruhr Valley. Flak was terrific … the time lost on this brilliant manoeuvre was immeasurably important, the difference between arriving at bases in daylight or darkness …

Cee Gee II. A painting by Mike Bailey commissioned for the author. Named after the pilot’s daughter, Carole Geane. (M J Bailey)

Staff Sergeant Ralph W McClure (left) relaxes with Technical Sergeant William C Grady on board Cee Gee II. Only one of the two gunners survived the Night of the Intruders. (Don Olds)

Darkness. Mac cursed it — then, momentarily, he thought he saw something. A shadow? Maybe, maybe not. A second’s hesitation. Yes — 8 o’clock low — there WAS something. The RAF gunner’s warning leapt to mind like a neon. Scare him off. Calling the left-waist gunner, Technical Sergeant John F McKinney, Mac fired at least two short bursts towards their real-or-imagined assailant, the opening rounds for Night of the Intruders. An instant later, their enemy’s substance was devastatingly confirmed as cannon shells raked Cee Gee II from tail-turret to port wing. Mac’s open turret doors spared his life. For now. A tremendous explosion blasted him backwards completely out of the turret on to the fuselage cat-walk. In reality, it must have been only moments but it seemed an age before his senses struggled back from the depths of unconsciousness to the noise, glare and nightmare of reality. Lying still, he felt blood oozing down his face. Gingerly touching his skull he discovered there was no torn leather helmet or gaping wound, and remembered from college sports how minor head injuries often bled profusely. He took stock. McKinney’s prone figure was in the centre fuselage just forward of the waist windows. Hurrying to the inert gunner, Mac could not tell if his friend was unconscious or dead. In the glare, Mac saw no visible wound. What glare? Suddenly Mac realized why he could see such detail — the fuselage was floodlit by a massive fire just behind number two engine. Cee Gee II was trailing her torment in a long, fiery banner as burning fuel burst into the bomber’s slipstream. How long would it be before flames seared through the port wing or her gas tanks exploded? Baling out into the icy North Sea meant certain death. Discipline forbad such thoughts. Mac’s job now was to factually report injuries and damage, but the intercom had been shot out. The tail-gunner’s slight build and familiarity with the route helped him scuttle across the bomb bay to the flight deck. Airplane-speak meant shouting to overcome the thunder of four Pratt & Whitney engines still pulling resolutely for home. Mac yelled at Munsey, quickly explaining how McKinney was either wounded or dead and they had, a hell of a lot of fire on the left wing.

Hit during the attack, Technical Sergeant William C Grady was found on the fuselage floor too badly injured to bale out. As Cee Gee II raced for the coast, McClure tried to help. (Don Olds)

In the nose, bombardier Second Lieutenant Arthur W Orlowski had heard Mac call the bandit in to McKinney and noted their altitude as 8,000 feet with about 15 miles to run for the English coast. Orlowski both heard and felt the attack — one pass, firing constantly. Number two gas tank was set alight and the hydraulic system knocked out. In addition to McKinney’s wounds, the radio operator, Technical Sergeant William G Grady was blinded with debris or shrapnel. The news from McClure confirmed their desperate situation and Munsey hollered at Mac to go back and bale out. Hesitating, Mac argued, you might need something, I think I’ll stay awhile. Still wrestling the controls, Munsey turned partially sideways in his seat and bawled at the gunner — Get the hell back there and get your butt out of this goddamned airplane because I’m gonna fly this son-of-a-bitch to the ground. That’s an ORDER! At this juncture, the normally reticent co-pilot, Robert O Crall, turned to his pilot and calmly announced, Well, I’m staying — I’m a lieutenant too, you know. Part Seminole Indian, Munsey was a hard, no nonsense commander who would not brook insubordination but he was not foolhardy either. Recognizing Crall’s courage, and conceding he might need help, Munsey called the navigator, Second Lieutenant Leon Helfand, for a direct heading to Old Buckenham. Together, the two pilots chose to keep the burning bomber airborne as long as humanly possible. This gave time to help the wounded prepare for a bale out, hopefully over England. Determined, disciplined and loyal, the crew of Cee Gee II flew for their lives …

●

CHAPTER TWO●

Mission 311

— a Summary

MISSION 311 ON 22 April 1944 is remembered in Eighth Air Force history more for what happened afterwards — the highest USAAF combat casualties over England — than for events over the Continent. However, any narrative should encompass the attack overall, and we begin by reviewing the then secret Report of Operations. This was compiled in June 1944 by Headquarters Eighth Air Force, and summarizes the mission’s purpose, planning and problems.

The attack’s comparative lateness in the day is explained by a weather forecast indicating, that visual bombing operations against targets in Western Germany, where less than five-tenths low cloud was expected, would be after 1900 hours DBST (Double British Summer Time). With the invasion of Europe pending, it was essential to take every opportunity to smash the enemy’s communications and transport infrastructure. The marshalling yards and railway repair facilities in Hamm were classified highly strategic and Intelligence reports described them as the largest in Germany with a capacity of 10,000 wagons per day dealing with rail traffic between the industrial Ruhr and northern Germany. The complex was one of Germany’s busiest rail-yards. Regarded as a nerve-centre of the Reich’s railway system, it was an imposing target measuring over three miles long and 630 yards at its widest point.

This was the USAAF’s first major assault on Hamm. Launched against the facilities were 824 B-17s and B-24s — over 8,000 bomber aircrew. Their tribulations were unemotionally condensed by the compiler of the report, Colonel Walter E Todd of Headquarters Eighth Air Force. Under Planning, he commented: Predicted strong winds from the northwest and concentrated anti-aircraft defences in the area dictated downwind bombing runs. Further considerations in the routing were the very heavy defences of the Ruhr area situated to the west of the target. As a consequence, the bombers were routed from England to the Dutch coast, north of the Rotterdam and Amsterdam defences, then almost directly to the Hamm area and, withdrawing, to the east and then south of the Ruhr defences and across northern France. The bombers were to fly as three forces, the first departing Lowestoft at 1750 hours, the second at 1802 hours and the third at 1821 hours. The first force comprised four B-17 Combat Wings of 12 Bombardment Groups from the Third Air Division. Then followed five more B-17 Combat Wings, 16 Groups, from the First Air Division and, finally, four Combat Wings made by 11 Groups of Second Air Division Liberators. Each force was allocated specific objectives within the marshalling yard. The first wave of B-17s would deal with the yard’s northern entrance, main stations and transhipment sheds, with the next B-17 assault planned to strike engine repair sheds and the northern chokepoint and sidings. Liberators would then pummel the southern entrance, chokepoint and sidings.

Providing protection for the bombers were nearly 1,000 American and British fighters — Mustangs, Lightnings, Thunderbolts and Spitfires. These were assigned for both close escort and to maintain the policy of offensive sweeps introduced only a few weeks earlier but already proving decisive in the battle for air supremacy. A sweep saw free-ranging fighters foraging for combat, and the intention on 22 April 1944 was to comprehensively cover designated areas, in northwest Germany, southwest Germany, northern France and Belgium with the intent of destroying enemy aircraft in the air and on the ground. It was planned generally that these fighters would reach areas of German airfields … at a time when the enemy aircraft would be taking off and assembling … Groups were warned against strafing heavily defended airfields on which only a few aircraft were parked. In addition to the Groups assigned to sweeps, all escort Groups were to be permitted to deploy at the leader’s discretion provided that at least one squadron remain with the bombers at all times … For most fighter Groups the intended strategy worked — spectacularly so for Mustangs of the famous 4th from Debden. But the report reveals problems for the bombers.

The flight to the target by the first and second forces as well as the last two Combat Wings of the third force essentially followed the briefed route and the time control points were generally adhered to. Due to an error in judgement of distance on the part of its pilotage-navigator, the lead Combat Wing of the last formation turned south before the Initial Point was reached (from the IP, bombers began their unwavering run to release) and was followed by the second Combat Wing. Upon reaching what was believed by the lead navigator to be the Initial Point the bombers were over the Ruhr Valley and were subjected to strong antiaircraft fire. Approximately half of the lead Combat Wing then turned left to approach Hamm from the southwest; the other half of this Combat Wing made a 360° turn to the right and subsequently approached the target as briefed. The second Combat Wing broke away from the lead Combat Wing upon entering the Ruhr Valley and entered the target area from the west. This navigational error lost four Liberators to flak, saw many more damaged and diluted fighter protection by separating the bomber formations.

In USAAF parlance, conditions were CAVU — Clear And Visibility Unlimited — as the 95th BG led the attack directed by their Operations Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Harry G Mumford, on board the lead ship flown by Captain J H Hubbs and crew. At the IP, a red signal flare was fired and bomb doors whirred open. It was exactly 1846 hours. Flak, meagre accurate following, crumped close to the bombers causing damage but no injuries. Three minutes later, Flight Officer John S Bromberg triggered the Group’s release at 23,000 feet and 209 × 500 lb bombs tumbled into the evening’s slanting sunlight. On board Full House one reluctant specimen hung up because a tired armourer had fitted the shackle in backwards, and Second Lieutenant Deluca took it back to Horham. Stronger than predicted winds increased ground speed and the 95th ‘B’ Group found itself in danger of passing beneath the high 390th Group at release so it bombed Soest, a target of opportunity some 14 miles southeast of Hamm and en route to the RP (Rally Point). The unforecast wind velocity disrupted several Groups, resulting in numerous short bombing runs. Another weakness in planning emerged when it became apparent that the interval between forces was too brief. Smoke from preceding attacks obscured the aiming points for succeeding forces. Compounding this, the course deviation by elements from the first two B-24 Combat Wings found them converging on the target simultaneously with the third and fourth Liberator Combat Wings. This forced the 445BG and part of the