ROWE MISSION #8 - 3 October, 1944, Tuesday

24
Classification - Preflight - Primary - Basic - Advanced - B-24 Transition - Crew Assignment - Flight to Europe
MESS CALL AT PAMPA, TEXAS. THEY FED US WELL AT ALL THE FLYING SCHOOLS. I WENT FROM 130 POUNDS
TO 164 POUNDS INSPITE OF CALISTHENTICS AND OTHER PHYSICAL TRAINING BUT LOST IT QUICKLY AFTER
THAT.
Ketteringham Hall four miles southwest of Norwich.
The 2nd Divisions first bombing mission was
flown on 7 November, 1942; the last mission was
flown on 25 April, 1945. A total of 95,948 sorties
were flown in 439 operational missions by the Division’s
B-24s, which dropped a total of 199,983 tons
of bombs. Bomber crews accounted for 1,079 German
aircraft destroyed in the air, and P-47s and P-
51s of the fighter wing destroyed another 3,670 enemy
aircraft in the air and on the ground. A total of
1,458 bombers and 649 fighters were lost in
operations against the enemy. Sixty three hundred
forty seven (6,347) members of the 2nd Air
Division lost their lives in the line of duty. The
448th BG joined the 2nd AD in November 1943
flew their first mission on December 22, 1943 and
their last mission on April 25, 1945. The 448th BG
flew 7343 sorties in 262 operational missions and
dropped 15,286 tons of bombs. Crews of the 448th
BG accounted for 47 enemy aircraft destroyed and
the 448th BG lost a total of 146 B-24's with 350
crewmen killed in action.
United States Air Forces servicemen who
gave their lives in World War II while stationed in
England exceeded 30,000. For Americans who may
wish to know, many of their names are enshrined in
the North Gallery of St. Clement Church on the
Strand, London.
Except for the island fortress of Britain and
a few neutral countries, Europe in 1943 was under
the iron heel of Adolph Hitler's legions and his
powerful Luftwaffe patrolled Europe’s skies. An
outnumbered Royal Air Force had been fighting for
4 years and was now being joined by United States
B-24 Liberators, B-17 Flying Fortresses and fighter
aircraft. Seldom (very seldom) a dignitary or
reporter would fly one raid but there is a vast
difference between going on one raid and going
week after week for months on end - - - - - - like
roulette, if you play the wheel long enough, a given
number will come up as it did for the above 30,000
U.S. Airmen.