ROWE MISSION #8 - 3 October, 1944, Tuesday

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448th Bomb Group Replacement Crew #46’s Eighth Air Force Mission Records - World War II
448th Bomb Group Replacement Crew #46’s Eighth Air Force Mission Records - World War II
FOREWORD
BRIEF HISTORY - WORLD WAR II
PAGE
When the United States entered World War II, it was apparent that Germany, with its great military
and industrial MISSION strength, #23 posed 3 February, the strongest 1945threat ofMagdeburg, the Axis powers Germany and should be dealt with first. 123Its - 126 defeat
hingedMISSION on achieving #24 four15 major February, objectives, 1945 for each of Magdeburg, which effective Germany use of Great Britain was a key 127factor. - 130In
the attainment MISSION of these #25 objectives, 16 February, the country 1945 became Osnabruck, a vast supply Germany depot, military base, air base131 and -training 134
and staging MISSION facility. #26 During 19 the February, war, more 1945 than seventeen Siegen, (17) Germany million tons of cargo and nearly two 135 (2) -million 138
servicemen MISSION and women #27 from 21 February, the United1945 States passed Nurnberg, through British Germany ports. Many military bases139 and -training 142
areas were MISSION established throughout the British Isles to receive the forces which later were to achieve such
spectacular “OO-LA-LA” results on the22 beaches February, of Normandy. 1945 At the Paris, same France time, airfields were enlarged and additional 143 bases
constructed MISSION for use#28 by the28 U. February, S. Army Air 1945 Forces. Meschede, Germany 144 - 147
MISSION The first objective #29 1 March, in the war 1945 against Germany Augsburg, was to provide Germany the United Kingdom with the 148resources - 151
needed to carry on until sufficient men, materials, and supplies could be assembled for the cross-channel
MISSION #30 2 March, 1945 Magdeburg, Germany 152 - 154
invasion of Europe. To do so, the Atlantic sea lanes had to be made safe for the passage of Allied convoys
MISSION #31 3 March, 1945 Magdeburg, Germany 155 - 160
between Great Britain and the United States. The battle for the Atlantic continued from 1939 to 1945, when the
last German MISSION U-Boat #32 surrendered. 5 March, This 1945 costly, but generally Harburg, successful Germanystruggle, gave the Allies control 161 - 163 of the
sea lanes MISSION between #33 the United 9 March, States1945 and Great Britain, Rheine, whichGermany was essential to the success of Allied 164 operations - 166
in Europe. MISSION #34 10 March, 1945 Paderborn, Germany 167 - 169
MISSION The second #35objective 11 March, was 1945 to aid and sustain Kiel, Germany other nations actively engaged against 170the - 177 Axis,
BRIEF particularly DESCRIPTION the U.S.S.R., OF which ALLat OTHER the time 448 was receiving the brunt of the enemy’s land assualts. A “second
front” was opened in North Africa in November 1942 to relieve the pressure against the U.S.S.R. Allied forces
from bases in both Great Britain and the United States landed in North Africa and fought their way inland in
the face of determined enemy resistance. Six months later, victory in North Africa was achieved when all
enemy forces there surrendered. The operations in North Africa were followed by Allied landings in Sicily,
Salerno and Anzio during 1943 and 1944. Victories in Sicily and Italy were paralleled by Soviet successes in
the East, with the winning of the battle of Stalingrad in February 1943 and the liberation of Sevastopol in May
1944. One month later, Allied forces entered Rome, and the landings in Normandy commenced.
The third objective during the war against Germany was to conduct an intensive strategic
bombardment of Germany in order to destroy its military, industrial, and economic system. Achievement of
this objective depended upon the use of air bases within the British Isles. As airfields were constructed and
expanded, the air war against Germany intensified. The first American strategic bombing against a target in
Europe took place in August 1942. By the end of the war, more than one-half million sorties against targets in
Western Europe were flown by British-based American aircraft. Flying 35 missions is like playing “Russian
Roulette”, but the 448th’s Replacement Crew #46 was one of the lucky crews and presents herein the small
contribution one crew added to the overall victory.
The final objective was to invade the European continent and defeat the enemy on its historic
battlefields. U.S. and British Commonwealth forces landed on the beaches of Normandy on 6 June 1944 in
what was to be the greatest amphibious operation in the history of warfare. Supported by U.S. and British
aircraft, the Allied ground forces fought their way across France and crossed into Germany in September of
1944.
With the Allied victory in Europe on 8 May, 1945, the struggle against the enemy in the Pacific
intensified. Confronted by overwhelming military superiority, its major cities devastated and weakened by the
defeat of the Axis in Europe, Japan surrendered on 2 September 1945.
TH GROUP MISSION EXCLUDING
THE ABOVE 35 MISSIONS OF JOHN ROWE 178 - 194
COMBAT COLORS - COLORS OF THE 14 GROUPS OF THE 2ND AIR DIVISION 195 - 198
448TH BOMB GROUPS 262 MISSIONS FLOWN
(Replacement crew #46’s missions are shown in bold font.) 199 - 204
ROSTER OF ORIGINAL CREWS ORDERED TO COMBAT DUTY 205 - 218
ROSTER OF REPLACEMENT CREWS ORDERED TO COMBAT DUTY 219 - 242
(This is a partial list and contains 209 crews. I estimate that the total should be
around 240. Most of the missing crews appear to be from the first 3 months
of combat duty.)
B-24 DEVELOPMENT AND CONVERSIONS 243 - 246
REST & RELAXATION (FLAK LEAVE) 247
NOSE ART ON OUR AIRCRAFT 248
HISTORY OF THE 448TH BOMB GROUP 249 - 266
EPILOGUE 267 - 289
AMERICAN CEMETERY & MEMORIAL AT MADINGLEY - CAMBRIDGE 290 - 291
FLAGPOLE PLATFORM—AMERICAN CEMETERY & MEMORIAL AT
MADINGLEY—CAMBRIDGE 292
AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL—A SANCTUARY OF PEACE AND
REFLECTION 293
EULOGY– BY JOHN ROWE– AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL,
CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND—1998 REUNION 294
USAAF STATION #146—SEETHING AIRFIELD, SEETHING ENGLAND 295
END—BACK COVER 296
Above brief history was taken from The American Battle Monuments
Commmission booklet on the Cambridge American Cemetery & Memorial.