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
MISSION # 2 - 26 August, 1944, Saturday
GROUP MISSION #143
Take-off, 06:36 hours Group planes airborne, 34 ships.
Forming altitude, 11500 feet Group planes attacking, 29 ships. 5
Bombing altitude, 23000 feet Aborted-4 ships MIA.
Length, 5 hours, 55 minutes Tonnage dropped, 70.4
Oxygen, 4 hours Escort, P-51's, very good
Bomb load, 12 500 General Fuel load, 2700 gallons
purpose bombs Average fuel consumption, 299 GPH
Temperature, -26 o
Rowe fuel consumption, 1900
Gallons (average 321 GPH)
Bombed Ludwigschafen, Germany, the I.G. Farben Chemical Works where Zyclon-B gas was
manufactured and then used in the extermination camps. It was the most important manufacturer of
chemical products in Europe and the plant stretched for 3 miles on the east side of the Rhine north of
the twin cities of Ludwigschafen and Mannheim. Terrific flak encountered over the target. We were
the last Wing, last Group, and last Squadron over the target. The krauts really had us zeroed in when
we reached our IP. From there all hell broke loose, our left wingman received a direct hit and went
down in flames, believe it was Stonebraker's crew. Other ships including ours were taking a
pounding. Lost my best buddy, Bill Vogel (RO on Stonebraker's crew) who went down on our right,
ship on fire, saw six chutes open and then lost them as they went down through the clouds. Possible
PW's. We had flak damage to No. 1 and No. 2 engines, nothing serious. Got back OK. Total losses -
six ships out of approximately 700. We were briefed there would be close to 300 anti-aircraft guns
around the target area capable of firing 15 to 20 rounds per minute plus 100 or so German fighter
planes we could expect. JHZ.
[Today we began a double or twin takeoff procedure. Two B-24's lined up, one on each side
of the runway. Ten seconds after the first one started down the runway, the other proceeded to
takeoff. Takeoff time was reduced considerably with resultant conserving of gas for the long flights.
Jerry used their big guns today, 105MM I think, or at least an improved 88MM. The new German
88MM could reach 32000 feet and with centralized control of firepower, flak was taking an
increasing number of bombers. Lt. E. Postemski and crew were flying position Low10 just off our left
wing. I believe it was their 15th mission. I was flying position Low6 in formation just a few yards off
their right wing when they took a direct hit between #3 and #4 engine. The wing tip folded up like a
match stick in a ball of red flame, the plane floundered down like a toy and that is probably the first
of the two planes that Joe describes above. Lt. William N. Stonebraker's crew flew overseas with us
and this was his second mission also. He was in position Low9 in the formation just a few yards to
the right of us and received a direct hit that caused his plane to fall in two parts. Wilbur J. Vogel, the
radio operator was a good friend of Joe Zonyk. Lt. Botkin was flying position Lead7 and went down
over the target. Lt. F.E. Bastian flying position Lead3 was also hit and was reported as MIA,
however he along with his co-pilot, navigator and waist gunner were returned to base on 27 August.
Records do not say how they were returned, where from or give the fate of the other crew members.
He must have been able to reach friendly territory and the others were either killed or wounded. Two
others aboard 925H and 326H received moderately severe flak wounds and were hospitalized. We
and Lt. Stonebraker were two of four replacement crews (Stonebraker, Vogel, Sheffield, Rowe)