388th Bomb Group
Missions
111 - Brux, Czechoslovakia
Mission Data
Id number111
Date12 May 1944
CommanderHank
CityBrux
CountryCzechoslovakia
TargetOil Refinery
Latitude34N 12' 00"
Longitude12E 12' 00"
Aircraft Scheduled45
Aircraft Sent36
Aircraft Lost12
Tour End14 Oct 1945
GroupsA & B
Duration9 hours
Weather at Targetclear
FateSurvived the war
Narrative

On this mission, the 388th furnished two Groups, an A & B which wer lead and low of the 45thC Combat Wing. The 45th A CW was to lead the 3rd Air Division. The 45th and 13th CW's attacked the synthetic oil plant at Brux in western Czechoslovakia. The 4th CW attacked the aircraft plant at Zwichau. The 1st & 2nd Air Divisions were to attack oil refineries and aircraft plants in the Leipzig and Mersburg area. 20 A/C plus 2 PFF of the A Group took-off by 0826 hours and three of these aborted for mechanical reasons. 22 A/C of the B Group took-off by 0807 hours and four of these aborted for mechanical reasons. 1 A/C of the A Group returned as a scheduled abort.

Formations were effected without difficulty and the briefed course was followed to the Target. On the route to the Target, in the vicinity of Frankfurt (1225 hrs) the formation was attacked by about 75 enenmy a/c, FW 190's & Me 109's. This attack lasted for 35 minutes and one of our A/C was shot down. Lt. Loslo in a/c 42-31549, in the low squadron, went down at 1238 hours with #4 engine on fire. After the crew had bailed out, an Me 109 shot the plane down.

Visibility was perfect at the Target. The PFF A/C of the A Group had a malfunction on the bomb run, held his bombs, and decided to make a second run. Just as the formation was about to leave the Target area, the #3 ship in the second element of the lead squadron suffered a direct flak hit and cuased the bombardier to salvo the bombs. Consequently, the group leader decide not to make a second run and proceeded to the RP. The a/c in the formation who were still carrying bombs, dropped them on the PFF A/C in the vicinity of Hol on the return route. The B Group attacked the Target with excellent results. Hits wree seen on the main M.P.I. and surrounding buildings.

Meager flak was encountered at Koblez and Scheinfurt and very accurate flak in the Target area. Several ground rockets were seen in the Target area.

32 A/C landed safely at base by 1710 hours. Lt. Salles in a/c 42-107165 made an emergency landing at Manston. Lt. Mergenthaler in a/c 42-32030 made an emergency landing at Honington. All crew members are safe.

Key Personnel
A GroupB Group
Group LeaderL./Col HenggelerCapt. Trauth
Deputy LeaderLt. HiltonLt. Moreland
Lead PilotLt. OswaldLt. Brenner
Lead NavigatorLt. SnyderLt. Skiff
Lead BombardierLt. HartCapt. Baum
.
A Group
Aircraft Crew Sortie
SerialNamePilotBGSquadMissionPositionTake OffLandFate
PFF 666LightningOswald388th563rd9#1 of 1st08051707Returned
PFF 542LightningHilton388th563rd9#1 of 1st08051707Returned
42-37745LightningBragg388th563rd9#1 of 1st08061707Returned
42-97328LightningThayer388th563rd9#1 of 1st08081708Returned
42-32030LightningMergenthaler388th563rd9#1 of 1st08091706Honington
42-97172LightningMcNicol388th563rd9#1 of 1st08091648Returned
42-102559LightningRamsay388th563rd9#1 of 1st08101653Returned
42-97219LightningBonnucelli388th563rd9#1 of 1st08101710Returned
42-37878LightningSoldato388th563rd9#1 of 1st08111709Returned
42-30195LightningLittlejohn388th563rd9#1 of 1st08111652Returned
42-38187LightningFisk388th563rd9#1 of 1st080121705Returned
42-30851LightningPohl388th563rd9#1 of 1st080131647Returned
42-30595LightningLittle388th563rd9#1 of 1st00No take-off
42-107017LightningWarren388th563rd9#1 of 1st08151119Aborted
42-31996LightningGlantz388th563rd9#1 of 1st08151655Returned
42-31549LightningLoslo388th563rd9#1 of 1st08170Flak
42-30778LightningMcFarlane388th563rd9#1 of 1st08161137Scrubbed
42-97091LightningHayden388th563rd9#1 of 1st08211704Returned
42-31760LightningHanks388th563rd9#1 of 1st08261707Returned
42-31707LightningHanushak388th563rd9#1 of 1st08181100Returned
42-32004LightningAndrecheck388th563rd9#1 of 1st08191650Returned
42-31577LightningGabler388th563rd9#1 of 1st08191703Returned
42-39842LightningGothard388th563rd9#1 of 1st08201022Scrubbed
.
B Group
Aircraft Crew Sortie
SerialNamePilotBGSquadMissionPositionTake OffLandFate
42-97286LightningBrenner388th563rd9#1 of 1st07451656Returned
42-97210LightningPrendergast388th563rd9#1 of 1st07451701Returned
42-5900LightningBreed388th563rd9#1 of 1st08141122Aborted
42-31769LightningElliott388th563rd9#1 of 1st07461658Returned
42-39845LightningBoyce388th563rd9#1 of 1st07461658Returned
42-97171LightningBarnes388th563rd9#1 of 1st07471702Returned
42-107134LightningGaylon388th563rd9#1 of 1st07481652Returned
42-31741LightningMoreland388th563rd9#1 of 1st07481701Returned
42-3395LightningHoughton388th563rd9#1 of 1st07491700Returned
42-107198LightningBarry388th563rd9#1 of 1st07501659Returned
42-97184LightningHead388th563rd9#1 of 1st07501702Returned
42-3295LightningO'Brien388th563rd9#1 of 1st07511105Aborted
42-107160LightningJordan388th563rd9#1 of 1st07521649Returned
42-39861LightningStuart388th563rd9#1 of 1st07531017Aborted
42-31242LightningBrunk388th563rd9#1 of 1st07531250Returned
42-30625LightningMcGrath388th563rd9#1 of 1st07541657Returned
42-97528LightningCooke388th563rd9#1 of 1st07551655Returned
42-107165LightningSalles388th563rd9#1 of 1st07551658Mamston
42-97352LightningSchneider388th563rd9#1 of 1st07561657Returned
42-107185LightningCodding388th563rd9#1 of 1st07571655Returned
42-102433LightningMiurhead388th563rd9#1 of 1st07571656Returned
42-31973LightningWhite388th563rd9#1 of 1st08071659Returned
.
A Group
. . .Ramsay . . . . .
. . 800' 1 Hayden . 4 6 .
Completed . .Hanks 2 . . . .
Flak . 700' . . Andrecheck . . .
Fighter . . . . . Glantz . .
Damaged . 600' . . Loslo . . .
Mechanical . . . . . 4 Bragg 6
Returned . 500' . . 3 4 .Oswald
. . . . . . . Hilton Henggeler
. . 400' . . McNicol . .
. . . . . .Thayer . .
. . 300' . . Mergenthaler . . .
Hanushak . 5 1 . Littlejohn . . .
Little . 200' . . . Bonnuccelli . .
Warren . . . . Soldato . . .
McFarlane . 100' Gabler . . . . .
Gothard . . . Fisk . 3 . .
. . 0'Pohl . . . . .
.
B Group
. . .Codding . . . . .
. . 800' 1 Salles . 4 6 .
Completed . .Schneider 2 . . . .
Flak . 700' . . Cooke . . .
Fighter . . . . . Muirhead . .
Damaged . 600' . . McGrath . . .
Mechanical . . . . . 4 Gaylon 6
Returned . 500' . . 3 4 .Brenner
. . . . . . . Prendergast Trauth
. . 400' . . Barnes . .
. . . . . .Elliott . .
. . 300' . . Boyce . . .
. . 5 1 . Barry . . .
Breed . 200' . . . Moreland . .
O'Brien . . . . Houghton . . .
Stuart . 100' Jordan . . . . .
Brunk . . . Head . 3 . .
. . 0'White . . . . .
.