8th Air Force den 3. marts 1945 Dagens største angreb blev gennemført af , der opererede med følgende den 3. marts 1945: Total Effective Losses Sorties Sorties Tonnage Claims E/A AA OT Total NYR Heavy Bombers 1102 1047 2872.8 A 2-2-4 4 2 5 11 12 Fighter Escort 605 554 0 A 3-0-6 0 1 5 6 6 G 19-0-26 Fighter Sweeps 107 100 0 G 1-0-3 0 0 1 1 1 Photo Recon 61 60 0 0-0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Weather Recon 40 39 0 0-0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Air/Sea Rescue 19 19 0 0-0-0 0 0 0 1 1 0

Eighth Army Air Force's indflyvning over tysk område den 3. marts 1945 i tidsrummet indtil klokken 10.00. De fem bombestyrker ses tydeligt med hver sin farve og de eskorterende jagerstyrker er market med tynde sorte linier. Tallene i cirklerne angiver det antal tyske fly, som amerikanerne forventede at man var i stand til at sætte ind mod dem, hvis brændstofsituationen tillod det.

Eighth Air Force afsendte 789 B-17 og 313 B-24 (i alt 1102 tunge bombefly) fra alle tre Air Division. Bombemaskinerne var fordelt på fem bombestyrker (Forces), der blev sendt mod seks olie raffinaderier, en 'oil plant equipment' fabrik, en bilfabrik, en kampvognsfabrik samt en jernbanebro - i alt 10 primære mål. Ud af de 1102 afsendte bombefly kastede de 1047 fly i alt 2872.8 tons bomber (2574.5 tons sprængbomber samt 298.3 tons brandbomber). Enhed Fly Mål Bombelast Afsendt Bombet Sprængbomber Brandbomber Fragment 1st Air Division 91A 12 12 M/Y 120 x 500 91B 12 12 Chemnitz M/Y 120 x 500 91C 13 12 Chemnitz M/Y 120 x 500 92A 12 12 Ruhland Oil Refinery 120 x 500 92B 12 10 Chemnitz M/Y 100 x 500 92B 1 Nidda, Germany 10 x 500 92B 1 50,14'N 08,39'E RR 10 x 500 92C 12 12 Chemnitz M/Y 120 x 00 303A 13 12 Hanover-Hannomag Tank 213 x 250 303A 1 Breckum Germany 9 x 250 303A 1 Breckum, Germany 20 x 250 303B 13 12 Hanover-Hannomag Tank 238 x 250 303C 13 9 Hanover-Hannomag Tank 168 x 250 305A 12 12 Lauta, Germany 120 x 500 305B 12 6 Plauen, Germany 50 x 500 305B 5 Lauta, Germany 50 x 500 305C 12 11 Ruhland Oil Plant 110 x 500 305C 1 Elsterwarda, Germany 10 x 500 379A 12 11 Misburg Oil Refinery 131 x 500 379B 13 13 Hanover-Hannomag Tank 155 x 500 379C 13 12 Misburg Oil Refinery 143 x 500 384A 12 12 Hanover-Hannomag Tank 239 x 250 384B 13 13 Hanover-Hannomag Tank 259 x 250 384C 12 11 Hanover-Hannomag Tank 219 x 250 398A 12 12 Chemnitz M/Y 213 x 250 398B 13 13 Chemnitz M/Y 233 x 250 398C 12 12 Chemnitz M/Y 215 x 250 401A 13 12 Chemnitz M/Y 120 x 500 401B 13 12 Chemnitz M/Y 180 x 250 20 x 500 401C 12 11 Chemnitz M/Y 106 x 500 457A 13 11 Chemnitz M/Y 110 x 500 457A 1 Meiningen, Germany 10 x 500 457B 13 12 Chemnitz M/Y 120 x 500 457C 12 12 Chemnitz M/Y 120 x 500

B-24J 44-40475 fra 458th BG (752nd BS) i færd med at kaste sin last af bomber over Bielefeld, der var dagens sekundære mål, hvis flyene ikke var i stand til at bombe broen ved Nienburg.

2ndAir Division 389A 10 9 Magdeburg/Rothensee 78 x 500 389B 10 7 Magdeburg/Rothensee 76 x 500 389C 10 7 Magdeburg/Rothensee 82 x 500 445A 11 11 Magdeburg/Rothensee 98 x 500 2 x 70 445B 11 11 Magdeburg/Rothensee 96 x 500 1 x 70 453A 11 11 Magdeburg/Rothensee 98 x 500 1 x 70 453B 11 11 Magdeburg/Rothensee 104 x 500 2 x 70 453C 11 11 Magdeburg/Rothensee 104 x 500 2 x 70 44A 11 10 Magdeburg/Rothensee 96 x 500 44B 11 10 Magdeburg/Rothensee 98 x 500 392A 10 10 Magdeburg/Rothensee 88 x 500 4 x 70 392B 11 10 Magdeburg/Rothensee 94 500 3 x 70 110 x 500 491A 9 9 Magdeburg/Rothensee 78 x 500 5 x 70 491B 9 9 Magdeburg/Rothensee 84 x 500 5 x 70 491C 10 10 Magdeburg/Rothensee 86 x 599 5 x 70 93A 10 10 Magdeburg/Rothensee 90 x 500 1 x 70 93B 11 11 Magdeburg/Rothensee 105 x 500 446A 11 10 Magdeburg/Rothensee 102 x 500 446B 10 9 Magdeburg/Rothensee 100 x 500 448A 11 10 Magdeburg/Rothensee 80 x 500 448B 11 9 Magdeburg/Rothensee 84 x 500 448C 6 Magdeburg/Rothensee Chaff 458A 9 9 Bielefeld RW Center 50 x 1000 458B 10 10 Nienburg RR Bridge 58 x 1000 458C 10 9 Nienburg RR Bridge 52 x 1000 466A 9 8 Bielefeld RR Center 44 x 1000 466B 9 7 Nienburg RR Bridge 40 x 1000 466C 10 6 Bielefeld RR Center 21 x 1000 466C 4 Nienburg 44 x 1000 467A 9 7 Nienburg RR Bridge 38 x 1000 467A 1 Bielefeld RR Center 6 x 1000 467A 1 Stedorf 6 x 1000 467B 8 2 Nienburg RR Bridge 12 x 1000 467B 6 Bielefeld RR Center 34 x 1000 467C 8 8 Bielefeld RR Center 45 x 1000 467D 12 12 Bielefeld RR Center 64 x 1000

MIAG i Braunschweig blev bombet den 3. marts 1945, men det var ikke den første gang at fabrikken blev udsat for bombeangreb. Her ses skader efter et angreb den 20. februar 1944, hvor en detonerende bombe har væltet en 40 meter høj kran ned over bygninger.

3rd Air Division 100A 12 11 Brunswick-Bussing M/T 79 x 500 94 x 500 100B 13 12 Brunswick-Bussing M/T 85 x 500 66 x 500 100C 13 13 Brunswick-Bussing M/T 92 x 500 72 x 500 Chaff 6 4 Brunswick-Bussing M/T 48 x 250 95A 12 11 Brunswick-Bussing M/T 79 x 500 60 x 500 95B 13 13 Brunswick-Bussing M/T 93 x 500 72 x 500 95C 13 13 Brunswick-Bussing M/T 93 x 500 72 x 500 390A 12 12 Brunswick Wilke Werk Oil 85 x 500 66 x 500 390B 13 12 Brunswick Plant Equip 85 x 500 66 x 500 390C 13 13 Hereford 92 x 500 72 x 500 486A 9 8 Brunswick Wilke Werke Oil 56 x 500 48 x 500 486B 10 10 Hereford 70 x 500 60 x 500 486C 10 10 Brunswick Wilke Werke Oil 70 x 500 60 x 500 486D 11 10 Brunswick Wilke Werke Oil 67 x 500 60 x 500 487A 9 9 Brunswick-Milag Tank 63 x 500 54 x 500 487B 10 6 Bielefeld RR Center 42 x 500 36 x 500 487B 1 Osnabrück M/Y 7 x 500 6 x 500 487B 1 Brunswick-Milag Tank 7 x 500 6 x 500 487C 10 8 Brunswick-Milag Tank 53 x 500 46 x 500 487C 1 RR Center 7 x 500 6 x 500 487D 10 9 Brunswick-Milag Tank 65 x 500 54 x 500 487D 1 Bielefeld RR Center 7 x 500 6 x 500 447A 10 10 Brunswick-Milag Tank 70 x 500 60 x 500 447B 10 9 Brunswick-Milag Tank 75 x 500 42 x 500 447C 9 8 Brunswick-Milag Tank 69 x 500 35 x 500 447D 9 6 Brunswick-Milag Tank 5 8 x 500 20 x 500 96A 9 9 Dallbergen Oil Ref 123 x 500 388D 2 2 Dallbergen Oil Ref 22 x 500 96B 13 13 Dollbergen Oil Ref 182 x 500 96C 13 13 Dollbergen Oil Ref 182 x 500 388A 12 12 Gütersloh 2 40 x 250 388B 12 12 Hildesheim VDM 240 x 250 388C 12 11 Hildesheim-VDM 220 x 250 452A 12 10 Dedenhauser Oil Ref 192 x 250 452A 2 Bielefeld RR Center 48 x 250 452B 13 12 Dedenhausen Oil Ref 216 x 300 24 x 250 452C 13 8 Dedenhausen Oil Ref 160 x 250 452C 5 Hildesheim-VDM 100 x 250 34A 12 11 Bielefeld RR Center 154 x 500 34B 13 11 Dedenhausen Oil Ref 154 x 500 34B 2 Bielefeld RR Center 28 x 500 34C 13 12 Dedenhausen Oil Ref 168 x 500 490A 12 12 Nienhagen Oil Ref 165 x 500 490B 13 13 Nienhagen Oil Ref 182 x 500 490C 13 13 Nienhagen Oil Ref 182 x 500 493A 9 7 Nienhagen Oil Ref 98 x 500 493B 11 11 Nienhagen Oil Ref 154 x 500 493C 9 9 Hildesheim VDM 126 x 500

Der var over de fleste af målene 6/10 til 10/10 skydække, men over nogle mål kun 2/10 til 4/10 skydække, hvorfor man her kunne bombe visuelt. De andre steder bombede man ved hjælp af radar. Alle 10 primære mål blev bombet, men på grund af vejret ikke i det planlagte omfang. Til gengæld blev fire sekundære mål samt flere alternative mål ligeledes bombet. Bombeformationerne blev angrebet af Me 262ere og Me 109 i områderne ved Braunschweig samt Hildesheim, hvorved fire bombefly gik tabt i løbet af tre angreb. Bombebesætningerne så også andre Me 262 samt Me 163, men ingen af disse kom til angreb. Maskingeværskytterne om bord på de amerikanske bombefly hævdede, at de i løbet af dagen havde nedskudt 2 Me 262, muligvis nedskudt yderligere 2 Me 262 samt beskadiget 4 Me 262. Ved dagens slutning rapporterede Eighth Air Force, at de under dagens togt over Tyskland havde mistet 7 B-17 og 4 B-24. Me 262erne tilhørte 7, der var placeret på flyvepladser i Berlinområdet. Stab/JG 7 sendte klokken 09.45 tre Me 262A på vingerne fra Brandenburg-Briest uden, at disse tre jetfly opnåede nogen nedskydninger inden de igen landede på Brandenburg-Briest en time senere.

Me 262A tilhørende 8. Staffel fra Jagdegeschwader 7 ved krigens slutning fotograferet på flyvepladsen Stendal i Sachesen-Anhalt.

III./JG 7 sendte klokken 09.45 26 Me 262 på vingerne fra flyvepladserne Brandenburg-Briest, Parchim og Lechfeld. De var i luften en times tid og gjorde krav på at have nedskudt fem B-17, fire B-24, to P-47 og en enkelt P-51. III./JG 7 mistede to fly og fik beskadiget to andre. En tysk pilot mistede livet. De tyske jetpiloter foretog ingen masseangreb den 3. marts, men splittede sig op i mindre elementer på to til fire fly, der ikke indlod sig på luftkamp med de amerikanske eskortejagere. De tyske piloter udnyttede deres større hastighed og angreb de amerikanske bombeformationer bagfra, hvor de skiftede fra formation til formation. Eighth Air Force opgjorde den tyske indsats mod de indtrængende bombestyrker således: 'In contrast to yesterday's mission when a moderate number of orthodox s/e e/a and very few jet a/c were airborne, today hardly any orthodox fighters were encountered while jet sightings total 49 Me 262s and 7 Me 163s. These e/a operated over a wide area between Ahrend See, Fassberg, Brunswick and Magdeburg, formations varying in size from six to fifteen, the large formations splitting into smaller elements when fighter escort turned into them. E/a evaded combat and kept out of range of escorting fighters and although the latter chased and dispensed the majority of them before they reached the bombers, only 8 e/a were damaged and 2 destroyed. Only three bombers appear to have been lost to jet attack, one of which the lead a/c of the third force chaff dropping force, and the other a straggler of the second force. E/a attacks were only made on the second and third forces between their IP's and targets, some attempting attacks on the second force and 18 on the third force, the former came in to attack the bombers in a formation of 15 at 32.000 at Ahrend See (IP) at 1010, but were chased by a P-51 group for 15 minutes, one e/a being damaged. The same fighter group also saw additional Me 262s flying at a high altitude in the Brandenburg area, and at 1035 observed a Me 163 on an easterly course east of Magdeburg at 20.000 feet. A second fighter group escorting the same force chased 3 Me 262s which made a pass at the bombers in the target area - e/a evaded and P-51s were unable to engage. A third fighter group escorting this force chased three jets off in the Ulzen area at 0950 and tried unsuccessfully to engage two more which made nuisance passes at the bombers from Ulzen to the target; they also sighted an Me 163 diving to the decck in the Magdeburg area. Opposition to the third force was on a slightly smaller scale. Three fighter groups engaged and dispersed a formation of 12 jets simulating a P-51 formation which came up from the SE at 26.000 at 1020 hours. E/a appear to have split into two formations of six each north of Brunswick where chases occurred. Another six jets made continued passes at the bombers in the same area and succeeded in shooting down the lead ship of the chaff dropping force. One fighter group sweeping ahead of the second force bounched 3 Me 262s flying at 26.000 feet west of Magdeburg; e/a however pulled away and evaded combat. Fourth force bombers report sighting 7 Fw 190s at 1120 just west of Dummer Lake, following their formation at 18.000 feet. Four P-51s escorting a PRU, sighted 6 Me 262s at 28.000 feet, over Hanover at 1505. Approximately ten minutes later they bounched another Me 262 in the same area at 22.000 feet'. B-17erne og B-24 var eskorteret af et stort antal jagerfly. 605 jagere gik på vingerne i tidrummet mellem klokken 06.58 og 08.32 for at støtte bombestyrkerne. I alt 584 P-51 og 21 P-47 gik i luften, hvoraf 554 gennemførte deres planlagte sorties.

Kortskitse, der viser situationen i luften over Tyskland i tidsrummet mellem klokken 10.00 til 11.30.

Jagerstyrkerne kom i luftkamp med en Bf 109 vest for Dresden, to Do 217 over flyvepladsen ved Kitzingen samt en række Me 262ere. Til de sidste hørte seks Me 262ere ved Braunschweig, tolv Me 262ere syd for Hamburg, tre Me 262ere i området ved Magdeburg samt femten Me 262ere, som jagereskorten forsøgte at komme i luftkamp med nord for Magdeburg. Jagereskorten så også seks Me 262 ved Gardelegen, tre Me 262 i nærheden af Brandenburg, tre Me 262 ved Ulzen, mere end ti Me 262ere i nærheden af Ahrend See samt to Fw 190 vest for Wilhelmshaven uden, at det kom til luftkampe. Jagereskorten gjorde krav på at have nedskudt tre fjendtlige maskiner samt beskadiget yderligere seks Me 262ere. Jagereskorten mistede seks P-51, hvoraf en blev skudt ned af luftværnsskyts og en blev ødelagt, da en vogn læsset med ammunition detonerede under et lavangreb. Efter endt eskorteopgave fik de amerikanske jagere lov til at udføre lavangreb, som blandt andet blev rettet mod et spredningsområde ved Mackern samt flyvepladser ved Kitzingen og Prague-Letnany. Dertil kom så et utal af jordmål spredt over et stort område. Jagereskorten fremsatte følgende krav efter landingen, der fandt sted i tidsrummet mellem 12.13 til 14.15: Type Ødelagt Beskadiget Lokomotiver 31 9 Godsvogne 30 51 Lastbiler 10 10 Fabriksbygninger 0 3 Passagervogne (bane) 0 3 Tankvogne 0 2 Flyattrapper 3 0 Fly på jorden 19 26 To Fighter Groups på tilsammen 107 P-51 gennemførte Fighter Seeeps til områderne ved Leipzig og Magdebug. De kom på vingerne i tidsrummet mellem klokken 07.20 og 07.31 og 100 af flyene gennemførte missionen. De forsøgte at komme i luftkamp med tre Me 262 i området ved Magdeburg, men de hurtige tyske fly forsvandt igen og det kom ikke til kamp. I stedet for strafede man en uidentificeret flyveplads nord for Dummer Lake og gjorde krav på at have ødelagt et fly på jorden og beskadiget yderligere tre. En P-51 gik tabt på grund af motorproblemer. Det tyske ordenspoliti indberettede adskillige beskydninger af især transportmål samt bombninger, hvoraf en del har været nødafkast eller i mangel af bedre bombning af alternative mål. BdO Nürnberg Nürnberg-Fürth Bordwaffenbeschuss auf Stadtgebiet (Hausruinen). Keine Schäden gemeldet. Kreis Würzburg Zwischen Lindflur und Reichenberg Personenzug mit bordwaffen beschossen. 1 Lok total, 2 Wagen beschädigt. 4 Gefallene und 12 Verwundete. Bergrheinfeld (Kreis Würzburg) Tieffliegerangriff auf Trinkwasserzug. 1 Lok ung 2 Waggons beschädigt. Ferner Militär-Transport mit Bordwaffen beschossen. 1 Lok total. 4 Verwundete. Kreis Ebern 9 Sprengbomben. 1 Wohngebäude total. Ferner Flurschäden. 2 Gefallene und 2 Verwundete. Weiterhin wurden in Görrwasserlos und Randorsacker insgesamt 12 Sprenbomben abgeworfen. Flurschäden gemeldet. BdO Hannover Lemförde (Kreis Diepholz) 26 Sprengbomben. 2 Wohnhäuser schwer, 12 leicht. Ferner Fernsprechleitung gestört. Lelm (Kreis Helmstedt) Bordwaffenbeschuss auf Munitionszug. Maschine und eine Anzahl Waggons beschädigt. 1 Verwundeter. Wehnsen (Kreis Peine) 89 Sprengbomben. 1 Wohnhaus leicht. Ferner Schäden an Reichsbahnanlagen. Flurschäden. Dedenhausen (Kreis Peine) Eine grössere Anzahl Sprengbomben auf Bahnhof und Feldmark zwischen Dollbergen und Dedenhausen abgeworfen; zahlreiche Treffer. 2 Barakcen in Mineralölwerk Sendewald total, Werk selbst getroffen. 2 Verwundete. Rossdorf (Kreis göttingen) Bei dem bereits gemeldeten bordwaffenbeschus auf Bahnhof und Personenzug 1 Wohnhaus, 1 Scheune und 1 Stellwerk durch Brand schwer, Teilschäden an einem Personenzug. Dettum (Kreis Wolfenbüttel) 17 Spreng- ung 100 Stabbrandbomben. 1 Scheune und 1 Stall total, 4 Wohnhäuser und 2 Scheunen teilbeschädigt. Lieferde (Kreis Wolfenbüttel) 3 Sprengbomben. 7 Wohnhäuser leicht. Neuenhofe (Kreis Haldensleben) 10 Sprengbomben. Anschlussgleis nach Versuchsplatz Hillersleben und Landstrsse gegroffen. Aderstadt (Kreis Ochersleben) Durch bordwafenbeschuss auf Zuckerfabrik 4 Ausländer getötet. Schwanebeck (Kreis Oschersleben) Durch tieffliegerangriff 1 Zugmaschine mit Anhänger total. Wegeleben (Kreis Oschersleben) Durch Bordwaffenbeschuss auf Bahnhof 3 Lok beschädigt. 1 Mann gefallen, 1 Frau verwundet. Ferner wurden in Hassbergen, Anderten, Oyle, Liebenau, Dörrigsen, Abbensen, Kl. Ilsede, Edemissen, Rosenthal, Domäne Haus Schwicheldt, Bahnhof Stederdorf, Feldmark Equord, Föhrum, Hohenhameln, Gorenberg, Hatteln, Ochtersum, Wendesse, Betheln, Elze, Sorsum, Velzum, Halchter, Leiferde, Barnstrof, Watzum, Barfeld, Sellenstedt, Lüttgenade, Forst Grünenplan, Mascherode, Wenden, Kl. Stöckheim, Heeresgutbezirk Hillersleben, Warsleben und Martfeld insgesamt 587 Spreng-, 1.565 Sabbrandbomben und 1 Flüssigkeitsbrandbombe abgeworfen. Geringe Gebäude-, glas-, Dach-, Flur- und Waldschädens gemeldet.

Kortskitse, der fra klokken 11.30 viser de amerikanske flys ruter under returflyvningen.

BdO Münster Bochum 17.45 bis 17.48: Bochum: 3 Sprengbomben. 3 Häuser leicht. 1 Verwundeter. 1745 bis 17.48: Herne: 9 Sprengbomben. 2 Haüser mittel, 37 Häuser, 1 Lichtspieltheater und 1 Krankenhaus leicht. Ferner Zeche Mont Cenis I/III, 1 Strassenbahnanlage und 1 Pol.-Revier getroffen. 7 Gefallene und 42 Verwundete. 15.15 Uhr: Castrop-Rauxel: Durch Bordwaffenbeschuss 2 Gefallene und 1 Verwundeter. Stadtlohn (Kreis. Ahaus) 18.00 Uhr: Durch Bordwaffenbeschuss auf Lkw bei Wndfeld 1 Volksturmmann gefallen, 9 Volksturmmänner verwundete. Herford 11.15 bis 11.22 Uhr. 150 Spreng- und 4.500 Stabbrandbomben. 4 Gross-, 58 Mittel- und 45 Kleinbrände. 29 Häuser total, 28 schwer, 32 mittel und etwa 150 Häuser leicht. Ferner 14 Geschäftshäuser, 1 Lagerhaus, 1 Mühle, 1 Markthalle, 1 Krankenhaus, 1 Schule und 1 Verwaltungsgebäude beschädigt. 4 Industriebetriebe getroffen. 21 Gefallene, etwa 100 Verwundete. Brackwede (Kreis Bielefeld) 10.57 bis 11.15 Uhr: 80 Spreng- und 5 Phosphorbrandbomben. 1 Kleinbrand. 11 Häuser total, 45 schwer und etwa 120 Häuser sowie 1 Verwaltungsgebäude mittel bis leicht. Ferner 1 Wehrmachtanlage getroffen; Telefon- und Wasserleitungsschäden. Weiterhin Flurschäden. 20 Gefallen, 11 Verwundte. Senne I (Kreis Bielefeld) 10.57 bis 11.15 Uhr: 20 Spreng- und 6.000 Stabbrandbomben in freies Gelände. Flurschäden. Duisburg 09.35 bis 10.05: 34 Sprengbomben sowie Bordwaffenbeschuss. 1 Haus schwer, 5 Häuser mittel und 35 Häuser leicht. 1 Reichsbahnanlage getroffen. 1 Gefallener und 7 Verwundete. 0 Stück Grossvieh getötet.

First Force First Force, der bestod af 96th CBW fra (458th, 466th og 467th Bomb Group) havde jernbanebroen ved Nienburg som primært mål. 96th Combat Bomber afsendte 94 B-24, hvoraf 89 kastede 117 tons general purpose bomber mod broen ved Nienburg samt 131.5 tons bomber mod det sekundære mål, godsbanegården i Bielefeld. Enheden havde Lohne som alternativt mål, hvis man var i stand til at bombe visuelt, og Bielefeld, hvis man var nødt til at bombe ved hjælp af H2X. Endelig kastede et enkelt fly 3 tons bomber mod et uidentificeret alternativt mål. Mål Sorties Effektive Tonnage Nienburg jernbanebro 94 41 117.0 Bielefeld godsbanegård 48 131.5 Uidentificeret mål 1 3.0 I alt 94 90 251.5 Fly fra 2nd Scouting Force sendte vejrmelding for Nienburg 25 minutter før angrebstidspunktet, hvilket gav lederne af bombestyrken mulighed for at vurdere angrebsmulighederne. 96th CBW havde en god anflyvning mod jernbanebroen ved Nienburg, der var 6-8/10 dækket af skyer. En del af enheden havde mulighed for visuelle check points under anflyvningen, medens andre ikke havde. Sidstnævnte bombede i stedet for Bielefeld ved hjælp af H2X.

96th Combat Bomber Wing rapporterede efter angrebet: 'The lead Squadron of the 467th Group bombed the primary visually with excellent results on the Railroad Bridge and approaches. The other three Squadrons bombed the secondary, Bielefeld on H2X. The 458th, 2nd and 3rd Squadrons, bombed the primary. 6/10 cloud coverage and 25 degrees drift on the bomb run made it difficult for the bombardiers to make good runs. After two runs on the primary, the 2nd and 3rd Squadrons dropped bombs; the lead Squadron unable to pick up the target bombed the secondary on H2X. The results of the two Squadrons, which bombed the primary, were ppor to unobserved. The Lead Squadron's bombs were plotted as being twelve miles south tyo southeast of the secondary target. The 466th Group, 1st and 3rd Squadrons, made four runs on the primary before going to the secondary. the 2nd Squadron picked up the target for a short run. Five aircraft of the 3rd Squadron, flying in trail, dropped on smoke markers of the 2nd Squadron with excellent results. The remainder of the Gorup bombed the secondary on H2X'. Bombningen fandt sted i tidsrummet fra 09.52 til 11.00 fra højder mellem 18-20.000 fod. Der blev samtidig med bombningen af Bielefeld kastet flyveblade til den tyske befolkning. Da bombestyrken krydsede kysten blev de beskudt af tysk luftværnsskyts, der blev beskrevet som 'meager and accurate'. Tre B-24 blev beskadiget i mindre grad af luftværnsbeskydningen. Over selve målområdet var der ingen luftværnsskydning ligesom man ikke så nogen fjendtlige jagere. First Force blev eskorteret af 21 P-47 (19 effektive) fra 56th Fighter Group, der gik på vingerne klokken 07.00 og landede igen klokken 12.31 uden, at de fik nogen kontakt med tyske fly. Amerikanske fototydere foretog på baggrund af bombebillederne en vurdering af omfanget af skaderne på jernbanebroen ved Nienburg. De mente, at selve broen var ramt samt, at jernbanelinien var blevet ramt på rampen op til broen. Det tyske ordenspoliti rapporterede følgende om bombningen: Nienburg eisenbahnbrücke nördlich Nienburg durch Abwurf zahlreicher Sprengbomben angegriffen und beschädigt. Weiterhin Glas- und Flurschäden. Liebenau (Kreis Nienburg) 1 Sprengbombe auf Gelände der Elbia. Starkstromleitung total Leese (Kreis Nienburg) Bordwaffenbeschuss auf Personenzug. Maschine beschädigt. 1 Mann gefallen, 1 Mann schwer und 1 Mann leicht verwundet.

Skaderne på jernbanebroen var dog ikke særligt store i forhold til det store antal bomber, der var blevet kastet: Attack on Nienburg Bridge on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 41 with full fighter escort Time: 0953 - 1001 A hours Bombs: 234 x 1000 lb GP Statement of the target: The target for attack was the railway bridge located two miles Northwest of the town of Nienburg. Details of the attack: Two concentrations of at least 100 bursts have blanketed the bridge, its approaches, and adjacent open fields. Three probable hits are seen on the bridge; the East approach has received at least two hits and at least three other hits are on the rail line. Two, possible three hits are seen on the West approach and the rail line has been hit in approximately three places. Of the 234 HE bombs dropped, a total of approximately 185 bursts is seen on partially cloud and smoke obscured photographs. Other bursts: 1. One concentration and two groups totalling approximately 75 bursts in open fields, 1200 yards West of the bridge. 2. Two groups of six bursts each in open fields 1000 yards North and Wst Northwest respectively.

Dele af jernbanesystemet ved Bielefeld ved krigens afslutning.På billedet ses en del oprangerede togstammer samt en mængde bombekratere.

48 B-24 havde bombet Bielefeld som alternativt mål og den 8. marts fremkom nedenstående fototyderrapport for angrebet på Bielefeld den 3. marts. Rapporten blev udarbejdet på baggrund af fotos, der var taget af amerikanske 13th Photographic Squadron den 7. marts klokken 13.15A: Bielefeld Railway Center Period Covered: 1545A hours on 21 Feb 1945 and 1315A hours on 7 MAR 1945 Attacks: US 8th Air Force 24 FEB 1945 10/10 cloud US 8th Air Force 3 MAR 1945 9/10 - 10/10 cloud Provisional Statement on Damage: One through line is cut near the Locomotive Depot by one crater, causing damage to at least one locomotie. Locomotives in steam are seen as follows: Five in Locomotive Depot Area. Four in Passenger Station Area. Two approaching the main line from the Southeast. Den 15. marts blev denne rapport fulgt op med yderligere en rapport, der var baseret på et sæt fotografier, der var taget den 14. marts af S/Ldr Watson og F/Lt Knight i Mosquito XXXII NS589 No. 540 Squadron. De nye oplysninger lød som følger: No new craters visible on lines in the target area; however, there is evidence of recent repair to the sorting sidings at the Southern end of the yard. Possibly there is slight damage to the passenger station platforms. In the area surrounding the sorting sidings large concentrations of craters are visible in the fields and built-up districts with considerable damage to business and residential property. Bielefeld havde tidligere prøvet at blive bombet. Den 30. september 1944 bombede 257 ud af 266 afsendte B-17 fra 3rd Bomb Division Bielefeld, hvorved 649 personer i byen blev dræbt. Det var dog ikke det første luftangreb på Bielefeld. Byen var flere gange tidligere blevet angrebet af mindre styrker, men bombningen den 30. september 1944 var den værste. Byen blev også bombet flere gange efter denne dato og angrebene kostede i alt 1349 indbyggere livet. 15.688 lejligheder blev helt eller delvis ødelagt. Byen blev indtaget af amerikanske styrker den 4. april 1945. Det tyske ordenspoliti rapporterede om flere skader i området ved Bielefeld den 3. marts 1945: Senne I (Kreis Bielefeld) 10.57 bis 11.15 Uhr: 20 Spreng- und 6.000 stabbrandbomben in freies Gelände. Flurschäden. Backwede (Kreis Bielefeld) 10.57 bis 11.15 Uhr: 80 Spreng- und 5 Phosphorbrandbomben. 1 Kleinbrand. 11 Häuser total, 45 schwer und etwa 120 Häuser sowie 1 Verwaltungsgebäude mittel bis leicht. Ferner 1 Wehrmachtanlage getroffen; Telefon- und Wasserleitungschäden. Weiterhin Flurschäden. 20 Gefallen, 11 Verwundete.

Second Force Medens First Force havde en 'milk run' af et togt, så så det lidt anderledes ud for Second Force. Styrken bestod af 219 B-24 fra 2nd Air Division, som havde Rothensee Synthetic Oil Plant ved Magdeburg som mål. Ud af disse blev 206 betragtet som effektive - 6 fly udkastede chaff og 200 bombede det primære mål visuelt med 479.2 tons general purpose bomber. Ligesom ved Bielefeld blev der kastet flyveblade samtidig med bombningen. Second Force, der bestod af 20th, 14th og 2nd Combat Bomber Wing, startede fra deres baser i England i fra klokken 06.11 og anvendte omkring en halvanden times tid til at samle formationerne i 8.000 fods højde, før de satte kursen ud over havet. Samling af formationerne gav ingen problemer og for navigering mod målet rapporterede styrken: 'The Magdeburg Force was generally five to twenty miles right of course on the over-water log. Navigators tried to straighten out one turn on this leg and go straight to the first turning point before landfall, but no attemps were made to correct course until at landfall in. After landfall in, the Wings were generally five to seven miles south of course at the turning points before the IP, except for the 14th Combat Wing, which at one point before the IP was fourteen miles south of course. At this time the Lead navigator of the 14th Combat Wing reported his GEE set working, but failed to correct on course. The other Groups in this Wing corrected, and all units made the IP good. The 2nd Combat Wing, 445th and 453rd Groups, were fifteen miles south of course at one time, but did not correct on course until at 0925E 5308N. The 2nd Combat Wing did make good the IP and regained its position in the formation. The 20th Wing stayed within six miles south of course up the IP'. For en gang skyld var vejret godt over målområdet med 3/10 til 3/10 skydække i lav højde og B-24erne var i stand til at gennemføre et angreb som besætningerne beskrev som 'Excellent'.

Det beskadigetde olieanlæg Braunkohle Benzin AG ved Magde- burg-Rothensee i maj 1945.

Det gode vejr gav også tyskerne mulighed for at bekæmpe de indflyvende bombemaskiner visuelt, hvis amerikanerne jammede luftværnsskytsets radarapparater. Luftværnsskydningen blev af de angribende besætninger beskrevet som 'moderate to intense and accurate'. To B-24 blev skudt ned af luftværnsskytset, 4 bombefly fik større og 73 mindre skader. De to B-24, som blev skudt ned af luftværnsskytset, kom begge fra 445th Bomb Group. B-24J med serienummer 42-50692 var en del af 702nd Bomb Squadron, 445th Bomb Group, og blev fløjet af 1st Lt John C Saunders fra Greenfield i Massachusetts. Flyet blev ramt af luftværnsskytset ved Magdeburg, da det var under anflyvning til målet. B-24eren mistede højde efter at bombelasten var kastet og flyet forlod formationen. Flyet var alvorligt beskadiget og Lt Saunders besluttede sig til at forsøge at nå de russiske linier, men han nåede ikke langt før tre af motorerne satte ud, hvorefter Saunders gav besætningen ordre på at springe ud med faldskærm. De andre andre besætninger i 445th Bomb Group kunne se seks faldskærme komme fra B-24eren. Lt Saunders besætning var en erfaren besætning med 24 operative togter bag dem. 42-50692 styrtede ned fem kilometer nordøst for Sieber bei Herzberg i Harzen og de besætningsmedlemmer, som slap ud af flyet i tide, blev hurtigt indfanget af tyskerne. B-24eren brød ved nedstyrtningen i brand og var næsten fuldstændig ødelagt. Andenpiloten, Lt Kenning, brækkede et ben ved landingen. Navigatøren Leroy S Dabney blev ligeledes hurtigt indfanget. Tre af besætningsmedlemmerne, Saunders, Patton og Gould blev omkring tre timer efter faldskærmsudspringet ført til politistationen i St Andreasburg, hvor de blev mishandlet. Da de skulle transporteres videre til Halberstadt blev de i gangen på politistationen standset af en tysker med hagekorsarmbind og uniformslignende påklædning. Han begyndte at udspørge og råbe af Saunders og de denne ikke forstod, hvad der blev sagt, blev han skudt i brystet på kort hold. Saunders blev dræbt øjeblikkeligt og tyskerne forsøgte først at påstå, at Saunders var blevet skudt under flugtforsøg, hvilket var usandt. Han blev myrdet på gangen på politistationen i St Andreasburg, medens han stod på række med de andre besætningsmedlemmer. Ifølge den amerikanske besætning råbte tyskeren, at han skød Saunders på ordre fra Føreren. De øvrige besætningsmedlemmer slap levende fra episoden og blev overgivet til , der sendte dem til afhøring i Oberursel. Den anden B-24, der blev skudt ned af luftværnsskytset, var 44-48844, der tilhørte 703rd Bomb Squadron, 445th Bomb Group. Denne maskine blev fløjet af 1st Lt Richard A Winters. B-24eren blev ramt af en direkte træffer af en luftværnsgranat, da flyet var under 'bomb run' og højre halefinne og ror faldt af, hvorefter B-24en gik ind i et spin. 44-48844 styrtede ned omkring en kilometer øst for Magdeburg-Rothensee og blev toalt ødelagt ved nedstyrtningen. De øvrige besætninger i 445th Bomb Group så kun to faldskærme fra flyet, men fire mand slap ud af maskinen og overlevede. Castles befandt sig på navigatørens plads, da B-24eren i 24.500 fods højde blev ramt to minutter før bombekast. Piloten, Richard Winters, aktiverede alarmen, der gav signal til at besætningen skulle forlade flyet. På samme tid blev B-24eren igen ramt af en fuldtræffer. Det lykkedes for Castles at slippe ud af flyet via døren ved næsehjulet. Han blev fulgt af bombeskytten, 2nd/Lt Mathew S Bahelka. Waist Gunner Sgt Karl Goff og radiotelegrafisten T/Sgt M E Schmidt havde allerede på dette tidspunkt forladt flyet, idet de sprang øjeblikkeligt, da alarmen blev givet, medens det tog lidt længere tid for Castles og Bahelka. Den resterende besætning forblev ombord på B.24en, der gik ind i et spin, hvor centrifugalkræfterne fastholdt besætningen, så de ikke kunne slippe ud. Castles blev straks taget til fange efter faldskærmsspringet og ført til nærmeste flyveplads, hvor Castles mødte Goff, Bahelka og Schmidt. Goff var lettere såret af granatsplinter, medens de to øvrige var usårede. De blev alle fire videresendt til Oberursel. Second Force blev også angrebet af Me 262, der dukkkede op i området ved Magdeburg. Ti fjendtlige jagere opererede i mindre elementer og fire Bomber Groups rapporterede, at de blev angrebet af Me 262 i løbet af dagens mission. En enkelt B-24 blev skudt ned af en Me 262, men ulykken blev større, idet det anskudte fly kolliderede med en anden B-24 i formationen og begge fly styrtede ned. De to fly kom fra henholdsvis 713th og 715th Bomb Squadron fra 448th Bomb Group. 1st Lt Irving Smarinsky fra Detroit i var pilot ombord på B-24J 42-50463, medens 2nd Lt James W Guynes Jr fra Cleveland i Ohio var pilot ombord på B- 24J 42-51247. Da de klokken 10.20 var omkring 60 kilometer nord for Magdeburg blev Guynes fly beskudt af en Me 262, hvorved flyet kom ud af kontrol og stødte ind i Smarinsky's B-24. Begge fly styrtede ned ved Gross- og Klein Heide, der ligger omkring 27 km nord for Salzwedel. Kun tre besætningsmedlemmer slap med livet i behold. Fra Guynes fly overlevede kun Sgt Donald Schleicher fra Dachville, Tennesee og fa Smarinsky's fly overlevede Sgt Gerhard J Perry, Rumford, Maine samt 2nd Lt Arthur Hoffmann, der stammede fra California. Alle tre besætningsmedlemmer blev den 4. marts sendt til Oberursel. Sgt Perry fortalte efter krigen følgende til en undersøgelseskommision: 'They were approaching the bomb run and about eight miles from target, the plane ahead to the right was hit by a jetpropelled fighter and immediately went out of control and jumped straight into the air and landed on the plane of which Sgt Perry was the engineer, disabeling the right rudder and the plane went into a flat spin. The sergeant was at his position, picked up his parachute and went into the bomb bay to salvo bombs, some of which could not be salvoed and the Sergeant was then thrown around by the pitching of the plane until he became unconscious, either from injury or lack of oxygen, he does not know which, and the next thing he remembers is of parachuting to safety. He does not remember leaving the plane and while parachuting down, there was a B-24 burning which seemed to follow him. He could not see the number or plane of the plane, but feels absolutely sure that it was his plane'. Under et andet angreb blev en Me 262, der angreb selvstændigt, skudt ned af agterskytten på en B-24. Ud over Me 262 blev der rapporteret om fem Me 163, der dog ikke fik nogen indflydelse på kampen. Second Force blev eskorteret af tre Fighter Groups fra 4th, 355th og på tilsammen 144 P-51, hvoraf de 129 var effektive. Tre Me 262 blev intercepted ved Magdeburg og jagereskorten gjorde krav på at have beskadiget to Me 262. Jagerstyrken forsøgte også at komme i luftkamp med 15 Me 262 nord for Magdeburg, hvilket mislykkedes. 'The 355th, 4th and 361st Fighter Groups report engangements with Jet aircraft trying to attack the Bomber stream. The 355th Group first saw three twin-Jets at 1020 and drove them off. In the target area ten jets in two sections attacked the Bombers and got away before the 355th Group could engange them. Another three-ship element of Me 262's made a pass at the bombers a few minutes later but they again got away before any contact was made. The 4th and 361st Groups report similar attacks in the target area. In most cases escorting Fighters were able to ward off Jets as they began their attacks; however, the Me 262's, having such superior speed were able to make a pass and elude our Fighters unless they were near the target of the Jet's attack so that a turn into the Jets could be made. Claims of 0-0-1 Jets were made, which indicates the Me 2y62's offered very poor trgets to our conventional Fightrs. Our Fighter Groups suffered no loss to these attacks; however, two Bombers were observed to collide and go down after a Jet attack'. Eskorten observerede seks Me 262 i nærheden af Gardelegen og tre Me 262 ved Brandenburg. Endelig så man tre Me 262 i området ved Ulzen samt mere end ti Me 262 ved Ahrend See. Ingen af disse steder var man i stand til at komme på skudhold af de tyske maskiner. Frigivne eskortefly fik tilladelse til at strafe og det benyttede sig af i området mellem Celle og Ulzen, hvor man angreb jernbanen samt motorvejen. Under strafingen gik en P-51 tabt på grund af en eksploderende ammunitionsvogn. 4th Fighter Group gjorde krav på at have beskadiget to tyske lokomotiver samt ødelagt en lastbil, hvilket ikke helt stod til måls med dagens tab. Captain George Harrison 'Ink' Davis (bosiddende i Berlin i MD) fra , blev ramt af sprængstykker fra ammunitionsvognen (andre kilder angiver, at han blev skudt ned af let luftværnsskyts). Davis sprang ud med faldskærm og brækkede det ene ben, da han landede på en træstump. Davis blev taget til fange og blev løsladt igen i maj 1945. Han fortsatte efter krigen i det amerikanske flyvevåben og blev pensioneret som major. Davis fløj P-51D 44-63599, der styrtede ned tre kilometer øst for Bierde ved Walsrode. Flyet blev af tyskerne vurderet til at være 97% ødelagt på grund af styrtet og efterfølgende brand. 2nd Lt Robert Hunter Jr beretter om Davis nedstyrtning: On 3 March, after leaving the targt area of Magdeburg, Horseback leading A Group with Capt Davis as my element leader, went down on the deck looking for Jet fields. Arriving at a area 8 miles NE of Celle, the Group made 1 pass at a train. Horseback called over the R/T and accordingly headed out on course. But Capt Davis having observed something during the pass at the train, flew through a snowstorm to the North, made a 180º turn, re-formed and fired into or near a group of trees. Visibility wasn't good but as he started firing I saw a big ball of red flame, seconds later an explosion - which shook my aircraft 400 to 500 feet in the air. Capt Davis flew right through the explosion but I, being behind him, broke out around the explosion. What looked like bricks and splinters of wood flew all over the place. Almost immediately pieces appeared to be falling off Capt Davis' aircraft. Capt Davis called 'Red 3 bailing out'. He jettisoned his canopy, maneuvered his aircraft in position and bailed out, his chute opening. He landed in a tree; his aircraft crashed 200 feet from him where it was burning fiercely. Capt Davis waved his arms indicating he was OK and I rocked my wings in acknowledgment. I called Horseback and reported that Capt Davis had bailed out and successfully. By this time Horseback was arriving upon the scene, but due to poor visibility I am not sure he saw Capt Davis on the ground. Red 3 bailed at approximately from 500 to 700 feet. 4th Fighter Group deltog i dagens togt med to formationer. A Group blev ført af Lt Col Woods, medens Col Stewart førte B Group. Eskortejagerne fik klokken 09.40 kontakt med deres B-24 ved Helgoland og eskorterede dem frem til målet og et stykke af vejen tilbage. Undere eskorteflyvningen kom det flere gang til kontakt med Me 262, men det lykkedes ikke at nedskyde nogen af disse selv om Colonel Stewart gjorde krav på at have beskadiget et tyske jetfly ved Gardelegen. Klokken 10.40 afbrød A Group eskorteflyvningen, da man befandt sig ved nordvest for Goslar, og man foretog i stedet for et sweep i retning af Dummer Lake. A Group fløj i 18.000 fods højde ud over den hollandske kyst ved Zuider Zee klokken 12.15. B Group forlod bombeflyene ved Brandenburg og forlod tysk besat område klokken 12.10.

22 årige 1st Lt Kenneth Green fra Trafford i Pennsylvania tilhørte 4th Fighter Group, 335th Fighter Squadron, fra den 6. februar til 3. marts 1945, hvorefter han blev nødt til at springe ud med faldskærm ved Rotterdam. Green overlevede sit fangenskab og var bl.a. flyveinstruktør under Koreakrigen. Han fløj i 25 år som civil pilot for Trans World Airlines (TWA) samt 15 år for Philippine Airlines. Han blev pensioneret i 1989. Green døde i Hendersonville, North Carolina, den 4. marts 2007.

På vej over Holland mistede 4th Fighter Group endnu et fly. Det drejede sig om P-51D 44-14923 'See Me Later', der blev fløjet af Lt Kenneth Green fra 335th Fighter Squadron. Han blev ramt af luftværnsskyts og styrtede ned otte km syd for Rotterdam. Lt Green overlevede nedskydningen og blev taget til fange af tyskerne. Greens wingman, 2nd Lt Robert A Cammer, beretter: On 3 March 1945 at 1225 hours after leaving enemy coast at 11.000 feet, I noticed my wing man, Kenneth Green, turn back. When he failed to respond to the r/t call on the group channel, I turned back after him. I caught him about 20 miles north of Rotterdam. Although I flew up very close to him, he gav me no signal of his trouble. I again called him on the r/t with no results. I did see him raise his hand to his mask as though he were going to transmit. I tried each channel, but I couldn't raise him. We had been orbiting all this time. He straightened out on a course of 285 and flew this heading for 12 minutes and then did a turn and started back in a dive. We broke through the clouds, 6000 feet, 400 miles er hour about 5 miles south of Rotterdam. He again started orbiting and lost altitude to 2000 feet. We were then shot at by intense, accurate flak. I broke for the deck. Green continued to orbit for a time without making effort to evade the flak, but he finally moved out of range to the southeast. I came up to him and got in front of him. Although I waggled my wings and started for freindly territory, he wouldn't follow, although I tried this several times. At about 1000 feet, he again went over the same place we got the flak. When we were shot at, I again broke for the deck. I couldn't see him when I looked back. It was raining in spots and I thought I might have lost him. I made a circle of Rotterdam on the deck and saw no sign of him. Although I made another orbit at 6000 feet, I didn't see his plane in the air or on the ground. I was getting short of gas and had to leave. I saw him last at 1310 hours. Også en P-51 fra 479th Fighter Group gik tabt under dagens togt til Rothensee. Det drejede sig om 44- 63189 med tilnavnet 'Mary', der blev fløjet af Lt Elbert N Harris fra 434th Fighter Squadron. Flyet fik mekaniske problemer omkring 25 km sydøst for Magdeburg. P-51erens motor satte ud 1st Lt Richard G Simpson beretter: I was leading Purple Flight March 3, 1945 and Lt Harris was leading my element. As we were over the Target at 28.000 feet, he developed engine trouble. After calling me, I went back and circled above him as he glided down. Lt Harris headed in an Easterly direction with the intention of reaching Runnia but his einge failed altogether so was forced to belly-land east southeast of Magdeburg. I last saw him walking lazily towards the woods while we were circling. Lt Harris overlevede sit fangenskab og returnerede i maj 1945 til USA. Han døde i Huston, Texas, den 29. maj 2007,

Bombestyrken leverede et koncentreret angreb mod Magdeburg/Rothensee Synthetic Oil Plant og deres rapport for selve bombningen lyder: 'The 20th, 14th and 2nd Combat Wings bombed the primary target, Rothensee Synthetic Oil Refinery at Magdeburg. The 20th Combat Wing, bombing the primary target, had the three-Squadron groups; the first group led by the 9rd and the high right position also flown by the 446th. Due to a malfunction of the C-1 autopilot, the lead Squadorn of the 93rd Group had poor bombing results. The LL and HL Squadrons bombed the primary target with excellent and good results respectively. Considering the results, the 93rd Group did well, hitting workshops, distillation plant, storage cylinder, docks and built-up facilities. The 448th Group had difficulties on the bomb run - with 3/10 clouds, improper uncovering of the 446th, flying HR, and an attack by one enemy fighter. Although it had these difficulties, it did an excellent job, damaging center of the refinery and blanketing key facilities. The 44th Group, leading the 14th Wing, with two Squadrons had fair and good results on the primary. The target was obscured by 2/10 clouds and heavy bomb smoke. This Group had hits on docks and roadway. The 392nd Group's Lead Squadron had good results, the HR Squadron dropped short of the target with poor results. The 491st, as a Group, did fair. The lead A/C bombs hung up, but other A/C bombs were released through RBR. The other Squadrons bombed through 5/10 clouds and heavy smoke. The 2nd Combat Wing had intense accurate flak. This hindrance, with cloud coverage and smoke, made picking up the target difficult. The Lead A/C of the 445th HR Squadron received a direct flak hit ten seconds before bombs away, but the remainder of the Squadron released on smoek markers of the LL Squadron. This was the day for bombardiers to prove that they could do the job under adverse conditions. Taking everything into consideration, this mission is a triumph for bombardiers. With adverse weather, malfunctions, flak, heavy bombsmoke and fighters, on the bombn run, they still came through with very good results'.

Angrebet på det syntetiske olieanlæg ved Rothensee havde kostet 2nd Force fire B-24 og tre P-51. Til gengæld mistede tyskerne et af deres sidste syntetiske olieanlæg, der stadigvæk fungerede. Dagens bombning var effektiv og de amerikanske fototydere fremstillede nedenstående rapport, der er baseret på fotos taget under selve bombningen: Attack on Magdeburg/Rothensee Synthetic Oil Plant on 3 Mar 1945 No. of aircraft: 206 with full fighter escort Time: 1031-1038 A hours Bombs: 1917 x 500 lb GP Details of the attack: Five concentrations totalling over 300 bursts blanketed the Eastern half of the Magdeburg/Rothensee Synthetic Oil Plant hitting a distillation plant, the iso-octane plant, hydrogenation stalls, compressors and other buildings causing four explosions. All the bursts, could not be accurately plotted as the target is covered by shadows from explosions or partly obscured by clouds during the major part of the attack. Of the 1917 bombs dropped over 950 bursts are seen.

Bursts are seen in the target ara as follows: Steam line to Rothensee Power station: At least 1 probable hit Offices: 3 direct hits and 2 near hits Workshop: 1 near hit Exhauster house: 2 near hits Blower house: 1 probable direct hit and 2 near hits Compressors: At least 2 direct hits Compressors: At least 3 direct hits Unidentified building: 1 probable direct hit Workshops: 2 direct hits Workshops: 1 direct hit and 1 near hit Injector/circulator house: At least 1 direct hit and 1 near hit Hydrogen stalls: 4, possibly 6, direct hits and 2 near hits (explosion seen).

Maintenance building: At least 1 direct hit and 2 near hits Blowdown: 1 possible direct hit Iso-octane plant: 1 probable direct hit and 1 near hit Gasholders for various hydrocarbons: At least 3 near hits Distillation plant: At least 1 direct hit causing an explosion Primary products tanks: 2 hits among the tanks Rundown tanks: 3 hits in the area causing an explosion Tail gas separation: 2 possible direct hits Distillation columns: At least 2 direct hits causing an explosion Tube stills: 2 near hits Edible fat manufacture: 2 near his Stores: At least 2 direct hits Other bursts are seen as follows: Distances are measured from the target area) 1. Over 100 bursts 1000 yards South-Southeast with hits in the industrial areas as follows: a. Zinc, Cadiuum and Sulphuric Acid Works of Georg von Giesche's Erben. At least 25 bursts in the area with 3 hits on a large building, 2 hits on each of 2 smaller buildings, 1 hit on each of 4 other buildings and 3 hits on railway tracks. b. Magdeburg/Rothensee Mikramag Thermal Power Stagtion At least 10 bursts in the area with 2 hits on coal handling plant. c. Gas Works of Grossgasereinmittel-Deutschland Over 15 bursts in the area hitting at least 5 buildings. 2. A concentration of over 55 bursts in open area 600 yards East. 3. A concentration of over 75 bursts in open fields 1200 yards North-Northwest. 4. Over 50 scattered bursts among residential buildings, industrial buildings and open fields 2 miles South. 5. A string of approximately 60 bursts in residential areas 1500 yards South with two hits on a railway track. 6. A concentration of at least 50 bursts 1300 yards Southwest with five hits on railway lines and three near hits on a road over rail bridge. 7. A group of 35 bursts 1700 yards Southeast with one possile hit on a bridge. 8. Over 25 scattered bursts among residential buildings 1900 yards South. 9. Over 55 bursts in open areas 2400 yards East-Southeast. 10. Over 5 scattered bursts in open fields 2200 yards South-Southwest with 1 hit in a marshalling yard. 11. Approximately 15 bursts in open fields 1½ miles North. 12. Ten bursts in open fields one mile South of Irxleben (7 miles West-Northwest of Magdeburg). Activity: Magdeburg/Rothensee Marshalling Yard The loading is heavy in the Sorting Sidings, moderate in the reception and holding sidings. Smoke Screen: An ineffective smoke screen is seen to be in operation.

En vurdering baseret på billeder, der kun var taget under selve angrebet, var ikke tilstrækkeligt til at vurdere omfanget af skader, hvorfor man den 9. marts udførte en fotoflyvning over Magdeburg/Rothensee. Flyvningen blev udført af F/O L A Green fra No. 541 Squadron, der fløj Spitfire XI PL789. Fra en højde af 25.000 fod fotograferede han anlægget uden de store problemer og landede igen på RAF Benson efter 4.40 timers flyvning. Den efterfølgende dag havde fototyderne udfærdiget nedenstående rapport, der viser at anlægget var temmeligt hårdt ramt:

Magdeburg/Rothensee Braunkohle Benzin AG (Synthetic Oil Plant) Period Covered: 1545A hours on 21 FEB 1945 to 1315A hours on 9 MAR 1945 Attacks: Unit Date Reported Weather US 8th Air Force 2 MAR 1945 7/10 - 10/10 cloud US 8th Air Force 3 MAR 1945 2/10 - 3/10 cloud Provisional Statement on Damage: The damage, which is severe, is distributed over the entire target and all the important installations have been damaged in varying degrees of severity. The Injector/Circulator House has most of its roof missing and the remainder severely damaged. One Compressor House is severely damaged and has approximately 3/4 of its roof missing. All the Hydrogenation Stalls, the Winkler generators, the Distillation Plant and columns, the Iso-octane Plant and the Linde Liquid Air Plant are all severely damaged. Thirteen storage tanks have been destroyed and 4 damaged, and 2 gasholders have been damaged. In addition to the above, at least 4 unidentified buildings have been destroyed and 9 damaged. The pipe-lines and rail tracks have been cut in many places throughout the plant. There is no sign of steam emission anywhere in the plant.

Details of damage are as follows: (Numbers in brackets refer to illustration No. 1) Injector/Circulator House (54): Very severe damage. Most of roof missing, remainder damaged. Compressor, Co2 Removal & Co Washing Pumps, Washing Columns & Formate Recovery (27)(2a): All severely damaged. The large building has approx 3/4 of its roof missing and remainder damaged. Hydrogenation Stalls (55-56-57): All seerely damaged. Winkler Generators (8): Damaged Fuel Intake for Winkler Generators: Damaged Distillation Plant (76): Severe damage Distillation Columns (82): Severe damage Iso-Octane Plant (66): Severe damage Linde Liquid Air Plant (26): Approx ½ of roof missing, remainder damaged H2S Removal (12): Cover damaged Conversion & Saturation Columns etc (17-18): Damaged Stripping Columns (72): Damaged Tail Gas Separation (81): One building previously seen to be damaged has received further damage. Second building damaged. Tubestills (84-85-86): Severe damage Letdown House (58): Approx ½ of roof missing Workshop (3a): Destroyed Workshop (33): 2 buildings approx ½ destroyed Workshops (61)(34): Damaged Offices (I) (63): Severe damage Offices II (2): Previously damaged now further damage Maintenance (59): Approx ½ of W side destroyed. Approx ½ of total roof missing and remainder of roof damaged. Three plants in the vicinity of the target have also received damage. They are (I) Mikramag Thermal Power Stagtion, (II) Georg Von Giesche's Erben and (III) Grossgaserei Mitteldeutschland AG. Details of damage to the above are as follows: I. Mikramag Thermal Power Station Turbine House (2): Small area of roof missing Boiler House (1): Small area of roof missing Transformer House (3b): Previously damaged, now seen to be approx 2/3 destroyed and severely damaged. Workshop (5): Corner damaged II. Georg von Giesche's Erben (Zinc smeling, Zinc alloys, Sulphuric acid, Cadmium) Large building in centre of plant: Hole in roof Large building at E end of plant: 2 small areas of roof missing Building at E end of plant: Severely damaged. III. Grossgaserei Mitteldeutschland AG Cooling Tower: Destroyed Coling Tower: Damaged Building at E end of plant: Approx 2/3 destroyed

Den ødelagte distillationsdel på Braunkohle Benzin AG Rothensee fotograferet ved krigens slutning.

Det tyske ordenspoliti (BdO Hannover) indrapporterede også skader i Magdeburg for den 3. marts: Magdeburg: 10.36 bis 10.45 Uhr: Angriff durch etwa 200 feindflugzeuge unter Abwurf von etwa 1.500 Sprengbomben. Schwerpunkt: Industriegelände Magdeburg-Rothensee. 1 Grossbrand, 2 Mittel- und 2 Kleinbräde. 11 Wohn- und Siedlungshäuser total, 22 schwer und 72 leicht. Ferner Brabag, grossgasserei und Zinkhütte Giesches Erben schwer, desgl. Hansa-Lagerhaus, Eisen- und Baustoffe, Internat und Harvester Komp, Fa. G W Mühle, Umspannwerk Elektrowerk mittel, Dachpappenfabrik Kührmeyer u Franke, Teer- und Harzefirma C F Müller, Triebstoffefabrik Nitag, Säcke- und Planenfabrik Max Bahr, Acetylenwerk, Benzolverband, Junkers Prüfstand und Junkers Werkheim leicht. Ferner Holländerlager, Schwerin-Krosigh-Damm und Barackenlager Wildmühlenstrasse sowie Verschiebebahnhof Rothensee und Reichsbahnleitung schwer. weiterhin Gleisanlagen der Strassenbahn beschädigt. 1 Bracke der LS-Polizei (Feuerlöschboot 2) total, 3 Kähne gesunken, 1 Kahn schwer und 2 Kähne leicht. 1 Frau gefallen und 1 Frau schwer verwundet. Etwa 120 Obdachlose. 1 Kuh und eine Anzahl Kleinvieh getötet.

Denne melding blev fulgt op med: Magdeburg 10.36 - 10.45 Uhr: Keine zusätzlichen Abwurfmittel. Gashauptleitung schwer, zahlreiche Treffer auf Verschiebebahnhof Rothensee sowie auf Gleisanlagen der Strecke Rothensee - Glindenberg. 3 ES.-Betriebe schwer. 2 Gefallene.

Third Force Third Force bestod af 12 Group formationer på i alt 453 B-17 fra . Styrken blev opdelt i to Task Forces, hvor 1st Task Force havde til opgave at bombe en bilfabrik, en 'oil plant equipment' fabrik samt en fabrik, der fremstillede kampvogne i Braunschweig. 2nd Task Force havde til opgave at bombe tre olie raffinaderier i området ved Braunschweig. Der var omkring 5/10 skydække i målområdet og bortset fra to eskadriller, der bombede Bielefeld som 'last restort target', blev al bombning gennemført visuelt. En mindre styrke fra 1st Task Force bombede Herford og Bunde som alternativt mål samt Bielefeld som sekundært mål. På banegården i Herford henstod omkring 100 godsvogne og godsbanegården i Bunde var tæt pakket med jernbanevogne. Det samme gjorde sig gældende for godsbanegården i Bielefeld. 2nd Task force bombede Bielefeld og Hildesheim som sekundært mål og Erthzam som alternativt mål.

Mål Sorties Bombet Tonnage Resultat Spræng Brand _ 1st Task Force Braunschweig Bussing M/T Plant 82 77 136.2 99.0 Fair to Good Braunschweig Wilke Werke 78 53 90.5 75.0 Good to Very Good (Oil Plant equipment) Braunschweig MIAG Tank Plant 77 61 110.5 78.8 Fair Bunde 1 1.5 Unobserved Herford 23 40.5 33.0 Fair Bielefeld M/Y 9 15.7 13.5 Unobserved I alt 237 224 394.7 238.3

2nd Task Force Dollbergen Oil Refinery 73 37 126.2 Good to Very Good Dedenhausen Oil Refinery 76 53 159.9 Poor Nienhagen Oil Refinery 67 56 195.2 Poor Hildesheim VDM Casting Plant 38 101.5 Poor Bielefeld M/Y 27 81.5 Unobserved Erthzam 1 3.5 Unobserved I alt 216 212 667.8

Der var mindre til moderat luftværnsskydning i målområderne, der generelt var unøjagtigt. Alligevel blev otte B-17 beskadiget i svær grad og 45 i mindre grad. Bombebesætningerne rapporterede om 18 til 20 Me 262, der gik til angreb i områderne ved Braunschweig samt Hildesheim. Førerflyet for den styrke, der havde til opgave at udkaste chaff, blev skudt ned under et af disse angreb. Fire mindre grupper af Me 262 samt Bf 109 angreb vest for Braunschweig og var skyld i, at to B-17 gik tabt. Third Force opgjorde deres tab til fem B-17, hvor tre gik tabt på grund af fjendtlige fly, en på grund af kollision samt en af ukendt årsag. Lidt senere i dette afsnit skal vi kigge nærmere på disse tab.

505th Fighter Squadron, . Nærmest i billedet ses Lt.Col. Thurys P-51 44-72437. Næst i billedet Lt Carr i P-51b 42-106657. Dernæst kommer Lt Burch i P-51D 44-15427 og yderst Lt Jones P-51D 44-15315 'Mis ETO'.

Third Force blev eskorteret af 169 ud af 180 afsendte P-51, der kom fra fire forskellige enheder, nemlig 55th, 339th, 353rd og 357th Fighter Groups. Eskortejagerne kom i kamp med seks Me 262, der angreb bombeflyene i nærheden af Braunschweig og de kom også i kontakt med tolv Me 262 syd for Hamburg. Derudover observerede man to Fw 190 vest for Wilhelmshaven.

339th Fighter Group angreb jordmål i området ved Machern, hvor målet var jernbanen. Dertil kom jordangreb ved Braunschweig. Ifølge en amerikansk rapport gjorde eskortejagerne krav på at have ødelagt 9 tyske fly på jorden og beskadiget yderligere 2. I luften gjorde man krav på at have beskadiget fire Me 262. Lt Col J L Thury førte 505th Fighter Squadron fra 339th Fighter Group under et lavangreb mod en flyveplads ved Mockern øst for Magdeburg. Dispersalområderne var fyldt med fly og eskadrillen scorede følgende: Pilot Ødelagt Beskadiget Lt Col J L Thury 3 Ju 88 & 1 Do 217 1 Ju 88 Capt J R Starnes 1 He 111 Lt G W Jones 1 Uidentificeret fly Lt R C Thieme 1 Ju 88 Lt H D Ziegler 1 Ju 88 Lt J C Withers 1 Ju 88

To af de angribende Mustangs gik tabt under angrebet på flyvepladsen. 1st Lt George W Jones Jr blev dræbt, da han sprang ud i for lav højde efter, at hans P-51D-5 44-11204 blev ramt af let luftværnsskyts. Lt Jones var ankommet til 505th FS i september 1944 og fik ved sin tid i denne enhed tilkendt beskadigelse af et fjendtligt fly i luften samt ødelæggelse af et fjendtligt fly på jorden.

Afsløring af bemalingen af Lt George W Jones Jr's P- 51. Fra venstre ses Lt Jones og i midten Cpl Ruby Newell, der er malet på flyet, samt til højre S/Sgt Anthony M Fresella, der var crew chief på flyet. (Nick King)

1st Lt Jay F Marts berettede den efterfølgende dag følgende om Jones nedskydning: 'On the 34d March 1945, I was flying number three in Blue Flight. At approximately 1100 we were staffing in the vicinity of Magdeburg, and Lt G W Jones flying red two called me on the R/T and said to take him home as his engine was smoking, he called again and said his oil pressure was zero. He then said I'm bailing out, at this moment his plane burst into flames at 500 feet, his plane rolled over and was at 75 feet in a 60 degree angle when he left the cockpit. The plane hit the ground and exploded. I saw his chute start to open but his body hit the ground about 5 feet from the crash sithout the cute ever having time to break his fall. I immediately dropped full flaps and flew low over the wreck and observed no sign of any movement'. 1st Lt Harry D Ziegler blev ligeledes ramt af luftværnsskytset, men var i stand til at mavelande hans P-51D- 5 44-14023. Hans P-51 havde det lidt mærkelige kælenavn 'Chute Your Faded'. Lt Ziegler blev straks taget til fange. Ziegler fløj ved 505th Fighter Squadron, 339th FG, fra oktober 1944 til sin nedskydningsdato den 3. marts 1945. Han havde tilkendt en delt nedskydning samt ødelæggelse af to fjendtlige fly på jorden. Han stammede fra Norristown i Pensylvania. Ziegler døde i Kimberton i Pensylvania i april 2004.

1st Lt Harry D Ziegler

James R Starnes beretter om Zieglers nedskydning: 'On the 3rd March 195 at approximately 1100 I was leading Blue Flight behind Red Flight straffing in the vicinity of Magdeburg. Lt H D Ziegler flying red four called out over the R/T that his engine was on fire. I spotted the plane smoking and told him to head for the auto bahn which was about 10-15 miles north for a possible pick up. He tried to get there but had to belly land in a field. He did a very good job of landing into the wind full flaps and was out safely in a few seconds. I saw him walk about 100 feet from the left wing before we set course for home'.

Lt Col Joseph Lawrence Thyry blev født i Ramsey i Minnesota den 20. marts 1919. Han var kendt som en effektiv 'strafer' og ødelagde over 25 fjendtlige fly på jorden. Han døde i Tampa i Florida den 6. marts 1987.

Chefen for 505th Fighter Squadron, den 25 årige Lt Col Joseph L Thury fra St Paul i Minnesota, havde 'kun' 2½ tilkendt nedskydning i luften, men til gengæld havde han ødelagt 25½ fly på jorden. Han var kendt som en aggressiv pilot med hang til strafing. Om angrebet den 3. marts beretter han: 'I was leading the upper squadron on a Ramrod to Dollberger. After chasing Me 262s to the deck in the target area I led Red, White and Blue Flights onto a dispersal area in the vicinity of Mochburn. About 50 Ju 88s, Do 217 and pick-a-packs (Ju 88 and Fw 190) were dispersed in three clumps of threes. All of the enemy aircraft were well camouflaged and parked in the wooded areas which neccessitated passes form numerous angles and directions. Planted in the area were five or six light flak positions which we were unable to knock out. The flak was extremely accurate and hit Lt Jones and Ziegler on their first pass. I sustained three flak hits and Lt Marts was hit once. On the first pass, out of the sun, Captain Starnes destroyed one pick-a-pack. Lt Ziegler a Ju 88, Lt Jones a pick-a-pack, and I got a Ju 88. Lt Ziegler bellied in, making a beautiful landing, and was seen to walk away. Lt Jones bailed out from below 300 feet and hit the ground before his chute opened. Lt Marts and I were the only ones left in the dispersal area after the first pass. So I continued my attacks from out of the sun. On one pass I dropped my tanks near two Ju 88s and on the succeeding pass one Ju 88 started to burn. I made seven distinct passes, in a left hand pattern, and destrohyed three Ju 88s and one Do 217, and damaged one other Ju 88. One of my Ju 88s exploded and burned. My other three claims burned very slowly at first, then develeoped into large fires which exuded black smoke apparently from the gas and oil in the planes. When I let the area Lt Marts and I counted eight fires. He didn't make any passes since he was covering Lt Jones when he bailed out and continued to circle the area until I had finshed my attacks. I attribute the destruction of three of the enemy aircraft to two of my guns firing incendiary ammo, which, at first, caused only slow burning fires. However, as I left they had begun to blaze violently'. Joseph Thury fløj to tours ved 339th Fighter Group før krigen sluttede. Efter hjemsendelsen uddannede han sig til sagfører og ernærede sig som sådan i mange år i Florida. 339th Fighter Group deltog også i beskydning af tog og gjorde krav på at have ødelagt tre lokomotiver og 20 jernbanevogne samt en enkelt bil.

55th Figher Group havde til opgave at eskortere bombestyrken til Ruhland, hvorefter 343rd Fighter Squadron blev frigivet og fik lov til at foretage lavangreb. Eskadrillen satte kursen mod Prag, hvor White Section gik på jagt efter jernbanetog samt vejkøretøjer, medens yellow Section angreb flyvepladsen Letnany. 55th Fighter Group gjorde krav på at have ødelagt 21 lokomotiver og beskadiget yderligere 8. Dertil beskadigelse af 20 jernbanevogne, ødelæggelse af 8 biler og beskadigelse af yderligere 10 køretøjer samt en enkelt bygning. 343rd Fighter Squadron fra 55th Fighter Group havde en god dag, da de indfandt sig over flyvepladsen Letnany ved Prag, hvor de angreb parkerede tyske fly: Pilot Ødelagt Beskadiget Lt V P Gordon 1 Bf 109 & 1 Ju 52 4 Bf 109 Lt B J Liles 1 Bf 109 2 Bf 109, 2 Ju 2 & 1 Ju 88 Lt B Howes 1 Bf 109 1 Bf 109, 1 Bf 110, 1 Ju 52 & 1 Ju 88 Lt W R Erikson 1 Bf 110 1 Bf 109 & 1 Ju 88 Lt M Satenstein 4 Bf 109 Lt H Cohen 2 Bf 109 Lt W Mearns 1 Bf 109 & 1 Ju 88

1st Lt Brooks J Liles fra 55th Fighter Group.

På minussiden var så, at 55th Fighter Group mistede to P-51D under lavangrebene på Letnany. 1st Lt Brooks J Liles P-51D 44-14175 blev ramt af let luftværnsskyts ved Letnany. Det var Liles 17. operative togt.

1st Lt Satenstein var vidne til Lt Liles nedskydning.

Hans eskadrillekammerat, 1st Lt Marvin Satenstein beretter en noget usædvanlig historie: 'At about 1300 hours on the 3 March, 1945, while crusing around at about 2000 feet in the Prague area looking for targets of opportunity, Prague/Letnany airdrome was observed full of parked aircraft. My flight (Red flight) and the remainder of Yellow flight decided to attack it. Said so, making our passes individually. On Lt Liles' last pass from north to sough he ws hit on the right side of his engine by light flak from the guns at the southwest end of the field. I observed flame coming from the eingine. Lt. Liles said that he had been hit. I was directly above and behind him and could see that he had the aircraft under control, but could not get much power. He flew the aircraft for about 3 or 4 miles south of the airdrome where be bellied it successfully on an open field. I saw Lt Liles get out of the aircraft. Just after that it caught fire. The remaining six aircraft circled the spot and Lt Howes, Tudor Yellow 3, called over the R/T that he was going to land to try to pick up Lt Liles. After one try, Lt Howes made a successful landing in the same field. After discarding their equipment, both Howes and Liles were able to get into gthe aircraft. It appeared as if it was hard to get the plane started rolling from its parked position. As they started to roll, Howes called, 'Gang keep your fingers crossed and we'll make it'. The aircraft rose into the air once, but apparently didn't have enough flying speed because it settled to the ground again. Then it bounced into the air, dropped off on its left wing in a stalled attitude, and cartwheeled to the left eventually flattning out. The aircraft caught fire but when I buzzed the wreck I saw both Howes and Liles walking away in an easterly direction towards a large highway. Both pilots looked alright and they waved to me as I passed over them'.

1st Lt Bernard H Howes forsøgte at samle Lt Liles op og landede på samme mark som Liles. Starten mislykkedes og begge to endte i tysk fangenskab.

1st Lt Bernard H Howes fløj en P-51D med serienummer 44-63745. Liles og Howes var tætte venner og havde kendt hinanden siden flyveskolen - deres stamnumre var kun 10 numre fra hinanden. Efter landingen blev begge faldskærme smidt på jorden, så der var plads til de to piloter i samme fly. Under starten blev P-51eren beskudt med håndvåben fra jorden. I første omgang så det ud som om de var i stand til at komme i luften, men flyets understel ramte en lille grøft under starten og blev kastet op i luften og overslog. Howes fik et kraftigt slag i hovedet og var blind i to dage, medens Liles brækkede næsen og fik mindre skader. Det lykkedes for dem begge at komme ud af flyet og Liles førte den blinde Howes væk fra P-51eren, der var under beskydning fra tyske soldater. De blev begge taget til fange og midlertidigt afhørt før de kom på et hospital. Herfra gik turen videre til Oberursel og senere Dulag Luft i Wetzlar før de kom til Stalag Luft III. Her blev de dog ikke længe og blev videresendt til Stalag VII A i Moosburg. Transporten til Moosburg forgik som marchtur og Howes vægt faldt fra 80 kg til 63 kilo i løbet af de to måneder at han var i fangenskab. Bernhard Harte Howes var allerede et es med seks tilkendt nedskydninger, da han foretog sin mislykkede redningsmission den 3. marts. Howes stammede fra Brockton i Massachusetts og blev uddannet som pilot i Yuma i Arizona i 1943, før han kom til 55th Fighter Group i september 1944. Af udmærkelser fik han et DFC og 14 Air Medals. Eftrer krigen blev han uddannet som tandlæge. Brooks Jonathan Liles stamemde fra Johnston County i North Carolina. I oktober 1951 blev han indkaldt til 4th FIW, 336th FTS og fløj indtil maj det efterfølgende år 100 kampmissioner. Medens Liles kun opnåede en enkelt nedskydning i løbet af anden verdenskrig, så nedskød han i sin F-86 fire Mig 15 og beskadigede en enkelt Mig 15. Dertil kom tre mulige Mig 15 nedskydninger. Liles trak sig tilbage fra det amerikanske flyvevåben i april 1965 som oberstløjtnant.

Yderliger en pilot fra 55th Fighter Group gjorde krav på nedskydninger den 3. marts 1945, men hans claims er aldrig blevet anerkendt. Det drejer sig som 1st Lt Robert M Cox fra 38th Fighter Squadron, der fløj en P-51D med tilnavnet 'Keller's Kid'. Cox kom som 2nd Lt til 38th Fighter Squadron den 17. august 1944 og blev i november udnævnt til 1st Lt. Cox fortæller selv om hans hændelser den 3. marts 1945:

Lt R M Cox fra 55th FG gjorde den 3. marts 1945 krav på ved Kitzingen at have nedskudt to Do 217 natjagere med radar i næsen. Han gjorde nærst krav på at have ødelagt eller beskadiget yderligere fem Do 217 på jorden på Kitzingen. Ingen af kravene blev efterkommet, da han ikke havde nogen vidner til hændelsen. Cox hævdede at han havde motorproblemer under turen til Ruhland og vendte alene om. I stedet for at flyve direkte tilbage til England foretog han en omvej til Kitzingen. En del tyder på at Cox forsøgte at 'gå på jagt på egen hånd'. Cox fik kun tilkendt en enkelt nedskydning i løbet af krigen. Den fik han den 24. marts 1945, da han nedskød en Bf 109 otte km syd for Soest.

'I was flying Hellcat White Three when my engine suddenly quit and I was forced to jettison my drop tanks. I restarted my engine but was unable to continue on with the squadron, so started back to Wormingford. At 1020 flying at 2.000 feet on a westerly heading, I spotted two radar equipped Do 217s over Kitzingen airfield. One was circling the field at 1.000 feet and the second was just taking off ninety degrees to my flight path. Making a shallow turn to the right, I closed to about 300 yards, dead astern, and started firing. After one long burst, strikes were seen on the bomber's fuselage, right engine and right wing. The engine burst into flames and the plane rolled over and went straight in from 500 feet. I then went after the second Dornier and as I closed to within range and was about to fire, the pilot attempted to turn into the field for a landing. He hurried turn resulted in his wing hitting the ground which sent him cartwheeling down the runway, exploding and burning. The airdrome was loaded with fifty plus aircraft parked wing-tip to wing-tip in front of hangars with others dispersed about the field. Encountering very little flak, mostly small arms fire and some 20 mm from the airfield perimeter, I made five successive runs at the line of aircraft in front of the hangars each from the northeast to southwest. On the first attack I shot up three parked Do 217s and they began to burn. On the third pass I started a fourth burning and after two more firing passes started a fifth burning furiously. A gas truck sitting next to the last caught fire adding to the destruction. On my last pass I had only two flak guns shooting at me and my aim was erratic so it was time to head for home. Before leaving the field I counted six fires on the runway. I set a course fo 275 degrees at 15.400 feet when I suddenly saw ten Me 109s approaching form ten o'clock about 2.500 feet away. I had no doubt they were being vectored to me by the information supplied from Kitzingen Field. They broke into me, firing as they came. I turned into them upward, passing directly under the lead ship and went into the overcast flying on instruments until well out of the area'.

Cox blev den 21. marts forfremmet til Captain og afsluttede i april 1945 sin tour ved 55th Fighter Group. Det var hans eneste score i løbet af de 63 missioner, som han gennemførte under sin tid ved 55th FG. Fliegerhorst Kitzingen ligger omkring 20 km østsydøst for Würzburg og havde i begyndelsen af marts 1945 II./KG(J) 54 samt Stab/NJG 6 liggende på pladsen. Pladsen havde tidligere været anvendt til skoling af natjagerbesætninger, men denne aktivitet var officielt indstillet i foråret 1945. Det har ikke været muligt at finde ud af, hvilken tysk enhed Cox'es claims kan sammenkobles med. Bombestyrken fra 3rd Force mistede fem B-17 under dagens togt. To af disse fly kom fra 493rd Bomb Group, som bombede Hildesheim. Det ene fly var B-17G 43-39050, der tilhørte 463rd Bomb Squadron og blev fløjet af 2nd Lt Goerge Graff: 'Aircraft believed to have suffered damage by enemy attack at 1027 hours. At 1113 hours aircraft 050 was seen to be lagging about 2 miles behind 'C' squadron with number 2 engine blazing. Aircraft then went into a dive with probable intent to put out the fire. Aircraft soon leveled off with engine still on fire and banked into a cloud away from formation and under control. No chutes were seen'. Tyskerne tog seks besætningsmedlemmer til fange og afhørte dem i Dulag Luft West. Navigatøren, McGivern, blev dræbt og bombeskytten, 2nd Lt Ray M Goetschius, beretter: 'Lt McGivern, the navigator, bailed out of our crippled airplane just before I did and was alright when he left the ship. I was the bombardier and I bailed out directly after he did. After being captured by the Germans on the ground I was taken to a luftwaffe prison for German prisoners which was located near Hildesheim where we went down. If it will help you locate the prison there was a large airfield just outside the prison from which Me 109's & FW 190s were flying. We were shot down March 3, 45 and several days later at this luftwaffe prison a German officer showed me Lt Mcgivern's dog tag and told me he landed dead. He would not tell me any more even though I questioned him'.

Det andet fly fra 493rd Bomb Group var B-17G 43-38297, der var en del af 860th Bomb Squadrons angrebsstyrke. Flyet blev fløjet af 1st Lt Charles A White Jr. Eskadrillens formationsleder rapporterede efter togtet: 'Aircraft 297 was attacked by enemy aircraft at 1031 in the vicinity of 5229-1005. No. 4 engine was hit and immediately started blazing. Aircraft then went into a dive, under control, (with probable intent to put out the fire) and disappeared into the clouds still under control when last seen. One chute was seen before disappearing'. 1st Lt White mavelandede 43-38297 klokken 10.55 ca. 500 meter sydvest for Apelern, der ligger 16 km syd for Wunstorf. Mavelandingen forløb perfekt og hele besætningen overlevede. Tyskerne var hurtigt på pletten og tog hele besætningen til fange og transportrede den i første omgang til Fliegerhorst Wunstorf, som også fik ansvaret for bjergningen af flyet. B-17eren var ifølge tysk vurdering kun beskadiget 30%. Skaderne var ifølge tysk vurdering opstået på grund af beskydning af luftværnsartilleri og omfattede mindre skader på flyets krop, højre vinge og understel. Besætningen blev den 5. marts videresendt til Oberursel for videre afhøring. Graff og Whites B-17'er blev ifølge nogle kilder nedskudt af Hauptmann Heinz Gutmann fra 9./JG 7, der også skulle have nedskudt B-17 44-8220 fra 100th BG, som blev fløjet af Jack Thrasher. Der er ikke noget bevis for, at Gutmann skulle have nedskudt tre B-17, men det er helt sikkert, at han var involveret i nedskydning af en enkelt B-17. Oberfeldwebel Lewnnartz, Oberfähnrich Russel og Schnörrer fra 9./JG 7 gjorde ligeledes krav på at have nedskudt en B-17 i samme område. Dertil kom så Wegmann fra 9./JG 7, der gjorde krav på at have nedskudt en B-24 samt en P-51. Wegmanns B-24 er muligvis en af to B-24 fra 448th BG, der ikke vendte tilbage fra dagens togt. Den ene B-24 blev ramt af granater fra en Me 262 og stødte ind i et andet fly i formationen.

Hauptmann Heinz Gutmann stammede fra Frankfurt am Main, hvor han blev født den 26. april 1921. Han kom til Luftwaffe i oktober 1940 og blev uddannet som bombepilot. Som dette fløj han 380 operative togter ved KG 53. I november 1944 blev omskolet til Me 262 og kom den 9. december samme år til III./JG 7. Fra midten af februar 1945 var han Staffelkapitän for 9./JG 7.

Gutmann var oprindelig bombepilot og kom til Luftwaffe i 1939. Som nybagt løjtnant kom han i maj 1941 til 12./KG 53 og efter endt uddannelse i denne Staffel til 3./KG 53 i den nordlige del af østfronten. Gutmann fik Ehrenpokal i august 1942 og Deutsches Kreuz in Gold i november samme år. Den 1. februar 1943 blev han forfremmet til Oberleutnant. I løbet af sommeren 1943 gennemgik han et fire ugers kursus ved Verbandsführerschule/KG 101, før han den 27. august overtog ledelsen af 3./KG 53. Den 5. april 1944 fik Gutmann tildelt Ridderkorset og blev den 1. maj udnævnt til Hauptmann. Han fratrådte stillingen som Staffelkapitän for 3./KG 53 den 19. juli 1944 (efter 380 operative bombetogter) og meldte sig til at blive omskolet til jagerpilot. I oktober 1944 var han ved 3./Erg.JGr. Nord og kom herfra videre til Erg.JG 2 før han endte ved 9./JG 7, som han blev Staffelkapitän for i februar 1945. Hauptmann Heinz Gutmann blev den 3. marts 1945 skudt ned af maskingeværskytterne fra en B-17 formation og styrtede ned ved Üfingen, der ligger omkring 18 km sydvest for Braunschweig-Waggum. Gutmann, der stammede fra Frankfurt am Main, blev begravet i Braunschweig. Gutmann fløj en Me 262A-1 med Werke Nummer 110558

B-17G 43-39108 fra 839th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, havde 2nd Lt Harvey E Webb Jr som pilot og var en del af angrebsstyrken til Braunschweig. B-17eren blev anskudt under selve bomb run og fik to motorer ødelagt. I første omgang gav Lt Webb besætningen ordre til at springe ud med faldskærm, men ændrede kort efter beslutningen, da det viste sig at han var i stand til at holde flyet i luften. I stedet for forsøgte Webb at bringe det anskudte fly tilbage til England: 'Number 1 and 2 engines were knocked out by enemy fighters during the bomb run. Bombs were released about one minute before bombs away; then aircraft 108 left the formation and headed southwest in the general direction of the front lines. About an hour after bombs away a fire started in the bomb-bays and the pilot told his crew to bail out. At this time Sgt Cameron, Sgt Clare, Sgt Green and Sgt Dodd bailed out. Sgt Rosen put out the fire and warned the others against bailing out. The pilot then told them not to jump. About 1230 Lt Webb decided that everone should bail out as the aircraft was losing altitude fast and the gas was very low. Lt O'Steen jumped first and then Sgt Wood and Sgt Rosen, then Lt King and Lt Webb jumped. Sgt Rosen saw Lt O'Steen and Sgt Wood coming down over the Rhine. Sgt Wood was picked up in the Rhine and is on his way back to this station. Since Lt O'Steen has not returned it is presumed that he has fallen into enemy hands'. Lt Webb beretter om nedskydningen: 'Over the target area (Brunswick) enemy jet fighters attacked our formation, hitting our number 1 and number 2 engines with machine guns and 20 mm cannon. Number 2 engine developed a windmilling propeller and the feathering mechanism failed to operate. Unable to maintain speed and altitude we left the formation a few minutes before the target, dropping shortly from 25.000 to 8.000 feet. We jettisoned our bombs in the vicinity of the target. heading west we were able to maintain this altitude. About an hour after target time, position unknown, a fire broke out in the aircraft. It was not immediately possible to locate its origin and I gave the order to bail out. We were still over enemy territory at this time. At this same time the engineer discovered the source of the fire in the transfer pump, extinguished it, and was able to prevent the Toogleer and Navigator from jumping. The tail turret gunner, wast gunner, ball turret gunner and radio operator had already bailed out. With the fuel supply nearly exhausted I found it necessary to alter course continually in order to avoid Flak areas. Finally, at a point almost directly over the lines and at an altitude of 7.500 feet, I again gave the order to bail out. I was the last to jump and while descending saw the chutes of the other crew members above me. The copilot and I landed safely in allied territory. Sgt Wood landed in the Rhine and has since returned to the base. It is probable that Lt. O'Steen, the navigator, landed on the enemy side of the Rhine ans has been taken prisoner'. Sgt Rosen beretter: 'I was engineer in A/C 43-39108, which was flying number 8 in the low squadron on the mission to Brunswick, Germany. About one minute before the target two jet propelled aircraft, Me 262's, hit us with either 20 or 30 mm shells. Our left wing was hit and the number 1 and number 2 engines. At this time I was in the top turret shooting at the emeny aircraft. The two engines could not be feathered, probably because the oil lines had been shot out; oil was shooting all over the plane. We lost altitude very quickley and dropped out bombs immediately, abandoning the formation. As we lagged behind P-51's kept circling around and flak was thrown at us. I threw out all moveable equipment such as dinghies, Flak suits, etc, and started transferring fuel to number 3 and number 4. The wires then caught on fire in the bomb-bay and the transfer pump caught on fire. At this time smoke was swelling in the waist. I found the fire but was unable to let the pilot know this immediately as the interphones were not in commission. I went up to tell the pilot, but he had given the order to bail out and the radio operator, and three other enlisted men had already jumped. I extinguished the fire. About an hour from the target the pilot again gave the order to bail out and the rest of us jumped. The pilot, copilot and I landed safely in allied territory. Since then it has been learned that Sgt Wood landed in the Rhine; he has returned to the base'.

2nd Lt Robert L Duncan i B-17G 42-102450 havde også Braunschweig som mål. Han var en del af 335th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bomb Group og blev umiddelbart efter bombeafkast over Bussing fabrikken blev hans fly fanget i slipstrømmen fra et andet fly og ramte et tredie fly. Eskadrillen indgav nedenstående beretning om uheldet: 'B-17G 42-102450 piloted by 2nd Lt Duncan was involved i a mid air collision a few minutes after bombs away at 5209'N 1048'E at 1024 hours. The aircraft seemed to be caught in prop wash and drifted over to the left, the tail hitting the right wing of another aircraft and apparently from the violent action the tail was torn off just beyond the ball turrett. No chutes were observed but one object was seen falling out of the tail section. The plane rolled down and was seen to explode when it hit the ground'. Luftwaffe tilskrev nedstyrtningen nedskydning af tyske jagere og registrerede, at 42-102450 klokken 10.30 styrtede ned ved Hessen, der ligger 22 km nordvest for Halberstadt. Flyet blev af tyskerne vurderet til at være 95% ødelagt. Man fandt 3 døde besætningsmedlemmer ved flyet og 6 andre inde i B-17eren.

1st Lt Jack W Trasher og hans besætning. Stående ses fra venstre Thrasher, Ernest Coble (andenpilot), Maurice Kay (bombekaster) og Gerald Rimmel (navigatør). Knælende ses Albert Egsieker (RAG), Joseph Turrenne (WG), Cecil Baker (topskytte), Thomas Browning (TTE) samt George Mensler (NG).

B-17G 44-8220 var en del af 349th Bomb Squadron, 100 Bomb Group. Flyet blev fløjet af 1st Lt Jack W Thrasher, der ligeledes havde Bussing i Braunschweig som mål. 44-8220 var lead ship (PFF) for en seks skibs formation, der havde til opgave at udkaste chaff over målområdet for at forstyrre det tyske luftværnsskytsets radar i målområdet. Da formationen befandt sig ved Initial Point 25 miles nord for Braunschweig i 25.000 fods højde trak Thrasher formationen frem foran de resterende bombefly og indtog en position omkring 3 km til venstre for hovedformationen og nogenlunde lige så langt foran de andre bombefly. 'Aircraft 44-8220 was attacked by one of six jet E/A which made a pass at the formation at 1018 hours over the target just before bombs away. Number 1 engine was hit and burst into flames. Bomb bay doors were closed and aircraft slid away to the left. The left wing crumpled and the aircraft flipped over on its back and exploded. The fuselage broke at the waist door and both wings fell away. One chute was seen to leave the aircraft before it exploded. Later four others were acounted. Pilot was seen in cockpit thirty seconds before explosion'. Da B-17eren blev anskudt, gik i spin og i 21.000 fods højde eksploderede i luften, befandt bombeskytten, 2nd Lt Gerald A Rimmel, sig i flyets næse. Han blev af eksplosionen kastet ud af flyet og trak rent instinktivt i udløseren til faldskærmen. Alle seks overlevende besætningsmedlemmer blev blæst ud af flyet, da det eksploderede og det er et mirakel, at så mange overlevede. Alle seks blev sårede i mere eller mindre grad - to af dem hårdt. De fleste af faldskærmsudspringerne blev straks efter landingen taget til fange i nærheden af byen Bitterfeld. Flyet selv styrtede ifølge tyske oplysninger ned omkring 2 km syd for Dettum ved Braunschweig. Besætningsmedlemmerne beskrev de civile tyskere, der tog dem til fange, som yderst fjendtlige og de var meget glade, da de blev overgivet til Luftwaffepersonel. Piloten, 1st Lt Jack W Thrasher fra Richmond i , var kendt for aldrig at flyve med hans faldskærm og et par besætningsmedlemmer mente, at han var af den overbevisning at en kaptajn skulle gå ned med hans skib. Trasher blev også kastet ud af flyet, men blev knust da han ramte jorden. Lt Thrasher forsøgte at få B-17eren ud af dens spin, da flyet eksploderede. Hans sidste ord (som blev hørt over intercommen af flere besætningsmedlemmer) var: 'Let's go boys, this is it'.

Büssing Werk, Wilke Werke og MIAG, der var dagens hovedmål for 3rd Air Division, blev hårdt ramt, men også mange andre småindustrier samt bebyggelse blev ramt af bomber. Den sydlige del af den indre by samt området ved hovedbanegården frem til Wolfenbüttel Strasse blev ramt af bomber. Det samme gjorde Augustor, Ägidienkirche samt Lessing Sterbehaus frem til Bankplatz og Kohlmarkt. Også Rudolfplatz, Stadtparkbezirk og Veltenhof blev ramt af bomber. Büssing NAG i Braunschweig var en vigtig del af den tyske krigsindustri. Fabrikken var placeret omkring 10 km nordøst for banegården i Braunschweig og var efter datiden en kæmpefabrik bestående af 22 bygninger. Arbejdsstyrken var i 1939 på 4.356 mand og denne blev i løbet af krigen forøget, så arbejdsstyrken i 1945 var på 5.827 mand. Natteholdet udgjorde aldrig mere end 10% af den samlede arbejdsstyrke. Ved krigens slutning var over halvdelen af fabrikkens arbejdsstyrke udenlandske arbejdere, medens den kvindelige arbejdsstyrke steg fra 4% i 1939 til 16% i 1945. Før krigen var Büssing NAG Tysklands næststørste fabrik for 4½ til 6 tons tunge lastbiler. Fra 1932 og fremefter blev alle lastbilerne bygget med fire eller seks cylinder diesel motorer af Büssing design. Før 1940 fremstilledes mellem 4.000 til 5.000 lastbiler årligt. I 1940 indstillede man produktionen af seks tons lastbiler og Büssing koncentrerede sig om at bygge 4½ tons lastbiler. I 1944 stod Büssing i Tyskland for 42% af alle fremstillede lastbiler i denne klasse. Dertil kom fremstilling af 28.000 tons reservedele. Fabrikken fremstillede også mindre dele til flyveindustrien, bombeophæng samt maskingeværtårne til fly, men det var kun en sideproduktion, der kom i anden række. I løbet af krigen fremstillede Büssing 29.498 lastbiler, hvoraf mellem 70 og 88% gik til de væbnede styrker.

Bombeskader på taget af værktøj- og reparationsværkstedet på NAG Büssing i Braunschweig. Den 3. marts 1945 blev ifølge tyske oplys-ninger 9 bygninger på fabrikken ramt af 10 sprængbomber. Dertil kom så flere hundrede brand-bomber, som ramte hele fabrikkens område. Dato Air Aiming Bomb Tonnage No of HE hits No of HE Hits Force Point HE IB Total on Plant Area on Buildings 10. feb 44 8th AF City 258 89 347 5 1 23. marts 44 8th AF City 405 71 476 2 0 8. apr 44 8th AF City 402 75.4 477.4 16 9 22/23. apr 44 RAF City 316.5 498.3 814.8 0 0 8. maj 44 8th AF City 586 323 909 0 0 5. aug 44 8th AF City 125 0 125 8 3 12/13. aug 44 RAF City 919 494.6 1413.6 0 0 14/15. okt 44 RAF City 182.5 782.3 964.8 0 0 22. okt 44 8th AF Plant 218 220 438 8 5 3. marts 45 8th AF Plant 148 99 247 10 9 31. marts 45 8th AF Marshall 776.5 213.8 990.3 2 1 ing yard

Ved krigen slutning undersøgte de allierede effekten ved luftangrebene på Büssing fabrikken og de blev temmeligt overraskede over, hvor godt tyskernes forholdsregler havde fungeret: This plant illustrates how well planned dispersal program may reduce almost to vanishing point the effects of air attack on production. Sixty-two per cent of all the machines and machine tools used by the firm were dispersed. As a result of all raids, total building destruction was ony 15 per cent and machine tool destruction never exceeded two per cent. Production was barely hindered and was at no time completely interrupted. Machine and machine tool destruction as a result of all raids was negligible, never exceeding two per cent. Heavy damage to machine and machine tools never exceeded three per cent and slight damage did notexceed 10 per cent. The factory's dispersal program was a main factor in preventing main damage. Before and after the raids, 62 per cent of the machines and machine tools were dispersed.

De opgjorde samtidig antallet af bomber, der ramte fabrikken således: 8 May 1944 Eighth AF, day area raid, approximately 85 oil incendiary bombs patterned on main factory buildings. Serious damage by fire on three main buildings. 5. August 1944 Eight AF, day area raid. Eight HE bombs within the factory area. Serious structural damage to main plant machine shop, and some damage to machine tools. 12/13 August 1944 RAF, night area raid. Approximaely 85 oil incendiaries on plant area. No HE bombs on the plant area. 14/15 October 1944 RAF, night area raid. Approximately 135 oil incendiaries on plant area. Fire throughout area resulted in serious damage. No HE bombs on the plant area. 22 October 1944 Eight AF, day plant raid. Eight HE bombs and an estimated several hundred IBs on the plant area. One building totally destroyed, serious structural damage to others. 3 March 1945 Eight AF, day plant raid. Ten HE bombs and estimated several hundred IBs on the plant area which resulted in severe structural damage. 31 March 1945 Eight AF day area raid. Only two HE bombs fell within the plant area, causing negligible damage.

Den 3. marts 1945 kastede de amerikanske bombefly 569 sprængbomber mod Büssing fabrikken, men kun 8 af dem traf deres mål. De angribende besætninger var lidt heldigere med deres brandbomber, hvor størstedelen ramte fabrikken.

Det tyske ordenspoliti (BdO Hannover) indberettede følgende skader under bombningen af Braunschweig den 3. marts 1945: Braunschweig Ansahl der Abwurfmittel unverändert. Maschinenbauanstalt Büssing NAG total, Konservenfabrik Brunsviga, Maschinenbauanstalt Edler u Sohn, Versorgungsbetrieb Hermann Göring Werk schwer. Miag-Amme-Werk, Fotofabrik Franke u Heideke, Brauereien Wolters und Feldschlösschen, Lutherwerk I ung IV, MIAG-Marinewerk mittel, desgl. Unterkunft der 2. Pol.-Komp. Braunschweiger Hüttenwerke, Wilke-Werke, Maschinenfabrik Opperman u Deichmann und Maschinenfabrik Clemens u Vögel leicht, desgl. Unterkunft der Polizei Heidenstrasse. Die Anzahl der Obdachlosen wird mit etwa 1.2000 angegeben.

De amerikanske fototydere studerede de billeder, der blev taget af de angribende maskiner og de fremkom med nedenstående rapport for bombingen af Büssing Werke: Attack on Brunswick (Bussing) on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 77 with full fighter escort Time: 1020 - 1036 A hours Bombs: 521 x 500 lb GP 48 x 260 lb GP 396 x 500 lb IB Statement on the target: The target is the works of Bussing-Nationale Automobil Gesellschaft (NAG) Vereinigte Nutzkraftwagen AG, located about one mile South of the center of Brunswick. Detail of the attack: Of four groups of HE bursts, one group is seen across the target, one concentration immediately Southeast, and the remaining bursts extend 2000 yards South. Approximately 150 bursts are seen from the 569 HE bombs dropped. Incendiary bursts are visible in a wide area South of the target.

Bursts are seen on the target as follows: 1 - one possible hit 2 - one near hit 3 - two hits, one near hit 4 - one hit Other bursts are seen as follows: (Distances measured from the target) 1. Rail lines leading West from the East marshalling yard - 3 hits. 2. Rail lines leading West from the South marshalling yard - 4 hits. 3. One, possibly 2, hits on an unidentified industrial type building 800 yards Southwest. 4. A concentration of 60 HE bursts extending South into fields from the target with 10 hits or near hits on buildings just South of the marshalling yard. 5. A group of 40 HE bursts in fields 2100 yards South with probable hits on a roadway, residential and barracks type buildings. 6. A small group of HE bursts seen through smoke 2000 yards Southeast. 7. Approximately 10 HE bursts in the densely built-up section of the city 2000 yards Northeast. Activity 1. East Marshalling yard a. The loading is exceptionally light. b. One locomotive is seen in steam. 2. South Marshalling Yard a. The loading is moderate in the sorting sidings and exceptionally light in the reception/forwarding sidings. b. One locomotive is seen in steam.

Også angrebsbillederne fra bombningen af Wilke Werke blev nøje studeret og var grundlaget for nedenstånde rapport: Attack on Brunswick (Wilkewerke AG) on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 53 with full fighter escort Time: 1018 - 1036 A hours Bombs: 362 x 500 lb GP 300 x 500 lb IB Details of the attack: Five concentrations and scattered groups of bursts are seen extending from the heart of the old city of Brunswick to the Brunswick/Broitzem Airfield with three groups of bursts blanketing the Wilkewerke AG (constructional engineering works) and scoring may hits on the adjoining targets of Muhlenbau Industrie AG ( component factory), railway sorting sidings and junctions, the town gas depot, the Main Railway Station and the airfield. One aircraft is visible on the landing ground and does not appear damaged. Of the 362 HE bombs dropped, approximately 325 bursts are visible on almost clear photographs. Bursts are seen on the target and their facilities as follows: 1. Wilkenwerke AG Power Plant: two near hits Stock Yard: five hits Boiler Smithery: at least two direct hits - seen burning Annealing furnace: 1 direct hit Machine Shop: at least two dirct hits Press and Forging Ship: at least one dirct hit - seen burning Steel Shop: several near hits 2. Muhlenbau Industrie AG Large workshop: three direct hits Power Station: two near hits Large Workshop: two dirct hits Cycle Sheds: one direct hit Stores: one direct hit Large Workshop: At least one direct hit - seen burning 3. Brunswick/Broitzem airfield: Northeast portion of landing ground and the Eastern half of the hangar and barracks area is seen blanketed by at least 50 bursts with three near hits on hangars and at least three direct hits on the barracks. 4. Railway Sorting Sidings and Adjacent Junctions: At least 36 hits on the tracks several of which were on the junctions. An explosion is seen on the line just West of the junction originating from a train on that track. 5. Main Railway Station: At least five direct hits are seen on buildings in the yard while approximately 30 bursts are scattered on the tracks. Two possible hits are seen on the turntable at the South end of the yard. 6. City Gas Depot: At least five direct hits in the area. The industrial area, North and South of the depot and to the West of the Main Railway Station sidings, has received more than 7 direct hits on buildings. Other Bursts: 1. Approximately 55 He and a concentration of incendiary bursts are seen among the residential area of the old city just North of the Main Station. 2. A group of 15 bursts are visible on a small factory area and on the railway just Southwest of the junctions. 3. Many scattered HE and incendiary bursts are seen on the adjoining residential areas, on fields and on woods. Activity: Brunswick/Broitzem Airfield a. One aircraft is visible in the Northwest dispersal. b. The Southwest half of the landing ground is serviceable.

Fototyderne udarbejdede en lidt mere dybdegående rapport for angrebene i løbet af de næste 24 timer: Brunswick (a) Wilhelmitor - Wilkewerke AG (Constructional Steelwork) (b) Bussing (NAG Armaments and M/T (c) Marshalling Yards Period covered: (a) From 1230B hrs on 6 AUG 1944 to 1630A hours on 3 MAR 1945 (b) From 1245A hrs on 29 OCT 1944 to 1630A hours on 3 MAR 1945 (c) From 1245A hrs on 29 OCT 1944 to 1630A hours on 3 MAR 1945 Attack: Date Reported Weather US 8th Air Force 3 MAR 1945 Clear to one tenth Provisional Statement on Damage: a. Wilkewerke AG Wilhelmitor Considerable additional damage has been caused to this works, where extensive repair of severe previous damage had been executed. the press and forging shop together with medium sized shop adjacent to South side have been partly destroyed and are still burning at the time of photography. the roof covering to the large boiler smithery has been shattered and destroyed. the Eastern end of a building adjoining boiler house possibly a generator hall has been severely damaged and small areas of roof destruction are seen to the annealing furnace building and a machine shop on the Western side of site.

b. NAG Works Bussing Moderate fresh damage to this plant has occurred. An area situated in North central portion of large main workshop has been severely damaged and the roof covering about one-tenth of total area at Eastern end has been destroyed. Slight damage is seen to one corner of a workshop immediately to North of the m ain shop and the Eastern third of a medium building on the Southern boundary has been severely damaged. c. Railway Facilities and Marshalling Yards A number of fresh craters are seen to have cut tracks leading to the main station from the South and from the West end of the marshalling yards. Notes from 'F' Section: Details of Damage Facilities Terminal facilities - 5% unserviceable Goods Depot - 5 % unserviceable Loco Depot - not covered M/Y Sidings Sorting Sidings- 30% unserviceable Marshalling Sidings - 20% unserviceable Reception and forwarding sidings undamaged Through Lines Through lines (West approach) - 90% unserviceable Other Damage Some moderate fresh damage has been caused to unidentified industrial premises lying to the Southwest of the main railway station and a number of fires can be seen among business and residential property to the North, East and Southeast of the railway station.

MIAG var et 1. prioritetsmål og fototyderne fremstillede i første omgang denne rapport om bombningen af fabrikken: Attack on Brunswick (Neupetritor) on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 61 with full fighter escort Time: 1020 - 1035 A hours Bombs: 451 x 500 lb GP 311 x 500 lb IB Details of the attack: Approximately 20 HE bursts are seen in the area of the components factory of Muhlenbau-U. Industrie AG (MIAG). Hits are seen on the main factory building, workshops, machine shops, and an adjoining rail line. A group of at least 40 bursts is seen blanketing the business/residential area adjacent to the factory area. Of the 451 HE bombs dropped, a total of approximately 150 can be seen on small scale photographs. Bursts are seen in the factory area as follows: Min factory buildings: Two hits and two near hits. Workshop and machine shop: At least three hits and several near hits. Workshop and machine shop: One probable hit and two near hits. New extension: Two hits and two near hits. Other bursts: 1. A group of approximately 40 bursts is seen just South of the factory area with at least five near hits to a rail line and probable hits on business/residential type buildings. 2. A group of at least 35 bursts is seen three miles Northeast of the target mostly in open areas with one probable hit and four near hits to a rail line and probable hits on small residential type buildings. 3. Approximately six scattered brusts are seen in a business/residential area just East of the factory area. 4. At least eight bursts are seen in open areas one mile North of the target with several probable hits on a road. Acitvity Brunswick/Waggon Airfield a. Six small aircraft are visible in the North dispersal area. b. The landing area appears serviceable.

Neupetritor i Braunschweig blev fotograferet af amerikanske 13th Photograhic Squadron den 15 marts klokken 14.30 og over de næste par uger blev følgende fototyderrapport fremstillet og fremsendt den 28. marts 1945:

Brunswick/Neupetritor (Ammo-Luther Factory of MIAG) Period Covered: 1200A hours on 8 FEB 45 to 1430 A hours on 15 MAR 1945 Attacks: Unit Date Reported Weather US 8th Air Force 3 MAR 1945 5/10 cloud Provisional Statement on Damage: In the short period of a month following the last cover of the target several changes are seen in the plant, both as a result of attack by Allied Aircraft, and reconstruction activity. Most of the damage and repair activity is in the central and Eastern part of the plant, the Northwestern part being relatively unaffected. As a result of the attack on 3 MAR 1945 by aircraft of the US 8th Air Force, little damage is seen with the exception of damage to one of the workshops, which is more severely affected than the rest of the structures. Damage to the structure, however, consists of a large area of roof stripping and inspeciton of photographs reveals little or no structural damage to roof members and there is probably little internal damage. Other new damage consists of small holes in the roofs, caused mainly by blast, and scattered rooflight damage. Reconstruction seen in the period involves not only light roof repair work, but also the erection of structural members. The main work appears to be the repair of damaged or destroyed wings of more or less intact buildings rather than the reconstruction of destroyed main sections. Considerable additional clearance work has also been completed. Among the buildings involved are two large workshops and a large office building. Activity I. No smoke or steam appear to be issuing from the plant. II. Stocks in the yard appear plentiful. III. Railway waggons are on the plant sidings and several people can be seen moving at the N end of the plant. IV. 7 probably tanks or tank destroyers can be seen to the NE between the undamaged assembly buildings. 8 possible chassis are in a yard on the W side of the plant. V. It is believed that activity is continuing in the assembly type buildings at the N end of the plant.

Beskadigelser af Halle 2, 3 og 4 på MIAG. Skader efter sprængbomber på Halle 1 og 2 på MIAG.

Ødelagt og ud- brændt lager- bygning på MIAG efter angreb.

Details of damage and Reconstruction

Description Conditions at 8 FEB 45 Conditions at 15 MAR 45 1. Power Station Building completely reconstructed Intact 2. Unidentified N half of building damaged at top No change. There is apparently no intention storey of completing this structure 3. Main Factory Building Damage squared off. Some repair in New area of damage in Northwest area of progress. structure where repair has just been completed. Approximately half of plan area is now roof covered. 4. Workshop SW extention has some roof repair. Severe new damage to main portion of building. Whole main area roof stripped or has roof damage. Building probably unserviceable but structural members appear intact. Considerable progress in reconstruction of SW extension. 5. Workshop Repaired Small new area of roof damage in N center section. 6. Workshop Undergoing reconstruction with all Considerable reroofing completed in SW damage squared off. area. Approximately 2/3 of orginal plan area now roof covered. A small spot of new damage is visible on the West side of the building. 7. Workshop Reconstructed Intact 8. Stores Repairs completed Intact 9. Dump No statement Intact 10. Workshop Repairs completed Intact 11. Workshop Repairs completed Intact 12. Offices Reconstruction in progress Additional area reroofed. All but one wing and part of another now complete. Unfinished parts are cleared and ready for reconstruction. 13. Unidentified Destroyed Cleared 14. Unidentified Reconstructed Intact 15. Unidentified Destroyed Cleared

Efter en detonation fra en sprængbombe kollapsede det forstærkede betontag over samlehal 22. Den ødelagte gamle administra- tionsbygning på MIAG.

Udbrændte kontor- bygninger på MIAG.

Amerikanerne bombede en række sekundære og alternative (T/O) mål i løbet af dagen og disse bombninger blev sammenfattet i nedenstående fototyderrapport: Attack on targets in Germany on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 358 with full fighter escort Time: 1029 - 1206 A hours Bombs: 263 x 1000 lb GP 1832 x 500 lb GP 2492 x 250 lb GP 186 x 500 lb IB Details of the attack: This report covers attacks on four secondary targets - Chemnitz, Hannover, Bielefeld and Hildesheim; and three targets of opportunity - Gütersloh, Plauen and Herford. Of 4587 HE bombs dropped, a total of approximately 230 bursts can be seen on 6/10 to 10/10 cloud covered photographs. Details of the attack: a. Chemnitz Bombs away are seen over the city of Chemnitz but no busts care visible on 7/10 to 10/10 cloud obscured photographs. b. Hannover Bombs away are seen over the city but no bursts are visible on 8/10 o 10/10 cloud obscured photographs. c. Bielefeld All photographs are 9/10 to 10/10 cloud covered. A small group of bursts are seen beneath a cloud in an unplotted position. d. Hildesheim A concentration of at least 75 HE bursts is seen along the Southern edge of the Hildesheim Marshalling Yard with at least nine bursts on the storage sidings and five or six on the sidings of the goods depot. Fifty or more additional bursts are seen scattered through the built up business/residential part of the city with one or two possible hits on the rail line leading to the South of Hildesheim. Approximately 45 bursts are seen in a lightly built up suburban area one and one half miles Southeast of the city. A group of about 25 bursts is seen 2400 yards East of the metal works with one or two possible hits on a road. e. Gütersloh Approximately 20 bursts can be seen in a built-up area East of Gütersloh marshalling yard but due to haze and 6/10 cloud cover the bursts cannot be plottet. f. Plauen Bombs away are seen but no bursts are visible on 9/10 cloud obscured photographs. g. Herford A concentration of an undertermined number of bursts is seen in central portion of the town with hits on the business/residential areas. Another group of at least 15 bursts is seen on a secondary road approximately 2½ miles South of the center of Herford.

Udsnit af den ødelagte godsbanegård i Hildesheim, der var et vigtigt jernbanetrafikknudepunkt i godstrafikken fra den vestlige til den østlige del af Tyskland. En stor del af nord/syd trafikken gik også igennem Hildesheim og blot mndre bombeskader, der forårsagede midlertidige afbrydelser i jernbanetrafikken kunne skabe alvorlige forsinkelser i tyskernes forsyningstjeneste. Activity a. Hildesheim Marshalling Yard 1. Loading The loading is moderate in the station sidings and light in other parts of the yard. 2. Locomotives Four locomotives are seen in steam. b. Hildesheim airfield 1. The airfield is partially covered on hazy photographs. 2. At least 25, probably 27, aircraft are visible as follows: Type North Dispersal Hangar Area 3 large 3 4 medium 1 3 18 small 9 9 2 probable 2 - 15 12 9 large hangars 3. The landing ground appears fully serviceable.

Om eftermiddagen den 22. februar 1945 var Hildesheim blevet hårdt ramt under et bombeangreb, der var rettet mod Hildesheim gods- og rangerbanegård. Baneanlæggene blev slemt beskadigede, men 102 huse i byen blev også totalt ødelagt, 106 svært beskadigede og 998 huse lettere beskadigede. Under angrebet den 22. februar blev omkring 250 personer dræbt i byen. Helt så galt gik det ikke for indbyggerne i Hildesheim den 3. marts, hvor 'kun' 52 personer blev dræbt. Tyskerne registrerede 582 sprængbomber, der hovedsageligt faldt i den østlige del af fyen, hvorved 51 bygninger blev totalt ødelagt, 58 svært og 22 lettere beskadiget. BdO Hannover udfærdigede den efterfølgende dag nedenstående melding om skader i Hildesheim: Anzahl der Abwurfmittel, Schäden und Personenverluste ändert sich wie folgt: 538 Sprengbomben. 51 Wohnhäuser total, 58 schwer, 20 mittel und 2 leicht. Ferner 1 Korsettfabrik total, desgl. 1 Versorgungsanlage. 1 Präservenfabrik, 1 Vorsorgungsanlage schwer, 1 Zentrifugenfabrik, Haus Germania, SS-Schule und Michaeliskirch mittel. zahlreiche treffer auf Güterbahnhof, erhebliche Schäden an rollendem Material. 52 Gefallene, 32 Verwundete und 30 Vermisste. Anzahl der Obdachlosen steht noch nicht fest. Desværre for indbyggerne i Hildesheim var byens trængsler ikke overstået. De værste luftangreb fandt sted senere i marts måned.

Herford blev bombet af 13 B-17 fra 390th BG og 10 B-17 fra 486th BG, der tilsammen kastede 162 stk 500 lb sprængbomber og 78 stk 500 lb brandbomber. Det tyske ordenspoliti rapporterede følgende skader i Herford: Herford 11.15 bis 11.22 Uhr: 150 Spreng- und 4.500 stabbrandbomben. 4 Gross-, 58 Mittel- und 45 kleinbrände. 29 Häuser total, 28 schwer, 32 mittel und etwa 150 Häuser leicht. Ferner 14 Geschäftshäuser, 1 Lagerhaus, 1 Mühle, 1 Markthall, 1 Krankenhaus, 1 Schule und 1 Verwaltungsgebäude beschädigt. 4 Industriebetriebe getroffen. 21 Gefallene, etwa 100 Verwundete. Herford blev fotograferet af No. 541 Squadron den 3. marts 1945 klokken 11.40. Billederne blev taget af F/Lt B K L Fuge i Spitfire XI PL966, der egentlig skulle have fotograferet Misburg, Peine og Celle, som alle var dækket af skyer. På baggrund af F/Lt Fuge's billeder af Herford blev nedenstående fototyderrapport udfærdiget af fototyderne den 5. marts: Herford M/Y (5207N 0820E) Period Covered: Damage up to 1140A hours on 3 MAR 1945 Attacks: Unit Date Reported Weather US 8th Air Force 3 MAR 1945 1/10 - 3/10 cloud Provisional Statement on Damage: Although the marshalling yard is not fully covered, photographs used cover all bursts in the town that were seen on strike attack prints. Two of the platforms of the passenger station are damaged and one through line is cut, another is probably cut. There is moderate business/residential damage throughout the town, including seven factory type buildings. Many of the buildings are still burning. A concentration of 15 bursts on a secondary road approximately two and one half miles South of Herford shown on SA photographs is not covered on this sortie.

2nd Task Force havde Dollbergen Oil Refinery, Dedenhausen Oil Refinery samt Niehangen Oil Refinery for hovedmål og bombede tillige Hildesheim VDM Casting Plant samt godsbanegården i Bielefeld som sekundært og alternativt mål.

Dolbergen tilhørte Deutsche Gasolin AG og lå på den nordlige side af jernbanelinien umiddelbart nord for den lille by Dolbergen, der ligger 33 km øst for Hannover. Anlægget i Dolbergen kunne fremstille omkring 40.000 tons om året. Raffinaderiet forarbejdede crude oil fra oliefelterne rundt omkring Hannover og hovedproduktionen var fuel olie samt low grade smøremidler såsom smørefedt til jernbaneaksler. Raffinaderiet havde stell stills og pipe stills, men rådede ikke over cracking faciliteter. Anlægget var meget aktivt og blev udbygget i løbet af krigen. Den totale tankkapacitet blev anslået til at være 16.000 metric tons, der svarede til 100.800 tønder. I forbindelse med raffinaderiet lå mod sydvest langs jernbanelinien et mindre anlæg tilhørende Erdölwerke 'Deutscher Adler' GmbH. De allierede efterretningstjenester formodede, at dette anlæg fremstillede smøreolie og low grade olie fra Deutsche Gosolin AG raffinaderiet.

Dolbergen Company: Deutsche Gasolin AG Refinery Location: North of railroad line just north of Dolbergen. 22 miles East of Hannover. Yearly Capacity Metric Tons: 40.000 Distillation and Cracking Facilities: Shell stills. Pipe still, no cracking. Lubrication Oil Facilities: Axle oil only Total Tankage Capacity Metric Tons: 16.000 Remarks: Primarily fuel oil and axle oil production from local crude. Plant enlarged during war. Ligesom ved de ovenfor nævnte mål studerede fototyderne de angribende flys bombebilleder og fremstillede inden næste dag nedenstående foreløbige rapport om angrebet på Dollbergen Syntetic Oil Plant: Attack on Dollbergen Synthetic Oil Plant on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 37 with full fighter escort Time: 1022 - 1024 A hours Bombs: 505 x 500 lb GP Details of the attack: The oil refinery of Deutsche Gasolin AG and the oil refinery of Erdöl Werke 'Deutscher Adler' GmbH, comprise the target complex. Their workings are closely coordinated, with the Deutsche Gasolin AG being the major unit, with a reported refining capacity of 40.000 tons a year. Details of the attack: A concentration of approximately 110 bursts is visible across the vital Southwest area of the Deutsche Gasolin AG, extends into open fields to the Northwest, across a railway siding serving the plant and into open fields to the South, while all but the Western edge of the Erdöl Werke refinery was blanketed by a group of bursts. Hits are seen on one, possible tow, of the distillation plants while other hits are visible on distillation and treatment units, oil treatment units, workshop and offices. Of the 505 HE bombs dropped, a total of approximately 340 bursts can be seen on clear, and partially obscured photographs.

Bursts are seen on the target complex as follows: Mail Boiler House: one possible hit, several near hits Distillation and Treatment: at least one hit Oil Treatment Plant: at least four hits Distillation Plant: one hit, several near hits Oil Pump House: one possible hit, two near hits Oil Storage area: at least one hit on large tank Four large Workshops: a total of at least six hits Offices: at least four hits Warehouse (along siding): one hit, several near hits Two unidentified buildings: at least two hits (along siding) Very small building: at least four hits (Southern edge of Sideling) Railway Siding: at least seven hits Other bursts: 1. A concentration of at least 90 bursts is visible in an open area 300 yards Southeast of the target. 2. At least 20 bursts are visible in an open field and a partially built-up area 300 yards Southeast of the target. 3. A concentration of approximately 120 bursts is seen one mile Southeast of the target; part of the bursts are visible on residential buildings in the town of Dollbergen.

Ødelæggelser i Dollbergen ved krigens afslutning. Bemærk den amerikanske soldat, der står sammen med en tysk arbejder. (Fold3)

Dollbergen blev fotograferet den 9. marts 1945, hvor F/Lt L S Dearling fra No. 541 Squadron klokken 13.15 tog billeder af anlægget. Dearling var klokken 10.36 startet fra RAF Benson i Spitfire XIX RM637 for at tage billeder af olieanlæg ved Magdeburg, Misburg og Hannover. Turen blev gennemført uden særlige hændelser og han landede igen på Benson klokken 15.05. Nedenstående fototyderrapport blev udfærdiget den efterfølgende dag:

Dollbergen (Nr. Hannover) Oil Refinery of Deutsche Gasolin AG Period Covered: 1245A hours on 17 FEB 1944 to 1315A hours on 9 MAR 1945 Attack Unit Date Reported Weather US 8th Air Force 3 MAR 1945 Clear Provisional Statement on Damage: Damage from this attack is concentrated in the Southern section of the plant. The distillation plant has been severely damaged, and the offices, already damaged, are now over ½ destroyed. A rectangular building East of the boiler house has been ½ destroyed, and the pipeline connecting it to the boiler house broken. In the smaller Oil Refinery of Erdöl Werke SW of the target plant, the Oil Treatment section of the plant has been damaged and two unidentified buildings hit. A concentration of craters extends into the Eastern outskirts of the village of Dollbergen where several incidents of damage are seen.

Dedenhausen er en landsby omkring 24 km øst for Hannover. Olieanlægget lå umiddelbart øst for landsbyen og blev bombet af 30 B-17 fra 452nd Bomb Group og 23 B-17 fra 34th Bomb Group. Fototydernes evaluering af bombningen lød således: Attack on Dedenhausen Oil Storage Depot on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 53 with full fighter escort Time: 1024 - 1026 A hours Bombs: 216 x 300 lb GP 376 x 250 lb GP Details of the attack: Five concentrations of bursts can be seen in open fields and woodlands 1/4 mil West, ½ mile East, three or five miles Southeast, and three to fime miles South of the target. One burst landed in an open area of the target and at least two hits are seen on the rail line passing the target. Of the 592 HE bombs dropped, a total of approximately 420 bursts can be seen on clear, unobscured photographs.

I 1889 fandt man for første gang jordolie ved Nienhagen i Landkreis Celle. Olien blev hentet op ved boringer og de første år blev det ikke de store mængder, som man hentede. Det ændrede sig dog i 1930'erne, hvor boringerne blev effektiviseret og Wintershall Konsortium blev et vigtigt foretagende for Tyskland. Allerede i 1940 blev de 15.000 kubikmeter store olietanke ramt af bomber og anlægget blev flere gange forsøgt ødelagt af de allierede. De allierede anslog at Tyskland producerede 300.000 tons råolie om året (1942) i Nienhagen og derved lå anlægget helt i toppen. Til sammenligning producerede Heide i Schleswig-Holstein anslået 'kun' 50.000 tons råolie om året. Den anden topscorer var Rietberg, der ligeledes fremstillede 300.000 tons råolie om året. Sammenlagt havde Tyskland en råolieproduktion indenfor 1937 grænserne på 800.000 tons årligt. Nienhagen Oil blev den 3. marts 1945 bombet af 56 B-17 fra 490th og 493rd Bomb Group og den efterfølgende rapport lød:

Attack on Nienhagen Oil Refinery on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 56 with full fighter escort Time: 1023 - 1025 A hours Bombs: 781 x 500 lb GP Details of the attack: Five concentrations of bursts can be seen all in open fields and woodlands ½ mile South- Southeast, 4½ miles North-Northeast, 1 mile East-Northeast, 3/4 miles South-Southeast, and 1½ miles northeast. Of the 781 HE bombs dropped, a total of approximately 330 bursts can be seen on clear, unobscured photographs. Activity: Celle Marshalling Yard a. Only the central portion of the yard is covered. b. The loading appears light.

Fourth Force Fourth Force bestod af 114 B-17 fra 1st Air Division, som havde Misburg Oil Refinery som mål. 107 fly kastede ialt 276.8 tons bomber, men ikke hele bombemængden var rettet mod Misburg. Kun 23 fly kastede tilsammen 68.5 tons bomber mod Misburg, medens 82 B-17 kastede 204.7 tons bomber mod det sekundære mål Hannover-Hannomag, som man vidste fremstillede kampvogne og lokomotiver. Der var 8/10 til 10/10 skydække over både Misburg og Hannover, hvorfor bombningen blev foretaget ved hjælp af H2X. Endelig bombede to fly Lemford med 3.6 tons bomber. På grund af skydækket kunne man ikke se virkningen af bombningen, der blev foretaget fra højder mellem 24.400 til 25.500 fod i tidsrummet mellem klokken 10.34 og 10.38.

LtCol Richard H Cole var formationsleder og lead pilot for 303rd BG, der afsendte 39 B-17 mod Misburg. På grund af skydække bombede man i stedet for Hannover ved hjælp af PFF. Bombningen af Hannomag blev gennemført fra højder mellem 24.400 til 26.000 fod. 35 B-17 fra 303rd kastede 619 stk 250 lb M-57 sprængbomber gennem tæt skydække over Hannover, medens to kastede 29 bomber af samme type over Brockum. Endelig kastede to B-17 deres bomber før målet på grund af tekniske problemer.

Det tyske ordenspoliti indrapporterede følgende skader for Hannover: Hannover: 10.36 - 10.46 Uhr. Reichsinstitut für Erdölfarschung schwer. Bodepanzer, Maschinenfabrik Knövenagel, Wollwäscherei, Feinkostfabrik Appel, Postpakethalle und Postkraftverkehrsstätten mittel. Zahlreiche Sprengbombentreffer auf Hauptgüterbahnhof. Teilschäden im Res.-Lazarett 4 und Heeresveterinär-Akademie. Ferner 80 Wohnhäuser leicht. 54 Gefallene, 14 Tote, 89 Verwundete, 106 Verletzte. 17 Verschüttete. Luftværnsskytset var aktivt i målområdet, men blev beskrevet som 'moderate and inaccurate'. Ingen B-17 gik tabt under angrebet, men tre fly fik større skader af luftværnsskytset medens otte andre fik mindre skader. Bombebesætningerne observerede syv Fw 190 umiddelbart vest for Dummer Lake samt tre uidentificerede tomotors fly i området ved Hannover, der formodentlig var Me 262. Ingen af disse fly gik til angreb. Fourth Force blev eskorteret af 46 P-51, hvoraf de 44 var effektive. Der var ingen kontakt med tyske fly og jagerne angreb i stedet for jordmål, hvor man hævede at have ødelagt et fly på jorden. Strafingen var hovedsageligt rettet mod jernbane- og vejtrafik i området ved Hasselfelde og Gandersheim. En P-51 gik tabt under dagens mission.

Bombestyrkens mål, antal sorties og bombende fly samt bombemængde så således ud: Mål Sorties Bombet Tonnage Resultat Misburg Oil Refinery 114 23 68.5 Ukendt Hannover-Hannomag 82 204.7 Ikke observeret Lemford 2 3.6 Ikke observeret I alt 114 107 276.8

384th BG havde Misburg som det primære mål, men da det var dækket af skyer besluttede formationslederen, major Edgar Elsworth Ulrey (stående længst til venstre i billedet), at man i stedet for ved hjælp af radar skulle bombe jernbanen i Hannover, som var det udpegede sekundære mål. Ulrey's B-17 (44-8649) blev fløjet af Robert Clare Owens, der ses som nummer to blandt de knælende besætningsmedlemmer. 384th BG afsendte 36 B-17, hvoraf de 35 bombede Hannover. Det sidste fly, 42-102620, fik tekniske problemer på vej til målet, kastede bombelasten over Nordsøen og returnerede til Grafton Underwood.

Misburg var overordenlig vigtig for den tyske krigsproduktion og de allierede udarbejdede i løbet af krigen nedenstående rapport om produktionen samt produktionsmetoderne i Deurag-Nerag ved Misburg øst for Hannover: Refinery Deurag-Nerag (Gewerkschaft Deutsche Erdöl-Raffinerie and Gewerkschaft Neue Erdöl-Raffinerie). Location: At Misburg, on the east side of the Weser-Elbe Canal approximately four miles east of Hannover. Latitude 52º23'N, longitude 09º51'E. Description: Annual capacity: 300.000 metric tons. This plant, commonly called the Deurag-Nerag refinery, consists of two refineries operated jointly and consitutes one of the most important units of the German refining industry. The Gewerkschaft Deutsche Erdöl-Raffinerie (Deurag) is the older of the two and is primarily a gasoline plant designed ot operate on indigenous German crude oil. The cracking unit is a Dubbs, continuous coking, with separae black oil heater. Capacity is 2.500 barrels per day of gasoline and 600 barrels per day of kerosine, or 3.000 barrels per day of diesel fuel plus 900 barrels per day of gasoline and 600 barrels per day of kerosene. Other units include two crude topping units, gasoline treating, benzol and alcohol blending, gasoline stabilizer, gas compression plant, propane treating and loading plant, crude and finished oil storage. Electric power is purchased. Cable crosses canal just south of railroad bridge adjacent to plant. The steam plant with oil and gas fired boilers has capacity only for the Deurag plant. Boiler feed water is obtained from the Misburg municipal system. The Gewerkschaft Neue Erdöl-Raffinerie (Nerag) is a modern lubricationg oil refinery built in 1935/36 and put into operation early in 1937. It is designed to operate on indigenous German crude and topped crude in conjunction with gthe Deurag plant. It is primarily a lube oil palnt, all other products being by-products. This plant takes some reduced crude from the adjacent Deurag plant and returns asphalt, waxes, extracts and other by-products as cracking unit feed stock to the Deurag plant.

The Nerag plant originally produced 1.000 to 1.500 barrels per day of high quality refined and dewaxed lube oil, plus 300 to 400 barrels per day very low quality lube oil for industrial uses, 650 barrels per day straight-run gasolin, 700 barrels per day kerosene distillate, and 400 barrels per day diesel fuel (gas oil). In additio, 200 to 400 barrels per day of chrystaline wax is available. In the fall of 1939, consideration was being given to hydrogenating ½ of this quantity to fatty oils for use in soaps, etc. A polymerization unit is believed to have been completed in 1942 and also the refining capacity was probably increased. Refining processes included in the original plant included: a. Atmospheric and vacuum distillation units b. Propane de-asphalting unit c. Furfural refining unit d. Acid treating facilities e. Fullers earth decolorizing f. Acetone benzol dewaxing g. Blending, barrelling and shipping facilities No cracking facilities are included in this plant. Power originally was purchased, common cables with Deurag plant with a separate transformer being used. Plans were underway in the fall of 1939 to install a powerhouse in conjunction with the new boilerhouse. This was to be completed by the end of 1940 and was to produce approximately 3/4 of the power required by Deurag and Nerag plants. The steam boiler plant, when completed, was to have capacity sufficient for both the Deurag and Nerag plants. Boiler plant ordinaily used soft coal as fuel but emergency oil burners are installed to carry approximately 50 per cent of normal seam load. Drinking water and emergency boiler feed water are obtained from Misburg municipal supply. Concenser cooling water is obtained from the Branch Zweig Canal pumped through the plant, part of the exit heated water passes over a natural draft cooling tower at the east end of the plant so that the total exit water will re-enter the main Weser Elbe Canal at a temperature no highter than 30 degrees C to satisfy local ordinances. Operation of this cooling tower would not be essential under emergency conditions; the hot water would simply return to the main canal directly opposite junction of the Zweig-Weser Canals, causing a foggy condition at this point during cold weather. Tankage was extensive and is estimated to total 235.000 metric tons (1.480.500 barrels) for the two refineries.

Misburg før bombardementerne rigtig tog fat.

Raffinaderiet ved Misburg havde været angrebet mange gang i løbet af krigen, men ikke alle angrebene havde været lige effektive. I tidsrummet fra den 19. marts 1940 og frem til den 20. juni 1944 blev Misburg Raffinaderiet kun ramt af 39 sprængbomber og nogle få brandbomber. Fra den 20. juni 1944 og til og med den 17. marts 1945 blev anlægget ramt af omkring 1.650 sprængbomber, hvor personalet på værket anslog at omkring 12% var forsagere. Hovedparten af angrebene blev udført af 8th Air Force og bomberne bestod hovedsageligt af 250 og 500 lb sprængbomber. der blev kun kastet nogle få 1.000 lb GP sprængbomber. Når tyskerne angiver en mine, mener de en minebombe - det vil sige en 4.000 HC. Trykbølge fra detonerende bomber var hovedårsagen til skader på raffinaderiet. Mange tanke blev ødelagt af sprængstykker fra bomber og i visse tilfælde antændt, men sprængstykker forårsagede kun ringe skader på bygninger og produktionsanlæg. Efter hvert angreb stod man som regel uden elektricitet og vand, men det blev normalt reetableret i løbet af kort tid.

Misburg var på den ene side et kompliceret produktinsanlæg, men på grund af den åbne opbygning var det også nemt at reparere. Dette fungerede fint ved mindre skader, men da de allieredes bombeangreb blev mere og mere effektive samtidig med at de tog til i styrke, blev det tyske reetableringsopgave til sidst umuliggjort. (Fold3)

Det siger lidt om reetableringstiden, at man ved krigens slutning i Hannoverområdet gik i gang med at få produktionen op at stå den 1. maj 1945. Den første enhed var klar den 7. maj og den 1. juli var ni enheder i gang og producerede 800 tons pr dag, hvilket vil sige 53% af normal fuld kapacitet. I løbet af krigens 9 sidste måneder blev følgende angreb gennemført: Dato Enhed Antal fly Bomber ramt bombet Misburg Refinery 18. juni 1944 US 3. BD 88 32 20. juni 1944 US 3. BD 169 418 24. aug 1944 US 2. BD 88 274 11/12. sep 1944 US 2. BD 87+34 375 4. nov 1944 US 2. BD 210 0 20/21. nov 1944 RAF ? 7 + 1 mine 26. nov 1944 US 1.+2. BD 243+57 180-200 29. nov 1944 US 1. BD 391 5 31. dec 1944 US 3. BD 96 250 12/13. feb 1945 RAF 1 mine 13/14 feb 1945 RAF 2 miner 3. marts 1945 US 1. AD 23 0 14. marts 1945 US 3. AD 56 8 15. marts 1945 RAF 257 40 17. marts 1945 ? 4

Misburg i slutningen af marts 1945

Bombningen af Misburg Oil Refinery skulle den 3. marts 1945 have været foretaget af 114 B-17, men kun 23 fly fra 379th Bomb Group var i stand til at bombe anlægget. Hovedparten af de resterende fly bombede i stedet for Hanomag fabrikken i Hannover. Fototyderne udarbejdede straks efter angrebet nedenstående rapport, der var baseret på de fotos, som de bombende maskiner tog under angrebet. Attack on Misburg Oil Refinery on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 23 with full fighter escort Time: 1039 A hours Bombs: 274 x 500 lb GP Details of the attack: Approximately four bursts are seen in open fields, 3-3/4 miles South Southeast of the target. Of the 274 HE bombs dropped, approximately four bursts can be seen on 7/10 to 10/10 cloud obscured photographs. Bombebillederne var ikke særligt brugbare og først næsten en uge senere fik man de første fotos af Misburg, der den 9. marts 1945 klokken 14.00 blev fotograferet af en amerikansk F-5 fra 22nd Photographic Squadron, hvorefter følgende fototyderrapport blev udarbejdet:

Misburg (near Hannover) Oil Refinery (Gewerkschaft Deutsche Erdöl Raffinerie) Period Covered: From 1150A hours on 8 FEB 1945 to 1400A hours on 9 MAR 1945. Attacks: US 8th Air Force 24 FEB 1945 8/10 - 10/10 cloud US 8th Air Force 3 MAR 1945 7/10 - 10/10 cloud Provisional Statement on Damage: No fresh craters are visible in the target area or its immediate vicinity, but the remaining portion of an already heavily damaged unidentified building is now gone, another unidentified building had its roof removed, and a third has very minor scattered portions of its outer roof covering gone. the SW building of the Fuller's earth plant has minor spots of roof stripping to the undamaged portion and a small building near one of the distillation towers has a portion of its roof gone. The above mentioned items have the appearance of clearance and in some cases of reconstruction in progress.

Den 15. marts havde fototyderne haft mere tid til en grundigere gennemgang af Misburg anlægget og havde udarbejdet nedenstående rapport, der havde de samme fotos som grundlag: Misburg (Near Hannover) Gewerkschaft Deutsche Erdöl Raffinerie Damage and Reconstruction (Up to 9 Mar 1945) Period Covered: 1345A hours on 23 DEC 1944 to 1400 A hours on 9 MAR 1945 Attacks: Date Reported Weather US 8th Air Force 31 Dec 1944 Clear US 8th Air Force 24 FEB 1945 8/10 - 10/10 cloud US 8th Air Force 3 MAR 1945 7/10 - 10/10 cloud General Statement: This report is a recapitulation of the damage to the plant from the above attacks, and the reconstruction and repairs which have taken place between 23 DEC 1944 and 9 MAR 1945. It is seen that while new damage is not heavy it is fairly widespread. A number of storage tanks have been destroyed or damaged, and several installations includin the Fullers Earth Plant, the Dubbs Cracking Plant, and the Propane Disposal Unit have been hit. Overhead pipelines have been broken or damaged at several points throughout the plant. Activity: Smoke pouring from one chimney and a plume of steam in the Southern part of the installation show the cracking plant to be working. The remainder of the plant appears to be out of operation except for one or two puffs of steam from oil pumps. A large number of people can be seen in movement in various parts of the plant. Conclusions: The cracking plant is working and the other distillation units are possibly ready to resume operations. Details of damage and reconstruction: (Numberf refer to annotations on illusration attached to this report. See attached key)(buildings outlined in blue on damage illustration are these recently constructed).

No Unit Condition on 23 DEC 1944 Condition on 9 MAR 1945 1 Deasphalting Unit West End of Southern building No change destroyed. Installation South of cooling tower damaged. 2 Garages Sight cleared No change 3 Locker house & Wash No visible damage Roof stripping at North and South room 4 Unidentified building Building destroyed. Replaced by storage No change tank 5 Probable Pump house Building and small tank nearby New building destroyed. destroyed. Smaller building erected on site. Area North of 4 and 5 Six small buildings destroyed, of which One shed destroyed and another 2&3 three were rebuilt. Nine new buildings destroyed. and sheds under construction. 6-7 Unidentified buildings No visible damage No change 8 Unidentified building Building enlarget by new construction The roof of the newly constructed portion of the building appears to be in the process of being covered or having damage repaired. 9 Skimming and settling No visible damage No change tank 10 Cooling Tower Destroeyd and site cleared Reconstruction of base started 11 Contact Filtration Plant Minor repairs visible No change 12 Dewaxing unit Chiller Entire roof gone No change Building 13 Dewaxing Unit Pump Destroyed No change house 14 Transfer Pump house Entire roof gone No change 15 Fullers Earth Plant 3/4 of roof stripped No change 16 Fullers Earth Plant Repairs of roof stripping ½ completed Slight new roof damage 17 Fullers Earth Plant Roof repairs completed Roof almost entirely stripped 18 Fuller Earth Plant Roof repairs completed Entire roof gone and some structural damage 19 Furfural solvent extraction Roof stripped No change plant 20 Furfural solvent extraction Roof stripped Destroyed plant 21 Furfural solvent extraction No visible damage Roof stripped from both small sheds plant Columns between 20 and --- Damaged by one hit in center 21 Vacuum Distillation (Lube Oil) Unit 22 Pump house Repairs to stripped roof started Repaired portion of roof gone 23 Distillation towers No visible damage East tower damaged 24 Twin Pipe Stills No visible damage West still damaged 25 Atmospheric-vacuum Slight roof damage One shed largely destroeyd. Roof distillation Unit stripped form Southern half of center building 26 Unidentified building --- Destroyed 27 Unidentified building East end damaged and one hole in South Previous damage South edge edge repaired. Slight additional damage to East end. 28 Pipe storehouse Destroyed No change 29 Dubbs workshop and No visible damage Roof stripped and approximately 2/3 storehouse restored 30 Warehouse and Roofing stripped and repaired East ½ destroyed Workshops 31 Laboratery Destroyed No change 32 Unidentified building Destroyed No change 33 Unidentified building Destroyed No change 34 Boiler House Roof repair started Small portion of roof stripped from North end 35 Landing and Unloading Destroyed by fire. About 1/3 of original Small section of roof stripped form Shed installation reconstructed South end. 36 Offices Destroyed. Replaced by new building Destroyed 37 Shed Destroyed No change 38 Offices & Warehouse Destroyed No change 39 Unidentified building Destroyed and rebuilt Roof stripped from new building 40 Unidentified building East end destroyed No change 41 Unidentified building No visible damage Destroyed 42 Propane disposal Unit 1/4 building tutted. Small shed gutted. 80% destroeyd 43 Cooling tower Repairs to slight HE damge completed No change 44 Unidentified Complex. Repairs to previous damage appear One shed destroyed, one 80% Possible cooling tower completed destroeyd flanked by two sheds 45 Unidentified building Repairs to previous damage in progress Destroyed 46 Shed gutted Destroyed 47 Oil Seperator pumps No visible damage Pipe lines at North damge- Cooling tower and shed damaged 48 Dubbs Cracking Plant Three buildings destroyed. Damage to Roof stripped from two repaired two repaired buildings. Pipe lines broken or damaged at two points 49 Boiler House Damaged corner repaired Slight roof damage to Southern extension. Shed to South rebuilt. 50 Distillation Unit (crude) One of four damaged sheds reroofed One additional shed reroofed 51 Asphalt laboratory Destroyed. Larger building rebuilt Larger building again destroyed 52- Polymerization and Slight damage to 54 No. 52 damaged by hit in center. 54 Stabilizer Units Damage to 54 repaired. 55 Water intake and Pump --- No damage visible house 56 Transfer Pump house No damage visible Roof gone A Store tank area 1 large tank destroyed, 1 damaged 1 additional tank damaged B Storage tank area Two medium tanks destroyed No change C Final products storage area 6 medium tanks destroyed, one severely Two more medium tanks destroyed, damaged four damaged, and the previously damaged tank destroyed. D Final products storage area 9 large tanks destroyed, one severely Two small sheds rebuilt. damaged. One small tank destroyed. Eight subsidiary buildings destroyed. E Final products storage area 1 large tank destroyed. 1 medium tank No changes visible destroyed. 1 medium tank damaged. 2 small tanks damaged. 1 very small tank destroyed. 1 large and three small buildings destroyed, one building half destroyed. F Storage tank area 10 large tanks damaged or destroyed. 11 One large, 2 mdeium and 2 mall medium tanks damaed or destroyed. tanks destroyed. G Storage tank area One very large tank destroyed. 4 large One large and one medium tank tanks destroyed. 8 medium tanks destroyed. One medium tank destroyed or damaged. 8 small tanks repaired. destroyed or damaged. Three new small tanks installed. One building destroyed. Storage tank ara (North of 21 small tanks destroyed, 15 rebuilt. One One medium and two small tanks No. 18 & 20) small shed under construction. destroyed. Two small tanks damaged. Five very small tanks destroeyd. Roof blown from small shed housing two small tanks one of which is destroyed. Storage tank area (North One small tank destroyed Two small tanks destroyed. Three of No. 12) very tall cylinders destroyed. Storage tank area (North Two large tanks destroyed. One small One medium tank destroyed. of No. 26) tank removed.

Fifth Force Fifth Force bestod af 222 B-17 fra 1st Air Division, der havde Ruhland Synthetic Oil Plant som mål. Der var 8/10 til 10/10 skydække over målområdet og hovedparten af flyene bombede i stedet for godsbanegården i Chemnitz, der var dagens sekundære mål. Bombningen blev gennemført fra 24.300 til 27.800 fods højde i tidsrummet fra 11.05 til 11.26. 24 B-17 bombede Ruhland visuelt, idet de fandt et hul i skydækket, medens 166 B-17 bombede Chemnitz ved hjælp af H2X. Luftværnsskytset var moderat og nøjagtig over Ruhland, medens skydningen ved Chemnitz blev beskrevet som 'meager and inaccurate'. 12 B-17 fik større skader på grund af Flak, medens 51 andre fik mindre skader. to B-17 gik tabt på grund af kollision. Fifth Force blev eskorteret af 214 P-51, hvoraf de 193 var effektive. Efter Luftwaffes indsats dagen forinden forventede 8th Air Force, at man igen ville møde modstand over Ruhland, idet det var et af de få virksomme syntetiske olieanlæg, men den tyske jagerindsats udeblev.

Mål Sorties Bombet Tonnage Resultat Ruhland Synthetic Oil 222 24 60.0 Ikke observeret Chemnitz M/Y 166 399.5 Ikke observeret Lejlighedsvist mål 5127N 1405E 12 30.0 Ikke observeret Plauen 11 27.5 Ukendt Uidentificerede mål 4 10.5 Ikke observeret I alt 222 217 527.0

Da Ruhland var næsten totalt dækket af skyer bombede kun 24 ud af 222 afsendte B-17 Ruhland. Kun en enkelt eskadrille fra henholdsvis 92nd og 305th Bomb Group bombede og deres træfsikkerhed var ikke den bedste.

Det tyske ordenspoliti (BdO Breslau) rapporterede følgende om bombningen af Ruhland: Ruhland 11.30 Uhr: 25 bis 30 Sprengbomben im Raum Ruhland zum grössten Teil ins freies Gelände abgeworfen. 1 Eisenbahnbrücke total; Eisenbahnstrecke nach Senftenberg mehrmals getroffen. Laubusch 11.30 Uhr: 20 Sprengbomben. Bergmann-Heimstätten getroffen. 10 Wohnhäuser beschädigt, 1 Fernsprechleitung zerstört. 2 Gefallene (1 Mann und 1 Frau). På baggrund af billederne, der blev taget under selve bombningen, blev nedenstående fototyderrapport udarbejdet af de allierede: Attack on Ruhland Synthetic Oil Refinery on 3 MAR 1945 No. of aircraft: 24 with full fighter escort Time: 1103 - 1105 A hours Bombs: 240 x 500 lbs GP Details of the attack: Due to poor quality, smoke, and partially cloud obscured photographs, the exact pinpointing of all the strikes is impossible, however, approximately ten bursts are seen through clouds in and adjacent to the Northwestern edge of the plant and another concentration of at least 135 bursts is seen in a quarry three miles North-Northeast of the target area. Two groups of an undetermined number of bursts are seen in open fileds and on a secondary road approximately 10 miles East. Of 240 bombs dropped a toal of approximaltely 145 bursts can be seen on poor quality, cloud and smoke obscured photographs. Smoke screen An effective smoke screen is seen in operation.

Ruhland fotograferet den 24. august 1944 Først den 16. marts klokken 14.15 blev Ruhland fotograferet, da en F-5 fra amerikanske 13th Photographic Squadron var over anlægget. Billederne fra denne flyvning dannede grundlag for nedenstående fototyderrapport, der ikke var særligt opløftende for bombebesætningerne: Ruhland Synthetic Oil Plant Period Covered: From 1300 A hours on 12 OCT 1944 to 1415 A hours on 16 MAR 1945. Attacks: Date SA Reported Weather US 8th Air Force 2 MAR 1945 3316 9/10 to 10/10 cloud US 8th Air Force 3 MAR 1945 3319 5/10 to 9/10 cloud Provisional Statement on Damage: On a single print, marred by a smoke screen in operation, little fresh damage is visible. Concentrations of craters are seen in the SW corner of the plant spreading out into open country and causing moderate damage in the small adjoining village. One small building SW of the boiler ouse has been demolished and several of a large number of small huts clustered in the extreme south have been damaged or destroyed. One workman's hut just outside the plant has been hit. Railway tracks serving the plant have been cut in several places. Since the last cover on 12 OCT 1944 exgtensive repairs have been carried out on installations, buildings, gasholders and storage tanks. Dagen efter at Ruhland var blevet fotograferet den 16. marts gæstede 3rd Air Division det syntetiske olieanlæg ved Ruhland. 214 ud af 527 afsendte B-17 bombede og kastede 594.3 tons bomber. Dette var det sidste koncentrerede angreb på Ruhland i løbet af krigen. En del af de 166 B-17, der bombede Chemnitz ved hjælp af H2X samt de 11 B-17, der bombede Plauen, ramte godt nok deres mål, men en hel del bomber ramte også mindre bebyggelser rundt omkring i området.

Det tyske ordenpoliti (BdO Dresden) udarbejdede i løbet af de næste uger en oversigt over bombeskader, der var forårsaget den 2. og 3. marts: Chemnitz Insgesamt 9 Minen- und 1.1510 Sprengbomben. 17 Gross-, 12 Mittel und 25 Kleinbrände. 358 Wohnhäuser total, 411 schwer, 583 mittel und 1.1995 leicht. Weiterhin 3 Wohnbaracken, 2 öffentl. Gebäude, 10 Industrieberiebe, 1 Wasserwerk, 1 Reichsbahnanlage, 1 Strassenbahnanlage, 1 Wehrmachtanlage, 8 Scheunen, 8 Ställe, 4 Geräteschuppen total, 3 Wirtschaftsgebåaude, 4 öffentligche Gebäude, 1 Krankenhaus, 4 Schulen, 5 Industriebetriebe, 2 Reichsbahnanlagen, 1 Strassenbahnanlage, 1 Pol.-Gebäude, 2 Scheunen, 1 Stall schwer. 1 Wirtschaftsgebäude, 1 öffentl. Gebäude, 1 Schule, 4 Industriebetriebe, 1 Gaswerk, 2 Pol.- Gebäude, 3 Ställe mittel. 8 öffentl. Gebäude, 1 Krankenhaus, 4 Schulen, 16 Industrieberiebe, 3 Reichsbahnanlagen, 1 Brücke, 3 Scheunen, 1 Speicher und 2 Ställe leicht. Auf F&E-Bereitschaft sowie auf 1 Flüchtlingszug in Nähe des Bahnhofes Siegmar Tieffliegerangriff und Bombenafwurf: eine Anzahl Wagen umgestürzt, 1 Wagen ausgebrannt. Bahngleise beschädigt. Verkehr auf Strecke Chemnitz - Plauen unterbrochen. Bahnhof Oberaltchemnitz sowie Strecke Chemnitz - Stolberg total; Dauer des Ausfalls unbekannt. Gaswerk III getroffen; Produktions total. Ferner Kohlenförderbahnen total. Dauer des Ausfalls unbekannt. Maschinenfabrik G. Hilscher total; 100%-iger Produktionsausfall. Zwirnerei Mende u. Hellge 100%-iger Ausfall. Strumpfwerke I S Gläser 100%-iger Produktionsausfall. Wandererwerke 100%-iger Produktonsausfall. Eisen- und Stahlgiesserei Haubold AG Modellhaus total, vorläufig Produktionsausfall. Verlagerungswerk Kübler durch Grossbrand total. Weberei Hoesel total, Ausfall nicht bekannt. Maschinenfabrik Pornitz u co 50%-iger Produktionsausfall. 452 Gefallene (89 Männer, 217 Frauen, 136 Kinder, 8 Wehrmacht- und 2 Pol.-Angeh), 501 Verwundete (126 Männer, 262 Frauen, 107 Kinder, 4 Wehrmacht- und 2 LS Pol.-Angeh), 77 Tote und 45 Verletzte. von 827 Verschütteten bisher 232 lebend und 428 tot geborgen. 7.580 Obdachlose. 28 Stck. Grossvieh und 4 Stck. Kleinvieh getötet. Plauen 50 Sprengbomben. 3 Wohngebäude total, 3 schwer und 35 mittel. Ferner 1 Stollwerk total, gleise getroffen und Oberleitungen zerstört. 1 Reichsautobahnunderführung getroffen. 18 Gefallene, darunter 7 Frauen und 6 Kinder, 5 Verwundete (1 Frau und 4 Kinder). 7 Personen werden noch vermisst. von 25 Verschütteten bisher 5 lebend und 13 tot geborgen. Neukirchen (Kreis Chemnitz) 12 Sprengbomben. 30 Gebäude leicht. Personenverluste unverändert. Kartha (Kreis Chemnitz) 30 Sprengbomben. 5 Behelfsheime total. Stromleitung, Fernsprechleitung und LS-Warnstelle Rathaus total. 2 Gefallene (1 Fau und 1 Kind). Erfenschlag (Kreis Chemnitz) 55 Sprengbomben. 12 Wohnhäuser total, 80 schwer bis mittel. Mückenberg (Kreis Liebenwerda) 5 Sprengbomben. 1 Siedlungshaus total, 29 Siedlungshäuser leicht. Bockwitz (Kreis Liebenwerda) 8 Sprengbomben. 3 Wohngebäude leicht. Grünewalde (Kreis Liebenwerda) 1 Sprengbombe. 3 Wohngebäude und 1 Scheune leicht. Lauchhammer (Kreis Liebenwerda) 3 Sprengbomen auf Gruben- und Kippgelände. Keine Schäden. Reichsbahnstrecke Mückenberg - Plessau von 15 Sprengbomben getroffen. Vorübergehende Verkehrsstörung. Ponikau (Kreis Liebenwerda) 3 Sprengomben. Strasse leicht. Melpitz (Kreis torgau) 8 Spreng- und 100 Stabbrandbomben. 1 Wohngebäude total, 3 schwer, 6 leicht. Ferner 1 Wirtschaftsgebäude, 1 Schuppen total, 3 Scheunen und 2 Ställe schwer und 5 Scheunen sowie 7 Ställe und 3 Schuppen leicht. 2 Leichtverwundede (3 Frauen und 2 Kinder), 25 Obdachlose. 52 Stck Kleinvieh getötet. Elsnig (Kreis torgau) 20 Sprengbomben. 1 Mann leicht verwundet. Ferner wurden in Klotzsche, Obersteina, zwenkau, Rüben, Schneeberg, Schwarzenberg und Oerdorf insgesamt 36 Sprengbomben z.t. in freies Feld abgeworfen. Keine Schäden gemeldet.

Den 3. marts 1945 gennemførte 8th Air Force uden tab også fotorekognoscering med 61 fly: - 1 Mosquito on photo mission over Enschede - 8 Spitfires on activity study of St. Nazaire and D/A of Leipzig area, Kassel, Dresden and Chemnitz. - 6 F-5s on mission over Siegen, Hamburg and Berlin area - 6 F-5s on missions over the Ruhr, Paderborn and Osnabrück areas - 4 F-5s on D/A of Neumarket, Nünrberg town, factory and M/Y, Münich M/Y, Augsburg M/Y and Reutlingen M/Y - 36 P-51 escorted PRU aircraft Dertil kom så 40 fly på vejrrekognoscering uden tab: - 2 B-17s on routine flights over sea NW of Lands End - 1 B-17 on routine weather flight from Azores - 1 B-17 on flight over Atlantic - 5 Mosquitoes on special weather flights over Belgium, Germany, UK and Holland - 31 P-51 as weather scouts for bombers. 30 effective Endelig var der 1 PBY og 18 P-47 på Air/Sea Rescue patruljer, der forløb uden hændelser eller tab.