Our target was the oil refmery at Bottrop Ruhr Valley. We were briefed that flak was particuarly intense around oil refmeries as the Germans wished to defend the oil refmery, at all cost. On Armistice Day 11 November 1944, we assembled over
Splasher 5 at Cromer which became the place to assemble and return. The assembly of our group with the other groups at 20,000 feet was a sensational event. We test fired the Cal. 50 machine guns as we left the English coast and crossed the English channel. Successful firing of the guns gave me a sense of security, and now in the close quarters of the nose turret I had something to fight back with if we were attacked by a Messerschrnitt 109 German fighter aircraft.


Our B-24 carried twenty four 250 pound general purpose bombs. Our squadron flying in tight formation dropped the bombs and left the area of the refinery in flames. The flak was intense as briefed, but the squadron returned to Rackheath without injury to any crew member. Our plane had damage from the flak. We logged 5 hours and 50 minutes of combat flight. Our crew had now flown two
combat missions and we felt that we were contributing to the war effort to defeat Hitler. I then questioned that Armistice Day after World War One was declared on 11 November 1918. "Why are we still fighting?"