When the briefing officer rolled back the curtain, we saw the target which was a major oil refinery at Hamburg (Harburg). We were told that we could expect intense flak around the target area, and we would encounter fighter aircraft prior to the start of the bomb run and afterwards. Tight formations were stressed because a straggler would not survive the German fighter aircraft attack. We could expect to see the target and make a visual bomb run. Since no cloud cover was expected in the target area, the German anti-aircraft batteries also could see our aircraft. I was preparing preflight while the briefing officer continued advising the crews.


Our crew knew that this was not going to be a milk run. We were transported to the hardstand, where our aircraft was and started our inspections. The B-24 was loaded with twelve 500 pound general purpose bombs. I removed the cotter pins from all twelve bombs and put the pins in my pocket.


We taxied out and waited for the signal to take off. We then climbed to our assembly point and headed across the English channel. We were not alone as all of the 467th group planes, plus the 458th, 466th, and others of the 2nd Air Division were on this mission. Our group encountered Messerschrnitt 109 fighter aircraft prior to the bomb run. They did not follow us on the bomb run because the flak was intense, and they did not wish to be hit by their own flak. We placed the bombs close enough to cause major fires. The Messerschmifts followed us on our way home, but our close formation kept them at a distance, and we had no stragglers for them to attack. The mission took 6 hours and 20 minutes of flight time.