 and flying fortresses, there lies Marion Berg and East Prussia. Up to this moment, one of the most important cogs in Germany's war machine. The specific target on which this lead bombardier is lining up his bomb site is the Fokker Wolf 190 plant. Up to this instant, this aircraft factory has been accounting for almost 50% of Germany's total FW 190 fighter assembly. Tons of bombs rain down in a tight pattern of destruction. This, remember, is no area attack. It is an assault on one single target, and any bomb that falls outside that target has failed to achieve its purpose. The assembly of fighters in this Fokker Wolf factory has come to a sudden and violent end. To many, the bombing of Germany probably seems to be little more than a series of capricious adventures. One attack unconnected in any way with the one that preceded it, or the one that will follow it. It is easy for the average citizen to envision the positions of ground armies because of maps like these, which make the positions of the contesting forces quite clear. It is harder to express so graphically the progress of a bombing program. Yet there is a real line in this battle of Germany. Not a geographical front, but an industrial one. In the British Isles, there are the Allied Air Forces. On the European continent, we have Regensburg, Marienburg, Bremen, Hossesleben, Barnum-Under and Kassel. Everywhere there are plants and installations that contribute directly or indirectly to the making of German aircraft. Industrial bastions which must first be ripped apart before the enemy's armies can be destroyed. Now we come to the problem, how are the targets elected and what enormous effort is necessary for the 10 or 15 minutes that our air-task forces will be over any given target. The daylight bombing offensive against Germany is the responsibility of the 8th Air Force. Under the 8th Air Force are the 8th Bomber Command, the 8th Fighter Command and the 8th Air Service Command, all of whom contribute to every bombing mission. But it is the Bomber Command which is charged with the actual destruction of the selected targets. Weather is the greatest single enemy of the 8th Bomber Command, for here is to be found the most changeable, treacherous weather in the world. To keep the most accurate possible check on weather conditions all over Europe, the RAF has established vast communication and reporting systems. Weather planes such as this Mosquito and our own B-17s are continually in the air in an effort to know in advance what the weather will be over Europe and the United Kingdom. Men like this supply a major portion of the data from which 8 main weather maps of Europe and of the United Kingdom are drawn each day. In addition, there are 4 upper air maps and 8 maps of a miscellaneous classification. In this room, all weather information is collected, coordinated by the RAF and sent out by teletype to every responsible command. This is the weather section in the operations block at the Bomber Command. Here the information gleaned from the weather stations is put together and correlated into weather maps. Accurate predictions must be made as to the direction and speed of the wind, downward and forward visibility, temperature, humidity, possible icing conditions, and probable atmospheric pressure at the bases en route and over the target. Upon the findings made in this room will depend whether or not there will be an American bombing of a German target tomorrow. This is the operations room of the Bomber Command. Here is where the wheels are put in motion for any American bombing attack. Right now the officers you see are waiting for the commanding general's morning conference. They are the A-3 or operations officer, the operational intelligence officer, a weather officer, and other members of the staff. Looks like most of Germany will be pretty good, sir, but we have a warfront approaching from down here which we do not expect to affect the bases until late in the evening. How's the weather at Anclam? At Anclam, sir, we expect 2 to 5 tenths of low cloud and small amounts of middle and high cloud above 18,000 feet, visibility 6 to 8 miles. How about Marienburg? At Marienburg, 2 to 4 tenths of low cloud, a little or no middle or high cloud, visibility 6 to 8 miles. What will it be at Danzig and Gdynia? At Danzig and Gdynia, sir, 2 to 5 tenths of low cloud, 2 to 4 tenths of high cloud above 23,000 feet, visibility in there about 5 miles. Give me the map of Anclam and the picture of the aircraft factory there. 2 combat wings, Anclam with 2 combat wings, shipyards at Danzig with 2 combat wings, and the port facilities at Gdynia with 2 combat wings. That will require a maximum effort. Now that the various specialist officers then go into action. This is the operational intelligence section. Here are target files containing complete information as to the type, construction, and vulnerability of the targets. This data is gathered both from photo interpretation of aerial pictures and from confidential ground sources. On the basis of this information, the aiming point for the attack will be selected. The aiming point is a building or installation in the approximate center of the target. Here, operational research experts are minutely studying the architectural and construction details of the targets. It will be their duty to recommend, on the basis of studies previously made, the types of bombs and the proper fusing to accomplish the greatest possible destruction of the objective. These studies of the Orado factory at Anclam are immensely important, since the nose and tail fuses of a bomb can be adjusted to give varying degrees of delay between the time of initial impact and the explosion. For example, an improperly fused bomb would react something like this. Result? Very superficial damage that may hardly even cause delay in production. On the other hand, here's what happens when a properly fused bomb strikes the same factory. Two bombs of exactly identical weight and explosive power have totally different effects, because one was fused properly and the other was not. It is the responsibility of the operational research section to determine proper bomb fusing. Here, the commanding general and the operations officer are working out the overall planning of each of the missions with the staff bombardier, the staff navigator, and the flak officer. This is a complex business because of the multiple nature of the attack. We'll attack Anclam one hour before we attack the other targets. That should draw most of the German fighters on the Anclam force. The Anclam force is big enough to take care of itself. You mean along the same course? No. Send them a little south. They'll act as a better diversion. This would be the best place across the coast in standpoint of pilotage. Look, sir, the flak concentration at that point is quite heavy, the heaviest along the coast. We could rather move them a little further south for the general's suggests and they would not run into flak difficulties at that point. How is that for the navigation viewpoint? That's a very good line, Paul, sir. All right, we'll cross at that point and you adjust the flak times accordingly. Take care of it, Baron. While this is going on, the various liaison officers stationed at bomber command headquarters are busy keeping their respective commands acquainted with the course of events. The closest liaison is maintained with both the RAF fighter and bomber commands, the Royal Navy, the 8th fighter command, and the 9th bomber command. It is through these liaison officers that requests will be made for the necessary fighter support, diversionary effort by the medium bombers, air-sea rescue patrols, and so on. Officers at fighter command immediately look up plan number 2340 to find out what part the fighters are expected to play in the next day's operations. Similarly, the 9th Air Force is informed that bomber command intends to lay on plan number 2340. It will be the duty of the mediums to attack enemy airfields at a time that will cause maximum interference with German attempts to intercept the heavy bombers. Right now, weather officers are getting ready their forecast for the general's late afternoon conference where final decisions will be made. It should be okay. Good night. Does your morning forecast still hold? Yes, sir. There's practically no change in the situation and we still expect the base weather to hold up for return. Send out the field order exactly as planned. The first, second, and third divisions on a conference call, please. Already with your conference call. Go ahead, please. Can you scramble? Okay, over. Okay, over. Okay, there's a mission tomorrow. Maximum effort with five task forces. The first task force comprising six groups of the first division will hit 3948. 3948. Secondary 8731. 8731. Last resort, 9009. 9009. The second task force comprising five groups of the third division will hit 6848. 6848. Secondary 6424. 6424. Last resort, 5381. 5381. The third task force will comprise four groups of the second division which will hit 6424. 6424. Secondary 5381. 5381. Last resort, any industrial target of importance in Germany. Okay. The first and third divisions will each dispatch one air force. The field order now goes over the teletype to all interested units and command. The first step has been taken in the sequence of events that will finally result in bringing our planes over the targets and discharging their bomb loads. Command has conceived the mission and laid out general plans and routes. Division now plans in detail what command has ordered. The actual time of assembly of the various task forces is determined. That wings are assigned to their specific task forces and the routes from assembly to rendezvous points and the target are chartered. Many considerations go into the selection of the routes. Here is the commanding general of the first division which you will remember has two targets for tomorrow, Anklem and Gdynia. Looks very much that way. I think we'd better bend that so it's headed toward Berlin. At the second division, the target for tomorrow is Danzig. Danzig, eh? That's fine. How many ships do we have tomorrow? Well, sir, if you recall, general, on our last mission we had heavy battle damage and now all those aircraft are repaired yet. Call up the wing commanders and have them put pressure on the groups. The third division, which will have for its targets, Marion Berg and Gdynia. Looks pretty good, sir. We're going to be right over a lake there for good checkpoints of turn. The sun will be at our backs, sir. The fence is at the target. Major Frost, what about the flag defense? The division's operations officer bases his precise plans on aircraft and crews available at the various groups. He then calls the combat wings to give them advance information before the field order actually arrives. This is operations of the combat wing, a purely tactical unit having absolutely no administrative functions whatsoever. Problems of takeoff and assembly are the particular specialized function of this organization. It is the primary business of the combat wing to get the airplanes of its group into the air at the proper times and to get them assembled once in the air. Field order requires that we provide the second combat wing and the second air task force. 89th group will lead. 81st group will be high. 63rd group will be low. That means that Colonel Whitton will lead the combat wing on this mission. The bomber command is asked for a maximum effort. That means every available plane is to be gotten into the air. Ramsay, this field order has called for 3,100 gallons for the Hs due to the distance. Call for maximum bomb load. How about that for the weight? I think we'd better put eight bombs in the Hs and 12 in the Ds. That keeps us around 65,000 pounds. How about the CG? CG is well forward and I think it'll work out very well because we've been down low for a long period of time. All right, we'll have eight in the Hs and maximum in the Ds. Combat wings must work out precisely the maximum bomb load in relation to the required gas load. Decisions made in this and other matters are added to the division's field order and passed on to the groups. The ultimate tactical unit to the men who get the planes in the air and fly the mission. On the basis of the alert telephone down to the group by the combat wing the various agencies necessary to get the planes airborne on their mission wheel into action. Intelligence, operations, weather, signals, group navigators and bombardiers have the grave responsibility of passing on and making clear to the combat crews the vital target and route information furnished by bomber command and bomb division. The proper information folders maps, weather maps and charts and photographs have to be selected by the various group officers and then the information therein passed on to the crews. In dispersal areas round crews are getting their planes in condition to fly the mission. The normal work of keeping an airplane fit for operation is enormous even in peacetime. When you add to this already great job the element of battle damage the problem becomes gigantic. Engines, wings, propellers, controls, wiring, fuel system, oxygen system the thousand and one elements that go to make up the complex mechanics of a heavy bombardment plane all must be kept in perfect shape. The failure of any one of them on a mission can easily mean the loss of the plane and its personnel. In fact, such a failure will cause the plane to abort that is return to its base without having reached the target. It was originally estimated that about 37.5% of planes on hand would be effective at one time. However, the maintenance and repair has been so magnificently performed that sometimes up to 50% of planes on hand have been effective. Getting the bombs in their racks and loading ammunition onto the plane these are 100 pound incendiaries. These are 500 pound general purpose bombs and these are 1000 pound GPs. Bombs have to be placed in their racks very carefully. One bomb sticking in its rack through careless placement might make a whole mission useless so far as that individual plane goes. One o'clock in the morning. All over England at this exact moment American air crews are being roused from their sleep. Okay, fellas, roll out. We have a mission this morning. Rickson, half an hour. Captain Kirk, Captain Thompson, Lieutenant Fuske, Ackerson, out of the way and Hocker scheduled a fly. We'll stop it up. Through the cold of the English early morning the combat crews go to their mess. They have no idea where they're going yet but they know they'll be taking off in about four hours. The 4,000 men who will go on this mission all know it will be a rugged deal. For some of them, it's their first mission. Others are veterans of many. Now, at all the groups in the bomber command the air crews are assembling in the briefing rooms to learn the target for today. This is the briefing room of the 303rd group. Here in a few minutes, the nature, locale, and root of today's mission will be made known to the men who fly it. Destroy the errato. At the 379th, the intelligent briefing continues. Ladies, groups, to the bottom. 384th. Other forces are attacking submarine yards, aircraft, assembly plants, and units of the German fleet at Danzig and Gdynia. It'll show them that we will seek out this industry and destroy it wherever he places it. At the 351st, the intelligence briefing is completed. Your secondary target this morning, you'll love this. It's the country club of the German Air Force. Mr. Officer, briefs the crews of the 305th group going to Gdynia. The synoptic situation today is system-centered over northwest Europe, up here near Finland, extending southwestward down across the south and southwesternly air, going up in this direction. A flak officer, briefs the 389th group of the 2nd Division going to Danzig. Gentlemen, this morning, because we are going across the Danish coast at such a relatively low altitude, we've planned the route so as to avoid as much flak as possible. Now then, when you get to the target itself, your anti-aircraft fire from the ground will be known to be supported by fire from naval units. Now, for those of you who have never... Naval units can put up a hell of an intense barrage. And you want to look out for it. An operations officer briefs the crews of the 94th group of the 3rd Division. This group is leading a formation of variance for today. The 64th will be low group. At the 100th, the operations briefing is completed. The Royal Navy will be out patrolling the sea routes so any crews that have to ditch will probably be rescued very quickly. The commanding general of Bomber Command has us to put out a special effort today, so let's give it to them. The commanding officer of the group invariably has a few words to say. Men, the going's going to be rough. Put your neck in there and stay in there and pitch every minute. Now, gentlemen, this is the type of target you don't want to have to go back after the second time. Remember that your biggest enemy is still the single-engine fighter plane. Now, you bombardiers, take your time in going in on your releases. And don't allow the flag to worry you. It's merely to break up your formation. Now, if you're getting any trouble up in this area, remember you can always board a suite and get down into the middle of the country. And it's close over there. It could be rough. I don't think it'll be too bad. And whether it's easy or rough, I'll be sitting out in front, taking the whole works in. The main briefing over, the pilots, navigators, bombardiers, radio operators, gunners, receive separate specialized briefings. These briefings are very technical and very thorough, and are held so that every member of the combat crew will understand exactly what he can expect and what is expected of him. Any lack of thoroughness here might very well result in the failure of a mission. As dawn breaks over the English countryside, it finds the ground crews still working grimly in an effort to get every plane in the air that is scheduled to be dispatched. Planes as do the air crews. To each of them, it is a personal tragedy reflecting in some way on their capabilities when their airplane is forced to turn back without having completed its mission or when they have been unable to get an expected plane ready in time for a mission. It's getting on to the time when the combat crews go to their planes. Here they are in the crew room putting on their flying clothes. Clothes and equipment, especially constructed, to ward off the intense Sub-Zero cold which they will encounter so shortly. Air crew members receive escape kits, containing equipment that will help them get back to safety if they are forced down in Germany or in occupied territory. The pilots, co-pilots, navigators and bombardiers are also issued battle folders, containing the maps which will be of such vital importance in the prosecution of the mission. The men turn in all personal papers and valuables which might serve to give the enemy information in case of capture. Some of the crew members turn to their chaplain whose ministrations are always available to the men of the bomber bases. This will serve all my love. I affirm to myself that all of my graces has passed my sense to the men of my life. This is the weather in the European theater that sometimes widely varying conditions will be found on fields only a few miles from each other. Conference around each airplane as the pilots recheck the details of the mission with their crews. Crew members have ceased to exist as individuals. They are now ten men teams, and on the excellence of their teamwork will the pilot, the pilot, the pilot, the pilot, the pilot, and on the excellence of their teamwork will depend the success of the operation. Sharply to indicated turning point then goes into a slow left turn. Each successive plane in the element turns as soon as the pilot sees the plane in front of him turn. The element of three planes levels off at 1,000 feet and returns parallel to the takeoff runway at a distance of about two miles. Here the elements start to assemble into squadrons of six. Continuing to circle the field the squadrons then go to 2,000 feet where the group assembly takes place. This accomplished the group now moves on to the combat wing assembly point. The combat wing having been assembled they now move on to make rendezvous with the rest of the task force. In this case another combat wing. Back Anglum is now approaching the Danish coast and the formation is subject to enemy attack at any moment. And Denmark has been penetrated to some distance without any great opposition as yet. So far there has been only some light and inaccurate flak at the coastline to ensure the successful performance of the mission. To seek out action with enemy fighters they merely defend themselves against enemy fighter attack so that they can destroy their target and bring their crews back safely to their home bases. It comes now for the lead navigator and bombardier. The formation is approaching the initial point. That is the point where the wing will turn off and make its bombing run on the target. Upon proper navigation to this point may rest the success of the entire mission. Combat wing has reached the IP. It breaks up into three component groups. For the wing formation is to one we live for a unit bombing operation. As the IP has reached and the lead airplane of the lead group is about to make the turn it fires two red flares spaced five seconds apart. Then the group makes its turn on to the run up. The low group goes on straight ahead for 20 seconds then makes its turn. The high group proceeds for 20 seconds beyond the low groups turn then it turns on to the run up. The most critical defensive period in the mission has begun. The wing to accomplish most efficiently for its primary purpose the bombing of the target has sacrificed its mutual defensive firepower and the groups are thrown on their own. The crucial moment is almost here. The moment around which the entire mission revolves into its attack no evasive action may be taken until the bombs are away and at this time the formation is most vulnerable to attack both from flak and enemy fighters. Force comes over the target. At Danzig. The intended procedure for the group leader to inform bomber command the moment the target has been attacked. Bomber command in turn promptly informs the commanding general of the 8th Air Force. The groups can now defend themselves again at least to the extent of evasive action against the flak and fighter attack. It flies a straight course for 15 seconds before turning off to the rally point. The lead group then proceeds to the rally point at an indicated airspeed of 155 miles per hour making S-turns meanwhile to permit the trailing groups to catch up. The lead group crosses the rally point at a height 1,000 feet lower than bombing altitude. The succeeding groups will close with the lead group as quickly as possible to regain the defensive combat wing formation. The following groups need not necessarily pass exactly over the rally point in regaining wing formation. In the meanwhile, the Marauders take off to fulfill their part in the day's operation. They bomb the air drum at Wohlsdrecht, one of the most important of the enemy's fighter bases. Blow by the medium bombers is timed so as to provide the maximum interference with the enemy's capacity to intercept our withdrawing heavy bombers. Last off are the fighters. Their great speed will enable them to reach the Lawarden district in a short time, sweep the area clear of enemy fighters then give the heavy bombers withdrawal support from the enemy coast home. At the fields, it's getting on towards the most nervous of all times. The estimated time of return. Everyone who stays behind sweats out this period at the end of each mission. Here at the control tower, at the dispersal areas, at the Red Cross, at the officers club, everywhere on the field, the one thing paramount in everyone's mind is that the group is due back. Two, three, four, five, 15, 16. They must first undergo one of the most important phases of any mission, interrogation. It is highly important to question the crews at the first possible moment after the mission, while their impressions and memories are still fresh. The crews are fed enough to hold them until they can be interrogated and get to their regular chow. The men are from the groups that went to Anklin. What time did you go with the target? We went in at 12 o'clock in the evening. Did you get your bombs on the target? We liked it. What about enemy fighter officers? Well, that's something we've seen about the scouts. Really? Well, let's get some of the details. Where did it begin, Paul? Well, they first jumped us at 10.30. They're just back from tenure. They stayed with us to the target and until 13.27. Then at 13.45, we had another group attack with a couple more attacks. The last one was at 15.26, just off the Danish coast coming out. And by how many enemy fighters did you see? Well, I don't know how many of them might have been appeared, but I saw six or seven of them myself. I couldn't keep track of them, sir, but I counted about sixty-five. I stopped trying to count when I got to fifty-seven. Do you think it would be accurate to say then that your ship saw between sixty-five and eighty enemy aircraft? Yes, sir. What type of enemy aircraft did you encounter? Well, from what I could see from the tale, they threw the book out. SFW 190s, they mean 109s, 110s, 210s, Dorian's even, JU 87s and 88s. Would you characterize these attacks as determined? Sure. Right here, you can say that again. What about planes? I knocked down two. They were making attacks about five o'clock level. Yeah, I saw them. One of them blew up in the air and the other one went down in flames. The pilot of the second one bailed out. That was at eleven forty-four. We were right over the IP. Were any other guns firing at these planes? No, sir. These were lab babies. How would you describe the flight that reached the target? From the coast of the target, it was a meager and an accurate height and deflection. Over the target, it was still meager but pretty accurate, it's a height and deflection. Is that how the rest of you pose with describe it? Yes, sir. You see anything else? Yeah, there's a new airport about two miles below Danzig there, south of Danzig. What does it look like? Pretty large airport with grass runways and a lot of construction at the south end. I've seen none of them there at the park. It seems like it's built in runways and some new buildings right behind us. Okay. Now, how about military installations? Did you see any of those? Well, south of Stadoff in East Prussia, we saw some installations that might have been fortifications. They were large rectangular buildings with red tops. Yeah, there were two rows of four. Four buildings each? Yes. Good deal. Now, you see anything else? As soon as interrogation of the men is finished, the interrogation forms are checked and general statistics on the group's part and the attack are compiled. All right, let's get going on this report. Okay. The number of aircraft is bad. 20. Hello, I want the A2 duty desk. Hello, this is Norgan 492. Got flash teletype report for you. You ready? The organizational flow, which we have observed throughout this picture, has now begun to operate in reverse. Here in the dark room, the strike photos of the targets brought back by the returning planes of the group are developed and printed with all possible speed so that experts at Bomber Command can assess the situation. Coming in from planes of every group participating in the various raids and interpreted and appraised by trained photo interpreters, these pictures will give Bomber Command an excellent idea as to exactly what parts of the various targets were hit and how severely. Here, as seen in these pictures, taken the following day by photo reconnaissance planes, severe damage has been inflicted on all the major and most of the aircraft. This is a strike photo showing how Danzig looked during the attack. Very extensive damage has been suffered in the Harbour area. Here is an annotated PRU picture of Gdynia as it appeared after the attack and near miss is seen on the line of Deutschland type. The transatlantic liner Stuttgart does not appear in this picture, although she was seen a fire and in the hands of tugboats and in the hands of German pilots she was seen a fire and in the hands of tugboats immediately after the attack as these strike photos reveal. Aside from the Stuttgart, several ships in the south basin have been sunk or damaged, including the liner Oceania. Shore installations are also heavily hit. At Marienberg, the PRU photo discloses that the damage was exceptionally severe. Almost every building having been destroyed or seriously affected. General Arnold has characterized this attack as the greatest example of precision bombing on record. Other targets will be as thoroughly destroyed.