Briefing was at 0800 hours and the target was an airfield at Rheine, Germany.  Each planes weapons were forty 100 pound GP bombs.  Take off started at 1040 hours.  The bombing altitude of 21,000 feet was reached as the Group crossed the Netherlands North Coast.  The airfield was just inside the Dutch - German border and the Flak was heavy.  Lt. Anderson of the 711th took a hit and went down, it was the crews third mission, his fourth.  There were 611 attacking heavies in the mission.  26 aircraft from the 447th began landing at 1540 hours.

Briefing was at 0430 hours.  The target was an aircraft repair depot near Charleroi, 25 miles south of Brussels, Belgium.  Twenty seven 447thBG aircraft would be a part of this mission.  Each plane was loaded with ten 500 pound General Purpose bombs.  Take off started at 0700 hours and the bombing altitude of 15,000 feet was attained as the Group reached the Belgium Coast.  Clouds thickened as the Group flew on and soon the decision was made to find the secondary target, an airfield near Diest/Shaffen.  The results of the bombing were rated "Good" and landing started at 1150 hours.

No.46    04/11/44   ARNIMSWALDE

Briefing was at 0400 hours and the target was an aircraft plant in Northern Poland.  Each plane was loaded with 50 tons of 500 pounds of GP bombs and 35 tons of 100 pound incendiary bombs.  Take off started at 0640 hours.  There was high overcast and broken clouds below the Group as they passed north of the German island of Helgoland.  The target was cloud covered so an aircraft plant at Arnimswalde near Stettin, Poland was bombed.  The results of the bombing were rated as "Good".  Lt. Pauling was hit by flak and failed to return.  Landing started at 1730 hours, an 11 hour mission.

No.47    04/13/44   AUGSBURG

Briefing was at 0800 hours and the target was the Messerschmitt aircraft plant Augsburg in southern Germany.  The planes were loaded with 170 GP and 226 incendiary bombs.  The bombing altitude of 22,000 feet was reached as the Group crossed the French coast.  About 100 miles from the coast the Group came under heavy, accurate flak fire which caused a number of planes to abort and head home including Lt. William H. Johnson of the 711th Squadron.  Captain Lawrence F. McGuire and Captain Oliver F. Keller, 711th Squadron, 2nd Lts. H.L. Kreuzer, 709th Squadron, and Lt Joseph R. Thornbury, 710th Squadron flew their damaged planes to Switzerland where they were interned.  The trip home was uneventful with landing starting at 1830 hours.

No.48    04/18/44   ORANIENBURG RATHNOW

Briefing was at 0730 hours and the target was an electric works on the outskirts of Berlin.  The planes were loaded with 50 tons of GP and 28 tons of incendiary bombs.  Take off started at 1000 hours.  The bombing altitude of 18,000 feet was reached as the Group approached the coast.  When we reached the assigned target it was cloud covered, so we went to the secondary targets of Oranienburg and Rathnow on the other side of Berlin.  Bombing was rated as "Good".  Planes started to land at 1840 hours.

No.49    04/19/44   LIPSTADT WERL

Briefing was at 0630 hours and the targets were airfields at Lippstadt and Werl, southwest of Bremen, Germany.  Weapons for the mission were 67 tons of GP bombs.  Both targets were bombed with excellent results, and all planes returned safely with landing starting at 1300 hours.

No.50    04/20/44   NOBALL

Briefing was at 1430 hours and the targets were Noball targets in the Cherbourg area.  The planes were loaded with 107 tons of 500 pound high explosives with take off starting at 1700 hours.  The bombing altitude of 20,000 feet was reached as the Group crossed the French coast.  Bombing accuracy was rated as "Fair" with landing starting at 2030 hours.

No.51    04/22/44   HAMM

Briefing was at 1330 hours and the target was the marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany.  The planes were loaded with 53 tons of GP an 27 tons of incendiary bombs with take off starting at 1540 hours.  Flak was heavy and Lt. T.W. Gilleran, 708th Squadron, was lost in the target area.  Bombing results were rated as "Good" with landing starting at 2150 hours.

No.52    04/24/44   FRIEDRICHSHAFEN

Briefing was at 0630 hours and the target was an aircraft plant at Friedrichshafen on the shore of Lake Constance which separated Germany from Switzerland.  The bombers carried 48 tons of GP and 19 tons of incendiary bombs.  Take off stated at 0850 hours and the trip across France and southern Germany was uneventful.    Flak was heavy, but caused no serious damage and bombing results were rated as "Good".  Landing started at 1747 hours.

No.53    04/26/44   BRUNSWICK

Briefing was at 0230 hours and the target was an aircraft plant at Brunswick, Germany.  The aircraft were loaded with a total of 64 tons of GP and incendiary bombs.  Take off started at 0500 hours and the bombing altitude  of 21,000 feet was reached as the Group crossed the Dutch coast.  The target was cloud covered so another aircraft industry was bombed on the edge of Brunswick using PFF equipment.  Flak was reasonably heavy but did little damage.  Landing started at 1230 hours with no losses.

No.54    04/27/44   NOBALL NO. 78

Briefing was at 0530 hours and the target was Noball No, 78 just inside the French coast.  The bombers were loaded with 52 tons of high explosives and take off started at 0750 hours.  The bombing altitude of 19,500 feet was attained as the Group reached the French coast.  Lt. Hofsess' crew, 709th Squadron, was lost but they were seen bailing out safely.  Bombing results were rated as "Fair" with landing starting at 1200 hours.

No.55    04/27/44   LE CULOT

Briefing was at 1330 hours.  The planes were loaded with 60 tons of high explosives and take off started at 1600 hours.  The bombing altitude of 18,000 feet was attained as the Group reached the French coast, but the target was cloud covered so an airfield in Le Culot was bombed instead.  Results were rated as "Fair" with landing starting at 2100 hours.

No.56    04/29/44   BERLIN

Briefing was at 0430 hours and the target was Berlin, Germany.  The planes were loaded with 52 tons of incendiary and GP bombs.  The bombing altitude of 22,000 feet was reached as the Group crossed into enemy territory.  On the way to the target the 447th encountered heavy enemy aircraft and lost several aircraft to the Luftwaffe.  As the remaining aircraft reached the target they encountered heavy flak and lost more aircraft.  The losses included Lt. W.A. Davidson 711th, Lt. E.D. Johnson 711th, Lt. M. Paris 710th, A.S. Peper 711th, Lt. H.T. Hughes 708th, Lt. D. Donahue 708th, Lt. C.D. Dowler 709th, Lt. C. Marcy 710th, Lt. E.D. Farrell 708th, Lt. C.J. Blom 708th.  The last two were on their first mission.  Lt. Flemming's crew ditched in the North Sea and were rescued.  The remaining aircraft started landing at 1445 hours.

No.57    04/30/44   CLERMONT A/D

Briefing was at 0400 hours and the target was an Air Depot at Clarmont Ferrand, France.  The aircraft were loaded with 42 tons of GP bombs and take off started at 0630 hours.  The bombing altitude of 18,000 feet was reached as the Group crossed the French coast.  The bombing results were rated as "Fair" and the planes began landing at 1425 hours.