398th Bomb Group
Memorial
Association


The Dresden / Prague Story

By Allen Ostrom

The mission to Dresden on February 14, 1945 did not go down in 8th Air Force history as the 398th Bomb Group’s “finest hour.” On the contrary, it is one that probably should be forgotten.

FLAK NEWS has been “sitting” on the story for many years (choosing to forget it) until finally deciding “it was time.” Thus, this issue is largely devoted to “fleshing out” the story on how the 398th missed Dresden by some 50 miles and mistakenly dropped on Prague, then known as Czechoslovakia.

Various Wing and Division reports have been examined, along with comments from “our own” members who were on the mission.

The following stories were featured in the January 2005 “Flak News”, Vol. 20 No. 1, pages 3-4-5-9-10.

  1. Dresden/Prague Mission Examined by Allen Ostrom, Flak News Editor
  2. Dresden/Prague Mission Recollections by Ralph McIntyre, Lead Navigator, 601st Squadron
  3. Dresden-Prague Mission Recollections by Don MacPherson, Group Radar Navigator, Lead Ship
  4. Dresden-Prague Mission Recollections by Harold Brown, Group Navigator, Lead Squadron
  5. Dresden-Prague Mission Recollections by Nunzio Addabbo, Navigator, Palant Crew, 601st Squadron
  6. Dresden-Prague Mission Recollections by Bill Costanzo, Pilot, 601st Squadron
  7. Dresden-Prague Mission Recollections by Howard Pinner, Pilot, 603rd Squadron
  8. Dresden-Prague Mission Recollections by Dave Mills, Pilot, 601st Squadron
  9. Dresden-Prague Mission Recollections by Wendell Saferite, Pilot, 602 Squadron
  10. Book Identifies Lead Pilot as a Czech summarized by Allen Ostrom, Flak News Editor



Article transcribed by Lee Anne Bradley, 398th Group Historian, October 2007.

See also:

Printed in Flak News Volume 20, Number 1, Page(s) 3-4-5-9-10, January 2005





Note: The above article has been placed on the 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association web site to share our history with a wider audience. You may view, download, print, copy and link to our content as you wish as long as the uses are personal or educational. 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association web page content cannot be used for commercial purposes nor placed on other web sites whether commercial, personal or educational, unless authorized in writing by the 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association Official Board and/or the author.