Lt. Mark J. Woods, Jr.'s Diary

398th Bomb Group
Memorial
Association

Lt. Mark J. Woods, Jr.'s Diary
Navigator, 600th Squadron

Woods Mission No. 23

**20 July 1944**
**Target** **Dessau, Germany**
Total combat time=157:05 hours Date: July 20, 1944 Mission No. 23 Location of target: Dessau, Germany Type of target: Jet propulsion engine factory Load: 2700 gals of gas & 10-500 lb. bombs, general purpose Altitude: 26,000 feet Flight Time: 8:20 hours Escort: P-38s, P-51s, P-47s all the way except an hour after target Force of raid: 5 Groups Position: #3 of low squadron of high group of the 4th wing Opposition: Fighters and flak Battle damage: Glass nose shattered, a hole in left wing and tail Result: Bombed by wing on PFF, should have been visible. Missed target. Remarks: 444th Group in on target. 20 German ME-109s hit 3rd wing 15 miles east of Leipzig. Out of our range. They dove out of the clouds, and attacked from rear and below. They shot down 6 out of wing. Flak over target was inaccurate. It did not bother us much. Should have been visual, but we did PFF, our bombs landed in a forest. This was the first mission after a seven-day flak leave. My nerves were a lot better and steadier.

Notes:

Lt. Mark J. Woods, Jr. was a Navigator on Stanley R. Reed's 600th Squadron crew.
The above transcription was provided by Carolyn Woods and Joe K. Mansell.
This transcription is a reproduction of the original. Spelling and punctuation changes have been made to improve readability. In some circumstances, material may not have been transcribed or was rewritten.
Clarification of acronyms or special words or guesses of certain words are shown in brackets [ ].

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