HELL FROM HEAVEN

Chapter 18

Mission 6 and a Big Loss - January 23, 1945

By Leonard Streitfeld, Bombardier, 600th Squadron

Tuesday, January 23, 1945 was a day our entire Bomb Group would sadly remember. We were awakened early as usual, had breakfast and went in for the briefing.

It was a dismal, bitterly cold day with snow on the ground from the many snowstorms during the previous few weeks. It was just too cold to melt.

At the briefing, we were informed that the target for the day was going to be the marshalling yards at Neuss. It didn't appear, at first, that it was going to be a rough mission until we got a look at the flak map.

The target was located between Cologne and Essen that were both heavily protected with anti-aircraft guns. We were always advised as to how many guns we could expect to encounter over the target and this time there would be many. I never could figure out how they were able to know the number of anti-aircraft guns protecting a particular city. It was either 25...50...100... or more. When you think of it, sometimes only one gun could shoot down a plane if it was accurate.

Col. Frank Hunter, our commanding officer, was Lead Pilot with the Co-Pilot being Lt. Federico Gonzales. They would be leading our Bomb Group on this mission.

One by one the planes took off into the gloomy sky to rendezvous at the designated place. We looked for the flare and soon saw it. We flew towards it and were able to see some of the B-17's already in formation. The other pilots maneuvered their B-17's into the position they were assigned in the formation and as soon as all were assembled, the planes headed for the channel and towards Germany. In a couple of hours we would be over the target if nothing went wrong.

I had an uncomfortable feeling this day that something tragic and unthinkable was going to happen. There was always anxiety when we were on a mission since over Germany there was always the possibility of enemy aircraft when we least expected it. The flak usually started when we were approaching the target on the bomb run.

Up to then no flak or fighter planes were seen. However, as we turned at the IP and went on the bomb run, that's when the flak started. It was very heavy and accurate. Shells were bursting around us and flak was hitting most ships. A direct hit would most certainly send a plane down. I was able to capture some of the intense flak on film.

There is not much you can do no matter how much flak there is because once you're on the bomb run, as I stated earlier, you have to stay in a tight formation until the bombs are dropped. This is the time when the majority of planes get shot down. It is a question of luck and if luck is with you, you'll survive. If not, "schools out." Shells continued to explode around us and you could almost smell the smoke from the explosions that were almost at wing tip. The plane that Col. Hunter was flying in took a direct hit in their outer wing panel and went into a steep dive. They lurched slightly to the left and then turned upside down to the right.

Lt. Gonzales and Col. Hunter struggled to control the spin so as to give the crewmembers time to bail out but no one did due to the tremendous centrifugal force. It was at this point that Lt. Gonzales looked at Col. Hunter and said, "I guess this is it." As Gonzales unbuckled and reached for his chute he was thrown against the windscreen and was unable to move. His body crimped his oxygen hose and he couldn't breathe. That was the last time that Lt. Gonzales saw Col. Hunter alive, trying to bring the plane under control even though it only had part of one wing.

The plane crashed and the next thing Gonzales remembered is coming to, still in the cockpit next to Col. Hunter and being confronted by a German Brown shirt. He spoke accented English and said, “You dirty American dog.” Through his bloodied face he managed a smile that prompted the German to place a gun to his temple. Regular German Army personnel soon arrived and removed the weapon.

Both pilots were removed from the cockpit and placed in the snow in front of the aircraft that had been ninety per cent destroyed. The bombs were still on board but there was no fire or explosion. A medic placed his finger on their necks to check their pulses. Gonzales asked, "How is he?" and the answer was, "He is dead." All the others died in the crash also. One of the men who died lived in our hut just a few weeks earlier.

Gonzales was then taken to a nearby farmhouse and eventually ended up in the hospital at a prisoner war camp at Gersheim where he stayed until the end of the war.

The night before this mission, I had occasion to speak with Colonel Hunter briefly and was glad to have had the privilege. Little did we know at that time what was to happen?

Another thing that is worth mentioning about this mission was that when we flew over Holland it could be seen where the Germans opened the dykes and flooded the land. Everything was under water and all you could see were the rooftops of the homes. We weren't the only ones who were suffering.

When we landed at our base in Nuthampstead and got out of the ship, I suggested that we take a picture of the crew together, in the snow, in front of the B-17. Everyone squawked since they wanted to get back to headquarters and have some hot cocoa or a shot of whiskey. I insisted on taking the picture and we finally had someone from the ground crew take it. The picture turned out great and is my favorite photo of all those taken of our crew.

We went to headquarters to report on this very trying mission and were informed that we had earned the Air Medal since we had completed six combat missions. I was wondering how many more we would earn, if any.

At this time it is important to understand that although the accounts of each mission takes but a few minutes to read, the mission itself generally lasted eight or more hours. It was a long; tiring and nerve wracking eight hours which would affect many for years to come.

Everybody who was ever on a combat mission can attest to that and has a story to tell. Everyone had a similar but slightly different experience in his own plane. The accounts that I have given are from my diary as well as reports and interviews from those who were on the missions. I can, therefore, document everything I am relating.

The following Sunday we were supposed to go on a pass to London and we looked forward to that day. It almost never came.

 

HELL FROM HEAVEN by Leonard Streitfeld, Hammonton, New Jersey. Library of Congress Catalogue card number: 94-092215. HELL FROM HEAVEN is available in the 398th PX.

 

Personal History Information
  1. Veteran: Leonard Streitfeld
  2. Bombardier, 600th Squadron
  3. Date of Personal History: December 2003 Web Page submission. Excerpted from HELL FROM HEAVEN by Leonard Streitfeld.
  4. Author: Leonard Streitfeld
  5. Submitted to 398th Web Pages by: Leonard Streitfeld