Mission Details for Swinemunde (#227)

Briefing

Details

Number: 227
Date: 3/12/1945 12:00:00 AM
Commander: Capt. F.A. Kalinski
Crews Briefed: 38
Details: Port and shipyard facilities

Flying Control

Runway: 23
Engines: 0720 Thumbnail image for /Images/Takeoff/Plan23.jpg
Taxi: 0735
Take Off: 0750
E.T.R.: 1621
Notes: Briefing took place at 0440 hours, pilots being briefed for low visibility take-off procedures. All aircraft were loaded with five 1,000 pound bombs and 2,780 gallons of gas.
All aircraft were off by 0832, and two spares returned early as there were no aborts. All operational aircraft had returned by 1702 hours.

Debriefing

Aircraft: 38
Lost Over Continent: 0
Lost Other: 0
Summary: The 401st flew as the 94th Combat Wing "C" Group on this very long mission to the port of Swinemunde on the Baltic Sea. The weather again failed to cooperate; the Group found the target blanketed by 10/10ths cloud cover. However, because the target was located along the shoreline of the Baltic Sea, the PFF operators had an ideal opportunity to locate prime targets, and subsequent evaluations by the 1st Air Division confirmed that the bombs had been dropped to good effect.
The only enemy opposition consisted of meager and inaccurate flak. The 401st suffered no battle damage, and of the 650 B-17's that attacked Swinemunde only one was missing in action and six others suffered damage.

Mission Assignments

Squadron Participants