Combat Missions
Rattlesden, England
Eighth Air Force, 447th Bomb Group, 709th Squadron

#
Date
 City / Vicinity
Target
Comment
1 Th, 12 Oct 44 Bremen, Germany Aircraft plant Co-pilot
2 Tu, 17 Oct 44 Cologne, Germany Rail targets Co-pilot
3 Sa, 4 Nov 44 Hamburg, Germany Oil Refinery Co-pilot
4 Th, 9 Nov 44 Saarbrucken, Germany Transportation units Crew's first mission
5 Th, 16 Nov 44 Duren area, Germany Ground troop support -
6 Sa, 25 Nov 44 Merseberg, Germany Synthetic oil plant 1st of three consecutive missions
7 Su, 26 Nov 44 Hamm, Germany Marshalling yard 2nd "                  "
8 Mo, 27 Nov 44 Bingen, Germany Marshalling yard Last of three consecutive missions
9 Mo, 4 Dec 44 Mainz, Germany Marshalling yard -
10 We, 6 Dec 44 Merseburg, Germany - -
11 Mo, 11 Dec 44 Giessen, Germany Marshalling yard Largest 8th Air Force mission to date 
12 Tu, 12 Dec 44 Dormstadt, Germany Marshalling yard -
13 Su, 24 Dec 44 Babenhausen, Germany Airfield 1st mission in the Battle of the Bulge due to inclement weather since 16 Dec 44
14 Th, 28 Dec 44 Koblenz, Germany Marshalling yard -
15 Sa, 30 Dec 44 Mannheim, Germany Marshalling yard -
16 Mo, 1 Jan 45 Dollberg, Germany Oil plant Blue Hen Chick in need of repairs
17 We, 3 Jan 45 Koblenz, Germany Marshalling yard -
18 Fr, 5 Jan 45 Waxweiler, Germany Communications Center -
19 Sa, 6 Jan 45 Worms, Germany Marshalling yard Blue Hen Chick is back from repairs
20 Su, 7 Jan 45  Paderborn, Germany Marshalling yard Germans pushed out of the "bulge"
21 Mo, 8 Jan 45 Frankfurt, Germany Marshalling yard Took heavy flak, holes in right wing, on oxygen for 5 1/2 hours
22 We, 10 Jan 1945 Karlsruhe, Germany Marshalling yard Fog with freezing rain; only 4 planes in squadron reach target; engine #1 hit with flak 
23 Su, 14 Jan 1945 Magdeburg, Germany Oil refinery -
24 Mo, 15 Jan 1945 Augsburg, Germany Aircraft plant Navigator struck with flak on back of his neck; feathered #3 propeller
25 Tu, 16 Jan 1945 Dessau, Germany Oil plant 9 1/2 hour mission; hand cranked bomb bay doors closed
26 Sa, 20 Jan 1945 Heilbronn, Germany Marshalling yard Deputy squad leader; 67 degrees below Centrigrade, cabin windows froze over
27 Su, 21 Jan 1945 Mannheim, Germany - Hand cranked ball turret gunner out as conditions were again extremely cold
28 Mo, 29 Jan 45 Kassel, Germany Aircraft plant Flew deputy lead for 2nd time
29 Th, 1 Feb 45 Wesel, Germany Rail bridge -
30 Tu, 7 Feb 45 Bohlen, Germany Oil refinery 9 hour 10 minute mission; near mid-air collision due to poor visibility
31 We, 14 Feb 45 Wesel, Germany Highway bridge Botched mission; heavy flak, feathered #3 engine
32 Fr, 16 Feb 45 Wesel, Germany Rail bridge Bombardier hit by flak, needed tourniquet applied in route home; emergency landing
33 Mo, 20 Feb 45 Nurmberg, Germany Marshalling yard Bomb rack hangup, coul did not get full release; near collision in mid-air due to poor visibility
34 Su, Feb 45 Neuberg, Germany Rail line Feathered #3 engine; flew back alone
35 Mo, 26 Feb 45 Berlin, Germany Railway Station Last and Largest 8th Air Force mission- to  Berlin to aid Russian troops
Youngest pilot in the 447th to complete 35 missions (20 years, 8 months, 10 days)
36 Tu, 27 Feb 45 Leipzig, Germany Communication Center -
37 Mo, 16 Apr 45 Royan Area, France Harbor & coastal defense Co-leader of the low group 4D wing
38 Sa, 21 Apr 45 Inglostadt, Germany Airfield Last mission of WWII for the 447th

Sources:
* Shields, Doyle (and the men of the 447th).  History:  447th Bomb Group.
Publishing information not available, 1996.
* Knudsen, Lars Schjorring.  “The 447th Bomb Group’s Home Page.”
 <http://user.cybercity.dk/nmb5433>  (April, 10 2000).
* Shannon, Jim.   “Blue Hen Chick crew chief log book.”  16 February 1945.
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