The 392nd Bombardment Group
The 392nd Bombardment Group distinguished itself on many occasions during the 285 combat missions successfully completed by its air and ground crews. But, on 24 February 1944 in one of the most fierce running air battles ever fought to and from a vital target over Germany, the single-purpose determination and unparalleled bombing excellence of all aircrews earned the unit the coveted Distinguished Unit Citation for the now famous, ‘Battle of Gotha’. Gotha, Germany, in the province of Thuringia was the home of the Gothear Waggonfabrik works — the largest producer of Germany’s twin-engine Messerschmitt fighter aircraft. This industrial complex accounted for at least thirty (30) percent of the Third Reich’s twin-engine fighter production and was regarded by Allied planners to be the most valuable single target in Germany’s two-engine fighter manufacturing complex. Accordingly, it was placed high on the strategic target priority list and, the Second Bomb Division, comprising the Eighth Air Force’s Liberator units, was assigned to destroy the target. After unfavorable weather resulted in cancellations of earlier missions, the stage was finally set on 24 February 1944 for execution of this raid. Field Order Number 215 executed the 392nd on its forty-first mission for the Gotha attack. The unit dispatched thirty-two (32) B-24s with Lieutenant Colonel Johnson, the former Group Air Executive, flying in the lead aircraft Number 42-27599, ‘B-bar’, nicknamed “MAC’s SACK” with First Lieutenant James A. McGregor of Worton, Maryland, as Pilot from the 579th Bombardment Squadron; the Bombardier First Lieutenant Robert E. Good of Blackfoot, Idaho and lead Navigator, First Lieutenant Roy (NMI) Swangren from Maywood, Illinois. Before the 392nd was to return to Wendling this day, it would leave the Gotha aircraft industrial complex virtually all but destroyed by a superior bombing attack; yet, the toll would be high: Seven (7) aircraft lost; and, seventy-three (73) crewmen casualties of the thirty-one (31) Liberators reaching the target. The 392nd gunners were to claim twenty-one (21) enemy aircraft — destroyed, probable destroyed and damaged. From the moment the unit coasted in over Holland, in trail with other groups of the Second Bomb Division, relentless enemy fighter attacks were pressed for the next one and a half hours enroute to the target. The enemy was to pursue these multiple attacks for at least another hour after bombs away over target, in one of the most fierce air encounters ever experienced. As the wave of 14th Combat Wing B-24s neared the Initial Point for start of the bomb run, the 392nd lead aircrew was certain that the leading squadrons of other units ahead were turning off-course to an incorrect heading. With complete certainty of the 392nd’s position, the lead aircraft under a most difficult decision circumstance turned to the correct track — leading the remaining Second Bomb Division Liberators to Gotha. Their decision proved to be correct — the results are distinguished history. At 1321 hours Greenwich from an altitude of 19,500 feet, the lead aircraft released the first of over 90 tons of 500 pound General Purpose bombs on the Gotha complex. Ninety-seven (97) percent of the 392nd’s bomb release impacted within 2000 feet of the briefed aiming point with nearly seventy (70) percent of these inside a 1000 foot radius — an oustanding tribute to the precision bombing accuracy of participating aircrews. The results on the Messerschmitt works at Gotha and nearly one-third of Germany’s twin-engine fighter aircraft production were devastating. As Albert Speer was to verify in a personal interview with the author on the 21st of April 1975 in the former Third Reich’s Armaments Minister’s home in Heidelberg, the Gotha production potential never fully recovered from this strike.
On April 20th 1945, the 392nd received the Distinguished Unit Citation for the Gotha raid signed by Major General Kepner, Commander, Second Air Division, with the following citation:
“The 392nd Bombardment Group (H) Second Air Division is cited for outstanding performance of duty in armed conflict with the enemy on 24 February 1944. The unit dispatched thirty-two (32) B-24 type aircraft, the maximum number available, to bomb the most valuable single target in the enemy twin-engine fighter complex, the aircraft and component factory at Gotha, Germany. Of these, one was forced to turn back shortly after take-off. Flying as the lead Group of the 14th Combat Wing in the Division formation, they were attacked by the enemy upon entering the Dutch coast. In the bitter aerial battle that ensued, the Group was viciously attacked for over two and one-half hours by approximately 150 enemy fighters with cannon and rocket fire and even attempted air-to-air and cable bombing in a vain effort to disrupt the formation. As the 392nd neared the target, the units of the lead combat wing were observed to
The 392nd Bombardment Group distinguished itself on many occasions during the 285 combat missions successfully completed by its air and ground crews. But, on 24 February 1944 in one of the most fierce running air battles ever fought to and from a vital target over Germany, the single-purpose determination and unparalleled bombing excellence of all aircrews earned the unit the coveted Distinguished Unit Citation for the now famous, ‘Battle of Gotha’. Gotha, Germany, in the province of Thuringia was the home of the Gothear Waggonfabrik works — the largest producer of Germany's twin-engine Messerschmitt fighter aircraft. This industrial complex accounted for at least thirty (30) percent of the Third Reich’s twin-engine fighter production and was regarded by Allied planners to be the most valuable single target in Germany’s two-engine fighter manufacturing complex. Accordingly, it was placed high on the strategic target priority list and, the Second Bomb Division, comprising the Eighth Air Force’s Liberator units, was assigned to destroy the target. After unfavorable weather resulted in cancellations of earlier missions, the stage was finally set on 24 February 1944 for execution of this raid. Field Order Number 215 executed the 392nd on its forty-first mission for the Gotha attack. The unit dispatched thirty-two (32) B-24s with Lieutenant Colonel Johnson, the former Group Air Executive, flying in the lead aircraft Number 42-27599, ‘B-bar’, nicknamed “MAC’s SACK" with First Lieutenant James A. McGregor of Worton, Maryland, as Pilot from the 579th Bombardment Squadron; the Bombardier First Lieutenant Robert E. Good of Blackfoot, Idaho and lead Navigator, First Lieutenant Roy (NMI) Swangren from Maywood, Illinois. Before the 392nd was to return to Wendling this day, it would leave the Gotha aircraft industrial complex virtually all but destroyed by a superior bombing attack; yet, the toll would be high: Seven (7) aircraft lost; and, seventy-three (73) crewmen casualties of the thirty-one (31) Liberators reaching the target. The 392nd gunners were to claim twenty-one (21) enemy aircraft — destroyed, probable destroyed and damaged. From the moment the unit coasted in over Holland, in trail with other groups of the Second Bomb Division, relentless enemy fighter attacks were pressed for the next one and a half hours enroute to the target. The enemy was to pursue these multiple attacks for at least another hour after bombs away over target, in one of the most fierce air encounters ever experienced. As the wave of 14th Combat Wing B-24s neared the Initial Point for start of the bomb run, the 392nd lead aircrew was certain that the leading squadrons of other units ahead were turning off-course to an incorrect heading. With complete certainty of the 392nd’s position, the lead aircraft under a most difficult decision circumstance turned to the correct track — leading the remaining Second Bomb Division Liberators to Gotha. Their decision proved to be correct — the results are distinguished history. At 1321 hours Greenwich from an altitude of 19,500 feet, the lead aircraft released the first of over 90 tons of 500 pound General Purpose bombs on the Gotha complex. Ninety-seven (97) percent of the 392nd’s bomb release impacted within 2000 feet of the briefed aiming point with nearly seventy (70) percent of these inside a 1000 foot radius — an oustanding tribute to the precision bombing accuracy of participating aircrews. The results on the Messerschmitt works at Gotha and nearly one-third of Germany’s twin-engine fighter aircraft production were devastating. As Albert Speer was to verify in a personal interview with the author on the 21st of April 1975 in the former Third Reich’s Armaments Minister’s home in Heidelberg, the Gotha production potential never fully recovered from this strike. On April 20th 1945, the 392nd received the Distinguished Unit Citation for the Gotha raid signed by Major General Kepner, Commander, Second Air Division, with the following citation:
“The 392nd Bombardment Group (H) Second Air Division is cited for outstanding performance of duty in armed conflict with the enemy on 24 February 1944. The unit dispatched thirty-two (32) B-24 type aircraft, the maximum number available, to bomb the most valuable single target in the enemy twin-engine fighter complex, the aircraft and component factory at Gotha, Germany. Of these, one was forced to turn back shortly after take-off. Flying as the lead Group of the 14th Combat Wing in the Division formation, they were attacked by the enemy upon entering the Dutch coast. In the bitter aerial battle that ensued, the Group was viciously attacked for over two and one-half hours by approximately 150 enemy fighters with cannon and rocket fire and even attempted air-to-air and cable bombing in a vain effort to disrupt the formation. As the 392nd neared the target, the units of the lead combat wing were observed to