Historic 8th AF 445th BG Kassel Mission Grouping

[445th Bomb Group]

After seeing all the fascinating items that have been posted on the forum over the last few years, I thought I would share a grouping that has belonged to my family since World War II. These medals and documents were awarded to my uncle, Staff Sergeant Donald W. Larsen, who flew as a gunner with the 702^nd Bomb Squadron, 445^th Bomb Group and was killed in action September 27, 1944 on what has become known as the Kassel Mission. There was hardly any press coverage of this mission during the war and even today it remains a little known chapter of the air campaign over Europe. I’d like to tell a little about my uncle’s service history and about his final mission, in addition to showing the items in the grouping. It’s an interesting little time capsule; very complete, with all the items in excellent condition and most still in their original mailing packaging.

 

 

 

The grouping consists of the Purple Heart certificate and President Roosevelt accolade in the original mailing tube, the Purple Heart medal along with the transmittal letter in the ‘inner’ cardboard mailing box, the Air Medal in the KCQMD mailing box, the Army Air Force accolade with manila folder, the London Times ‘Americans in Britain’ book in its original mailing box, a few photos, and a couple of small personal items.

[445th Bomb Group]

Originally from Wisconsin, Don moved to Hawthorne, California with his parents and several of his siblings just before WWII. He joined the Army in Los Angeles on April 27, 1943 and became a member of the Air Corps, training as an aerial gunner. In the summer of 1944 he was sent to England as a replacement crewmember and assigned to the 702^nd Bomb Squadron of the 445^th Bomb Group, operating B-24s from Tibenham Airfield south of Norwich. He began flying combat missions at the end of July 1944.

 

 

The grouping unpackaged- lots of the paper and cardboard that collectors enjoy so much. I’ve also included some research material. Don’s mission history was prepared by Mike and Deb Simpson, the 445^th Bomb Group historians and webmasters at the group’s website (445bg.org). There is also a Kassel Mission website that has lots of good info (kasselmission.com). MACR #9388 provides much of the info presented here. The IDPF finally arrived after fourteen months and two requests, it’s a nice full color scan on CD-ROM.

[445th Bomb Group]

Closer view:

[445th Bomb Group]

Closer view:

[445th Bomb Group]

Don would fly a total of fourteen combat missions with the 445^th. His first two missions must have been eye openers: to the oil refinery at Bremen, Germany on July 29, followed on July 31 by a raid on the chemical works at Ludwigshafen, Germany. The air war was moving at a fast pace in those days and more missions soon followed: Aug.1, Nanteuil-la-Foret, France: Bridge, Aug. 2, Sens, France: Oil Depot, Aug. 4, Kiel, Germany: Torpedo Factory, Aug. 5, Brunswick, Germany: Me-110 Assembly Plant, Aug. 13, St. Malo, France: Coastal Defenses, Aug.15, Zwischenahn, Germany: Airfield, Aug.16, Dessau Germany: Aviation Industry, Aug. 25, Wismar, Germany: Aircraft Component Plant, Sept.10, Ulm, Germany: Railroad Marshalling Yard, Sept. 25, Koblenz, Germany: Mosel Railroad Marshalling Yard, Sept. 26, Hamm, Germany: Railroad Marshalling Yard.

 

 

The Air Medal was sent from the Army Effects Bureau at the Kansas City Quartermaster Depot. The medal is a wrap broach, unnumbered and unengraved. This is the original medal presented to Don after his seventh mission and returned to his family.

[tarbridge]

Thanks for sharing your family grouping.Robert

[445th Bomb Group]

His final mission would be on September 27, 1944. The 445^th would lead the 2^nd Bombardment Wing (Consisting of the 445^th, 389^th, and 453^rd BG’s) on a mission to bomb the Henschel engine and vehicle factory at Kassel, Germany. Thirty-nine B-24s from the 445^th would be scheduled for the mission, but four planes would abort before the target. There is some mystery about what happened as the 2^nd Wing approached the IP for the bomb run to Kassel. The 445^th apparently made a navigational error; instead of turning southeast at the IP, the group would head due east, taking them out of the bomber stream and to the north of Kassel, while the other two bomb groups along with the escorting fighters would continue on the correct course toward the target. Having lost contact with the bomber stream, the air commander of the 445^th, Major Don McCoy, may have made the decision that the group would continue on their heading and bomb the city of Gottingen, Germany as an alternate target. Or, they may have decided to go to Kassel alone and with the lead navigators unable to determine the group’s position they may have mistaken Gottingen for Kassel. In any case, the 445^th released their bombs near Gottingen and after bomb release turned to the southwest to head back to England, well behind the bomber stream.

 

 

The Air Medal with the Army Air Force Hap Arnold accolade. On the accolade the AAF inadvertently busted him down a grade, listing his rank as Sergeant rather than Staff Sergeant.

[445th Bomb Group]

The Luftwaffe ground controllers may have realized that a bomb group was alone and without escort and vectored all available fighters onto their position. Supported by Bf109s flying top cover, the main attack would come from the Luftwaffe’s Sturmgruppen (Assault Groups); units specifically formed for attacking heavy bomber formations. Flying the formidable Sturmbock (Battering Ram) variant of the Fw190, carrying extra armor and wing mounted 20mm and 30mm cannons, the Sturmgruppen would attack the bombers from the rear in waves flying line abreast and using their firepower to break up the formation. The eyewitness statement in the MACRs describes the attack on the 445^th:

 

“100 to 150 E/A attacked our formation from 6 o’clock. They came in about 10 to 15 abreast and there were about six rows. B-24s were going down all around and it was impossible to state which was which. Many parachutes were seen in the area. Many of the planes were seen going down in flames.”

 

 

The mailing tube and KCQMD mailing box. The bottom of the box has the following postmarks: Kansas City, MO. Aug 6, 1945 and Hawthorne, Calif. Aug 8, 1945. The August 6, 1945 postmark is interesting; the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

[445th Bomb Group]

The battle would last just a few minutes. Responding to emergency calls, P-51s from the 361^st, 4^th and 355^th Fighter Groups would arrive to prevent the complete destruction of the 445^th but the damage had already been done. Of the thirty-five B-24s over the target that day, only four would return safely to Tibenham. Twenty-five bombers would be shot down over Germany, two would crash land at US fighter fields in France, one would crash land at a US fighter field in Belgium, two would make emergency landings at the ‘lame duck’ airstrip at Manston, England, and one bomber would crash near Old Buckenham Airfield in England. 117 bomber crewmen would be killed in action and another 121 would become prisoners of war. In an air campaign known for heavy casualties the 445^th would receive a cruel distinction: the heaviest single day losses for any US bomb group during WWII.

 

 

The FDR accolade.

[445th Bomb Group]

The battle wasn’t all one sided though. Twenty-nine Luftwaffe fighters would also be lost that day and eighteen German pilots would be killed. One Luftwaffe fighter is known to have intentionally rammed a B-24 (Though injured, the German pilot would bail out and survive), eighteen fighters would be claimed by P-51 pilots, and ten are presumed to have been shot down by B-24 gunners. One P-51 from the 361^st FG would also be lost after inadvertently colliding with a German fighter and the Mustang pilot, 2Lt Leo Lamb, would be killed in the collision.

 

 

These two sewing kits and the marksman’s badge are listed in the IDPF as part of the small number of items that were returned to the family by the personal effects bureau. The Air Medal was mailed separately. The small paper tag on the Army issue sewing kit reads: Donald Larsen, Div: H, Co: 41st

[445th Bomb Group]

All four of the 445^th squadrons (700^th, 701^st, 702^nd and 703^rd) would suffer devastating losses, but none worse than the 702^nd flying as high right squadron. None of the ten 702^nd B-24s on the mission that day would make it back safely to Tibenham. Nine bombers would go down over Germany, and one, B-24J #42-100331 ‘Percy’ piloted by 1Lt Stanley Krivik and 2Lt Leonard Trotta, would crash near Old Buckenham Airfield in England after attempting to land at Tibenham on two engines and finding the runway blocked by vehicles and personnel.

 

 

The cover of the Americans in Britain book with a photo of Don’s name in the Roll of Honour at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London (The volume that can be handled by visitors). It’s a bit hard to see, but on the same page of the Roll at the top of the right hand column is the name of another Kassel Mission crewman, Sgt. Lars Larsen (No relation) of the 701^st Squadron, waist gunner on B-24J #42-50579 ‘Little Audrey’. Two names down from Don’s is 2Lt Garth Larsen (No relation) also of the 701^st Squadron, who was killed on the February 24, 1944 mission to Gotha, Germany during Operation Argument aka Big Week. Before the Kassel Mission the Gotha raid was the 445th’s deadliest mission with 13 out of 25 bombers lost. The group would be awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for their actions on Feb. 24.

[445th Bomb Group]

Closer view:

[445th Bomb Group]

The book and mailing box. The box shows a mailing date of April 12, 1954. The book comes in an unmarked white paper dust jacket, but I didn't get that in the photo.

[445th Bomb Group]

B-24H #42-50324 ‘Eileen’ would crash 2 KM South of Ulfen, Germany. Of the nine crewmen on board, three would bail out and survive: 2Lt Walter George (Copilot), T/Sgt Constant Galuszewski (Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner), and T/Sgt Sammy Weiner (Radio Operator). They would become prisoners for the remainder of the war.

 

Four other crewmen would also bail out, but they would not survive. 1Lt Donald Brent (Pilot) is believed to have been killed when his parachute malfunctioned. What happened to the three gunners in the rear of the plane, S/Sgt Woodard Watts (Tail Gunner), S/Sgt Militon Smisek (Waist Gunner), and S/Sgt George Linkletter (Waist Gunner), is not entirely known but they are believed to have been killed by German civilians on the ground.

 

The two remaining crewmen, 2Lt Harold Mercier (Navigator) and S/Sgt Donald Larsen (Nose Gunner), did not bail out and their bodies would later be recovered from the aircraft wreckage. Both men are believed to have been killed when a number of cannon shells from the German assault fighters struck the nose section of the aircraft.

 

 

The Purple Heart, case, and transmittal letter. The transmittal letter was neatly folded and stored in the box underneath the case, which over time discolored a section of the paper. Neither the Purple Heart nor the Air Medal have ribbons with them, as far as I know that is how they were received.

[445th Bomb Group]

2Lt Walter George would later try to account for the status of his crewmen. His statement in the MACR reads as follows:

 

“I interrogated an officer from my group named Lt. Weinstein (1Lt Ira Weinstein, 702^nd Squadron, bombardier on B-24H #42-51287, who would recover and identify many of the 445^th dead) who had searched through the three sections of our aircraft on the ground. Our engineer, T/Sgt C.S. Galuszewski, identified the aircraft for Lt. Weinstein by its name “Eileen” and by our squadron markings on its fuselage (markings were WV-S). T/Sgt Galuszewski was physically unable to assist Lt. Weinstein because he had been severely beaten by German Civilians. Lt. Weinstein discovered the following:

1. Two bodies in the forward compartment of the aircraft whom he identified as Lt. Mercier and S/Sgt. Larsen by means of their dog tags.
    
   
2. Lt. Weinstein searched the waist compartment of the aircraft and found no bodies, no bloodstains, and no parachutes. It is Lt. Weinstein’s opinion and my opinion that everyone…in the waist compartment safely left the aircraft by parachute.”
   

 

The engraved Purple Heart and certificate. I’ve seen this engraver’s hand before on PH’s that have been posted on the forum, it’s one of the nicest of the WWII Army engraving styles IMO. This Purple Heart carries quite a high serial number as well: 598694.

[445th Bomb Group]

Closer view of the engraving:

[445th Bomb Group]

The serial number:

[445th Bomb Group]

Don’s body, along with those of 2Lt Mercier, S/Sgt Linkletter and 2Lt Edward Globus (703^rd Squadron, co-pilot on B-24H #42-51080) would be buried by the Germans at the Ulfen town cemetery. Don’s remains would later be recovered by US forces and transferred to the American Cemetery at Margraten, Holland. In 1948 his remains would again be disinterred, and at his family’s request he would be transferred to the United States for burial. His grave is in Section H at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery near San Diego.

 

 

Don’s headstone at Ft. Rosecrans Cemetery. He died three days before his 20^th birthday.

[445th Bomb Group]

Staff Sergeant Donald W. Larsen.

[445th Bomb Group]

When I took the photo of my uncle’s headstone I had never been to Fort Rosecrans before and as I was walking around I was surprised to find another Kassel Mission crewman buried in the same section about 25 yards away. 2Lt Kenneth Meeks, 701^st Squadron, was the pilotage navigator on B-24J #44-10490 ‘Big Jane’. Flying with a ten-man crew, only the pilot of that aircraft would survive.

[445th Bomb Group]

In 1990 the Kassel Mission Memorial Association put up a monument near Bad Hersfeld, Germany in honor of the men who died on September 27, 1944. It is on the site where the lead bomber from 445^th crashed. The memorial is a bit unusual in that it honors both the American and the German airmen who died that day; the names of the dead are all listed together. Unfortunately the photos I have are not the best quality, maybe someone coming across this thread has some better quality pictures of the monument that they would like to post.

 

 

The memorial consists of three granite stones with inset bronze plaques.

[445th Bomb Group]

The center panel describes the battle.

[445th Bomb Group]

The left hand panel lists the names of the German airmen and the men from the 700^th and 701^st Squadrons.

[445th Bomb Group]

The right hand panel lists the names of the men from the 702^nd and 703^rd squadrons and 2Lt. Lamb from the 361^st Fighter Group. You can see Don’s name listed at top center.

[KySoldier]

What a great grouping to a brave airman. God bless him and keep him. A true Hero.