Robert N. McLean, Jr. Mission on July 20, 1944

July 20, 1944 – Thursday

“Holy (Hell) Net”

Mission #34,35 – target – air component plant at Friedrichshafen, near the Swiss border, along Lake Constance, in Germany.  Takeoff 0640 Landing 1525 (0835) Total combat hours (18500) Load 5000 lbs.  Remarks:

1)     The entire 15th Air Force bombed targets in the Friedrichshafen area

2)     Flak very accurate and intense

3)     No fighters

4)     Piece of flak struck top turret gunner Graf’s helmet – he was uninjured.  The top turret is getting very popular with the flak throwers’

5)     Casualties none

6)     Statistics – total bomb tonnage (122,800 lbs)(61.4 tons)

7)     20 holes in ship