TSgt Alfred W. Young, Jr. - 514th Squadron Radio Operator/Gunner

by Stuart Young
(San Antonio, TX)

TSgt Young continued to fly with the Ehrenberg crew for his 20th combat sortie to hit the Sulm River Railroad Bridge near Leibnitz, Austria, on April 2, 1945. He wrote, "Flew a 6 hour and 20 minute mission to the Leibnitz Railroad Bridge. Had a late takeoff at 1040. The Liebnitz railroad bridge was 300 feet long and 30 feet wide over a small river leading from Graz and then to Vienna. The 98th lead group before us did not hit the bridge, but we blasted the works to rubble. We also shook up a convoy of trucks passing on a nearby road and bridge. There were many trucks moving today and a few bright fires along the roads. Saw four long trains with Red Cross markings just after leaving the target within a half an hour. There were two long trains on the tracks on either side of the river at Varazdin besides what was in the yards. Bombed at 18,000 feet. Capenter's Masterpiece was a dirty, greasy ship."