A. Warren Pearson Mission February 21, 1945

February 21, 1945       (Double)    19th Sortie

Vienna, Matslindorf rail road yards

6 - 500 lb. bombs Altitude 25,500 feet Temp. -49 degrees F.

We were lead ship. Escort P-38s and P-51's about 60 of them. Mission lasted 8 hours. Mission was roughest I've ever been on. Tail gunner bailed out.  [Alvin Bobrow] Pretty sure he was hit 3 times in left leg. Chute opened up OK. Probably P.O.W. in Vienna. We had ship riddled from one end to another--about two hundred holes in ship. The followings shot out: 5 oxygen bottles, oxygen lines and filler hose, rudder cables, electric wireing all over ship, waist window shattered, 5 hydraulic lines bomb door cables, electrical switches. Gas tank tank got hit but sealed partially. Booster pump for gas was hit. C-l shot out (auto pilot) Instruments on #3 and #4 engines shot out. R.P.M. and oil pressure. #3 and #4 Prop Gov. Electrical lines. Ignition wire hit on #3 engine, it was rough as hell. Interphone in waist position. Radio V.H.F. and Navigators window hit. Reds parachute was torn to shreds. We cracked bomb doors closed to save brake pressure. Top turret gunner fixed rudder cable. Had to check hydraulic system. We cranked gear down. Pilot had to hit brakes and hold them to save Fluid. He made a beautiful landing. All brake fluid gone when we stopped on hard stand. We didn't hit marshalling yards-- didn't give a dam either. We believe enemy B-17 picked up our altitude.