Robert J. Weichhand Mission February 8, 1945

February 8, 1945

VIENNA

The whole 15th Airforce hit Vienna today. I have always dreaded that target, as it has the most guns of any of our targets. It has 328 ack ack guns . We took off at 7: 40 a.m., flying # 5 position in the box. We were briefed for P.F.F. but it looked as though we might have a clear target. We hit the target (the southwest marshalling yards) at 13:06 We saw plenty of flak, but we came through unscathed. Most of the flak in barrages of about 20 shells came up to our left and it kept chopping away at our tail, but it never did catch up to us. The navigator toggled again and we got the hell out after “bombs away”. Not a hole in the ship, very extraordinary for Vienna. No fighters encountered, and no planes lost to flak. We hit it at 800 degrees. We landed at 16:40 p.m. - 8 hrs. of flying time. We feel very lucky to have gotten out of that one so easily. We carried 8-500 lbs. This was our 5th sortie and 9th mission. Which merits us the Air Medal. Multi Bono! Ship #84. “Hells Bells”