Robert J. Weichhand Mission February 14, 1945

February 14, 1945 (Valentines Day)

Mission #6. Sortie #6 - Mission #11

Today we were to hit Moosebierbaum Oil Refinery near Vienna _ but took the 1st alternate Graz M.Y. We took off at 10:3S in ship 87. I was flying as R.C.M. operator (Radar Counter Measure) for the first time. We hit “Moose” about two fifteen, but for some reason we did not drop our bombs, though we made the bomb run. No flak was encountered, and we soon closed the bomb bay doors and our box took off for the alt. our altitude was 22300 ft. We arrived over Graz at 3:30 and dropped our cargo. The flak was scant and very inaccurate. (Just a few bursts.) We were feeling very fortunate and dropping down to a lower altitude, when at 17000 and about 30 minutes from Graz we passed over a little town in Yugoslavia. When the navigator yells over the intercom that “there is flak up ahead _ some ones shooting at us.” I looked out the window and sure enough about 20 shells burst right off the left wing. I got my head back form the window and put my flak suit and helmet on in a hurry and started working the jammer. We were only in it a minute but being low a lot of the ships had holes. We received two in the bomb bay and one in the leading edge of the left wing - missed me about 5 ft. We landed at 5:15 giving us a total of 6:35 hrs. of flying time. For once we layed them right in the yards if the pictures tell the truth. No injuries _ no fighters. A Bono mission - except for the unexpected flak.