Hipshot
05-24-2008, 21:44
Tomorrow, Lt Col (Ret.) Paul Swofford will receive a Silver Star for his actions on the 27th of September, 1944 while flying a B-24 as part of the 445th Bomb Group. The award is being made by BG Robert Holmes, DDO, Central Command at Scott Lake Baptist Church, Lakeland, FL.
Of the 39 aircraft launched from Tibenham, England on that day, 1st Lt Swofford was one of ony four aircraft to make it back to their home field. Twenty-five of his fellow crews went down in three (3) minutes after a devastating assault by some 150 Luftwaffe fighters (Fw-190's and Bf-109's). Both he and the copilot were shredded by glass fragments after a head-on attack by a Focke-Wulf blew out the windscreen. The top turret grnner, T/Sgt Philip Vosburgh, (also flight engineer) headed to the flight deck expecting to find a dead crew. Instead, he finds Paul and 1st Lt Ward Smith, both covered in blood, fighting to maintain control of their aircraft.
It wasn't until Feb, 2006 that LtCol Swofford finally receive his Purple Heart for wounds received during that mission.
The losses suffered that day by the 445th was the largest loss of aircraft by a single bomb group on a given mission. Four aircraft aborted before reaching Germany; two crashed in France; one crashed in Belgium; two landed at Manston (RAF field used for emergency landings); one crashed just outside their home field; four made it home; and twenty-five were lost over Germany. Such is the saga of the Kassel mission.
Just wanted to share this with you guys.
Of the 39 aircraft launched from Tibenham, England on that day, 1st Lt Swofford was one of ony four aircraft to make it back to their home field. Twenty-five of his fellow crews went down in three (3) minutes after a devastating assault by some 150 Luftwaffe fighters (Fw-190's and Bf-109's). Both he and the copilot were shredded by glass fragments after a head-on attack by a Focke-Wulf blew out the windscreen. The top turret grnner, T/Sgt Philip Vosburgh, (also flight engineer) headed to the flight deck expecting to find a dead crew. Instead, he finds Paul and 1st Lt Ward Smith, both covered in blood, fighting to maintain control of their aircraft.
It wasn't until Feb, 2006 that LtCol Swofford finally receive his Purple Heart for wounds received during that mission.
The losses suffered that day by the 445th was the largest loss of aircraft by a single bomb group on a given mission. Four aircraft aborted before reaching Germany; two crashed in France; one crashed in Belgium; two landed at Manston (RAF field used for emergency landings); one crashed just outside their home field; four made it home; and twenty-five were lost over Germany. Such is the saga of the Kassel mission.
Just wanted to share this with you guys.