This crew joined the 100th Group (351st Sqdn.) on 20/3/45 and on 27/3/45 was transferred to the 349th Sqdn. Crew flew a/c #48532 KLEEN SWEEP

Original Bombardier for Crew was 2nd Lt Warren J. Taylor was replaced by unknown Bombardier known only as Jay?

Crew chronology prepared by Peter Yarnot, BTG:
Crew formed Plant Park Fl 11/3/44
Trained at McDill Field 11/3/55 to 1/19/45
Staged at Hunter Field GA 1/20/45 to 2/19/45
Dow Field ME 2/19/45 to 2/25/45
Goose Bay Labrador 2/25/45
BW-1 Greenland 2/26/45 to 3/12/45 (plane damaged by wind on 3/1/45
Meeks Field Iceland 3/12/45 to 3/16/45
Valley Wales GB 3/16/45
594th Replacement Center, Stoney England 3/17/45 to 3/20/45
Assigned 100th BG, 351st Squadron, 3/20/45 to 3/27/45
Assigned to 349th Bomb Squadron 3-27/45 to end or War.

Letter from Fred Wiegman 29/12/86:
L. J. Poksay remained in AF after WW II, and as a Lt. Col. or Col. flew on crew of Presidential A/C Columbine.

Frederick Rogers deceased after Korea or Vietnam??
W. J. Taylor left crew after 3/5 missions.
F. B. Wiegman became Aerial engineer on Thorpe Abbott flight line during combat.
Pete Yarnot stayed in service fought in three wars

While one 3rd Division force went to Neu Ruppin, a second force split up to bomb airfields at Burg-bei-Magdeburg, Zerbst, and Brandenburg/Briest. The three Groups, which hit Burg-bei-Magdeburg, were attacked before the IP by about 12 Me 262 which squeezed through the escort. Ten Jets broke away from a dogfight behind the bomber formation to attack the last squadron of the last Group. The e/a closed at low speeds with their jet units off, many of them flying out through the loose bomber formation. Two straggling B-17's were destroyed; gunners claims were estimated at 3 destroyed 1 damaged- 2 probable. Several Me 262's and a lone FW 190 made individual tail attacks on the Group ahead of that one, the gunners destroying the FW 190 and damaging two of the Jets without losing a bomber.

One Me 262 made a pass at the lead Group from 7 O’clock low, opening fire at 800 yards and closing in a slow glide. At 500 yards gunners saw hits on the jet, which did a wingover, crashed into the ground and exploded. The other major attack on 3rd Division Fortresses was sustained by the second Group in the Brandenburg/Briest force. Near the IP bomber crews saw

10-Me 262s at 7 O’clock heading in the opposite direction. The Jets split into pairs when they were jumped by escorting Mustangs but some were able to break into the bombers. Two of the Jets flying abreast hit the fourth squadron from 5 O’clock low. One pressed home an attack on the No 5 bomber while the other hit the No 6 bomber, both of the bombers and one of the Jets going down.

Another pair of 262's attacked the third Squadron from 6 O’clock level, beginning their pass at 1500 yards and opening fire at 600 yards. The leader of the 2 e/a was hit and began smoking at 600 yards, but drilled on into within 50 feet of the Forts before breaking off to the left and going down in flames. The other broke away to the right. These enemy pilots seemed to be firing into the middle of the Squadron rather than pressing attacks on individual bombers.

At the same time a single engine fighter, probably a ME-109 swooped down on the high squadron from 1 O'clock high shooting down the squadron leader. A few other Jets breaking away from the battle with P-51's made unsuccessful attacks on stragglers. Gunners claims for the group totaled 5 Destroyed, 2 damaged.

1. Me 262 seem to be attacking at slower and slower speeds, probably to simplify their own sighting problems. This gives gunners a better opportunity to exploit the longer effective range of their caliber .50's.

2. The Jets like to make their attacks during the bomb run or shortly after the bombs away, while the squadrons are in trail.

3. Me 262s are showing an increasing tendency to pick on stragglers or on bombers slightly out of formation.

4.There have been several previous reports of conventional fighters attacking from the nose while Jets are delivering their customary tail attacks. Search of the forward zones cannot be abandoned during a tail attack.