EYEWITNESS:
"The group in which A/C 42-102657 was flying was attacked by from 50 to 70 E/A. The attack caused at least three of our A/C to explode on the first pass and most of the others appeared to be damaged. Many of them were attacked again as stragglers. In a few moments all but one disappeared beneath the under-cast. Since none of them returned, no account of the loss of specific A/C is available. About half of them appeared to be under control as they disappeared into the undercast. Two chutes were seen before the A/C disappeared. Which A/C they came from is unknown.

A/C #42-102657 was flying #2 position in the lead element of the 100th Group C Squadron which was flying as the low squadron of the Group. At 1205 hours at 5035N - 1310E at 26,000 feet the 100th C Squadron was attacked by approximately 40 e/a, FW-190s and ME 109s. The e/a came in a "swarm" from 6 o'clock opening fire with 20 mm from 400 yards. After this one mass attack, a few single e/a broke away from the "swarm" and made a 360 degree turn and again attacked crippled aircraft in the 100th C Squadron from 6 o'clock low In a few moments all but one of our A/C disappeared beneath the undercast about half of them appearing to be under control. Since none of the A/C from the 100th C squadron returned from this mission no account of the loss of specific AC is available.

The following is quoted from a letter written by Lt. Bradshaw in 1945:
"The action took place on Sept. 11,1944, we were flying SE of Leipzig, Ger. when we were attacked by approximately 100 enemy fighters. We were set on fire in the right wing and the bomb bays. The order was given to bail out. I sent Sgt. Severson down to make a double check on the Bombardier (Groce) and Navigator (Wright). When I reached the escape hatch Sgt. Severson was trying to release it but it was stuck. I also tried, but failed, to release it. Finally Sgt. Severson and I started kicking on it and finally it fell out. I told Sgt. Severson to go, but because I had been slightly wounded, he asked me to go ahead. As far as I know Sgt. Severson and Lt. Wright followed immediately. "I was free for about 3 hours, but when I was picked up I was put in a cell with my ball-turret gunner, Sgt. Kluttz and my tail gunner, Sgt. Wilson. They told me at this time they had seen Sgt. Stone or at least a person whom they thought was Sgt. Stone on a stretcher. They also thought he was alive at this time because he raised his hand to shade the sun from his eyes.."

James H. Wright, Jr. - Mission List (Courtesy of Melinda Newman - Nov 2007)
Mission 1: July 6, 1944
Flury, France. 50° 25’N, 02° 15’E. Flew over target at 23,500 feet. Salvoed 20 250 lb. demolition bombs. Plane received one hit by flack. Flack was very light.

Mission 2: July 8, 1944
Railroad intersection west of Paris. No enemy opposition was encountered at all. Target was completely destroyed.

Mission 3: July 13, 1944
Munich, Germany. Flew over target at 26,500 feet. Salvoed 4-500 lb. demolition and 6-500 lb. incendiary bombs. Flack was pretty heavy. Two planes went to Switzerland. We were attacked by Me. 109’s. Wilson sent one into a spin.

Mission 4: July 14, 1944
We got up very early and ate. We briefed at 01:30 a.m. Very different type of mission. Idea was to deliver arms and ammunitions to French in southern France by parachute and container. We had malfunction and didn’t get to deliver ours.

Mission 5: July 17, 1944
We flew into France and bombed a noball target near Dieppe.

Mission 6: July 19, 1944
We flew to Schweinfurt, Germany. Made dry run on target. Flew to Darmstadt and made dry run. Finally dropped bombs at Duren.

Mission 7: July 20, 1944
We bombed Meresburg, Germany. Flack was plentiful.

Mission 8: July 21, 1944
We started to Regensburg this time. Stopped short due to lack of gas and bombed Ludwigsburg through a complete undercast from 28,500 feet. Flack was plentiful.

Mission 9: July 24, 1944
We flew to St. Lô at Cherebourg and made a dry run over the front lines. Bad weather prevented dropping bombs.

Mission 10: July 25, 1944
Again we went to St. Lô and this time we bombed the Jerries. We lost one plane but all bailed out safely.

Mission 11: July 28, 1944
We bombed Merseburg attain today. Flack was all over the sky. We lost 4 ships. 2 due to fires and 2 in a collision.

Mission 12: July 29, 1944
We returned to Merseburg again today. We had plenty of flack. Made a dry run over target. Fighters jumped the Low squadron of low groupe. Jones, Stussey, & Fitzroy failed to return. We bombed at { } secondary target.

Mission 13: July 31, 1944
We went to Munich today. I dropped the bombs today. We came home with eleven holes in our ship. One cylinder was shot out of no. 2 engine. We came home okay though.

Mission 14: August 2, 1944
We bombed a bridge N.E. of Paris. Coord. {49° 391/2 N, 03° 21E} No flack at target. We flew down a corridor between flack all of the mission.

Mission 15: August 4, 1944
We went to Hamburg, Germany this time. We bombed P.F.F. on the oil refinery there. Very little flack.

Mission 16: August 8, 1944
We bombed St. Sylvan, France today. We lost two ships today (100^th). Our tail gunner was hit. Not serious.

Mission 17: August 13, 1944
We bombed a road at {48° 49’N, 01° 38’E}. Idea was to cut off German retreat. Flack was scarce and no fighters encountered.

Mission 18: August 14, 1944
We bombed the synthetic oil refineries at Ludwicshaven this morning. flack was plentiful in the target area.

Mission 19: August 15, 1944
We bombed the airfield Valoni, Holland. Perfect bombing conditions and no flack at target. Whole route practically free of flack.

Mission 20: August 26, 1944
We went to Brest, France and made a dry run on the target. Clouds prevented dropping on target.


Mission 21: August 27, 1944
We started to Berlin. Ran into bad weather and had to turn back. We went in over Germany close to Emden. The flack was scarce. No bombs dropped either.

Mission 22: September 3, 1944
We bombed Crozon, France. No flack over target. Target just south of Brest. We bombed at 9,000 feet. Visual bombing. Direct hit.

Mission 23: September 5, 1944
We bombed Stuttgart at 23,000 feet today. Flack was accurate but not very heavy. Visual bombing and direct hit was attained.

Mission 24: September , 1944

** September 11, 1944: This was the final mission for Buddy’s flight crew. Target was Ruhland Oil Refinery in Germany. Plane exploded mid-air over Schmiedeberg, Germany after being hit in the right wing and bomb bays in one of the largest air battles in the European Theatre. KIA: Albert E. Trommer (pilot), James H. Wright, Jr. (navigator), Levi F. Groce, Jr. (bombardier), William M. Stone (radio operator/gunner), and Alvin J. Severson (top turret gunner/engineer). POW: Timothy H. Bradshaw (copilot), J.C. Kluttz, (ball turret gunner), Thomas C. Kentes (wing gunner) and Charles E. Wilson (tail gunner).