T/Sgt Jessie O. Pack enlisted in Dallas, Texas on 9 September 1942. He attended college for 2 years and was a draftsman before he enlisted.
The 401st put up the Low Box and the High squadron of the High Box of the 94th Combat Wing. Because of solid undercast, bombing was by PFF (radar), the Low Box bombing the city of Berlin and the High Box bombing Brandenberg. No enemy fighters were encountered. Flak was moderate to and from the target but intense and accurate over the target. Of the 742 heavy bombers over the target, 36 were shot down and 205 were damaged.
According to witnesses, the plane was hit by a flak burst just outside the waist window or in the plane itself. The bottom part blew off. The tail section went one way and the frontal section another.
Statement from Edward J. Rice, Left Waist Gunner:
"About 100 miles from Holland it happens. A loud, hard, explosion toward the front of our plane. The plane was flying level as die, but the whole tail was gone. Just a great big hole looking out at the sky. The blast blew everything toward the front of the plane, the plane can't fly this way. I ran straight out into space thru the open fuselage, the plane was diving straight down. It nosed into the ground and exploded, fire and smoke shot skyward."
According to 1st Lt Cyrus P. Bennett, the Germans told him there were eight bodies in the wreckage. They were initially all buried at the cemetery of Achmer.
The 401st put up the Low Box and the High squadron of the High Box of the 94th Combat Wing. Because of solid undercast, bombing was by PFF (radar), the Low Box bombing the city of Berlin and the High Box bombing Brandenberg. No enemy fighters were encountered. Flak was moderate to and from the target but intense and accurate over the target. Of the 742 heavy bombers over the target, 36 were shot down and 205 were damaged.
According to witnesses, the plane was hit by a flak burst just outside the waist window or in the plane itself. The bottom part blew off. The tail section went one way and the frontal section another.
Statement from Edward J. Rice, Left Waist Gunner:
"About 100 miles from Holland it happens. A loud, hard, explosion toward the front of our plane. The plane was flying level as die, but the whole tail was gone. Just a great big hole looking out at the sky. The blast blew everything toward the front of the plane, the plane can't fly this way. I ran straight out into space thru the open fuselage, the plane was diving straight down. It nosed into the ground and exploded, fire and smoke shot skyward."
According to 1st Lt Cyrus P. Bennett, the Germans told him there were eight bodies in the wreckage. They were initially all buried at the cemetery of Achmer.
T/Sgt Jessie O. Pack enlisted in Dallas, Texas on 9 September 1942. He attended college for 2 years and was a draftsman before he enlisted.
The 401st put up the Low Box and the High squadron of the High Box of the 94th Combat Wing. Because of solid undercast, bombing was by PFF (radar), the Low Box bombing the city of Berlin and the High Box bombing Brandenberg. No enemy fighters were encountered. Flak was moderate to and from the target but intense and accurate over the target. Of the 742 heavy bombers over the target, 36 were shot down and 205 were damaged.
According to witnesses, the plane was hit by a flak burst just outside the waist window or in the plane itself. The bottom part blew off. The tail section went one way and the frontal section another.
Statement from Edward J. Rice, Left Waist Gunner:
"About 100 miles from Holland it happens. A loud, hard, explosion toward the front of our plane. The plane was flying level as die, but the whole tail was gone. Just a great big hole looking out at the sky. The blast blew everything toward the front of the plane, the plane can't fly this way. I ran straight out into space thru the open fuselage, the plane was diving straight down. It nosed into the ground and exploded, fire and smoke shot skyward."
According to 1st Lt Cyrus P. Bennett, the Germans told him there were eight bodies in the wreckage. They were initially all buried at the cemetery of Achmer.
The 401st put up the Low Box and the High squadron of the High Box of the 94th Combat Wing. Because of solid undercast, bombing was by PFF (radar), the Low Box bombing the city of Berlin and the High Box bombing Brandenberg. No enemy fighters were encountered. Flak was moderate to and from the target but intense and accurate over the target. Of the 742 heavy bombers over the target, 36 were shot down and 205 were damaged.
According to witnesses, the plane was hit by a flak burst just outside the waist window or in the plane itself. The bottom part blew off. The tail section went one way and the frontal section another.
Statement from Edward J. Rice, Left Waist Gunner:
"About 100 miles from Holland it happens. A loud, hard, explosion toward the front of our plane. The plane was flying level as die, but the whole tail was gone. Just a great big hole looking out at the sky. The blast blew everything toward the front of the plane, the plane can't fly this way. I ran straight out into space thru the open fuselage, the plane was diving straight down. It nosed into the ground and exploded, fire and smoke shot skyward."
According to 1st Lt Cyrus P. Bennett, the Germans told him there were eight bodies in the wreckage. They were initially all buried at the cemetery of Achmer.
Inscription
TSG 613 BOMB SQ 401 BOMB GP (H) TEXAS
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Entered the service from Texas.
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