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Posted on 01/21/2007 6:11:53 PM PST by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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On 6, November 1944 the Germans were holding the high ridges in the Northern Apennine mountains they called THE GOTHIC LINE. This defense line ran through the mountain ranges that reached, almost unbroken, from La Spezia on the north west coast of Italy to the City of Rimini on the Adriactic. Near the center and behind the German lines was the important transportation center of Bologna. Rail lines bringing war supplies from Germany, were for the most part routed through the Brenner Pass. Other rail lines from Austria were further east and led south into Venice and then into Bologna. These were the two main transportation lines that fueled the German machines in Italy.  It was estimated that 24,000 tons of supplies was flowing to the German troops each day. That was five times the minimum daily requirements needed to support the German troops that were locked in a winter stalemate with our Allied forces. On the 6th. of November 1944, Operation BINGO was put into effect. It's objective was to stop the flow of German goods coming to the fighting front by closing off the Brenner Pass. The four B-25 bomb groups belonging to the 57th. Bomb Wing were to carry the bulk of the load. Fighter bombers of the 12th. Air Force's Tactical Air Command and the Desert Air Force (British) would assist. Some help would come from B-17's and B-24's of the 15th. Air Force.  Bombs Away. A load of white phosphorous bombs heading down toward the gun emplacements protecting the the Orr Bridge at Brenner Pass. Photo courtesy of Dave Mershon, 487th. It was estimated that if electrical power could be denied the electrical driven locomotives that were used on the steeper grades, it would force the Germans to use more inefficient steam locomotives that would require part of the transportation effort to supply coal for these trains and also pull locomotives and rolling stock from their present activities. If this could be accomplished, it was estimated that it could reduce the carrying capacity in the Brenner Pass to around 10,000 tons a day. On 6 November, the B-25's struck targets in the Brenner; the electrical transformer stations between San Ambrogio - hit by the 310th., through Ala - hit by the 321st., and Trento - hit by the 340th. The targets were all hit and destroyed or damaged to the extent that electrical power was denied to trains as far north as Balzano. The 319th., newly changed from B-26's to B-25's, hit railroad bridges in the lower end of Brenner.  The defense of the pass fell to the 2nd. Fighter Group of the Italian Facist Republic Air Force. These were Italian pilots flying Me-109's with German markings. With only about 50 planes these would not be the most effective deterrent. The primary defense fell to the German 5th. and 127th. Flak Regiments that manned the 366 heavy, anti-aircraft guns that were stationed from Verona, in the south, to Innsbruk, in the north. By the end of that day more heavy guns moved in around Ala and Rovereto. In addition to the German gunners there were still Italians fighting along with the Germans. However the batteries were manned independently by either Germans or the Italians. The Italian gunners used an Italian cannon coupled with the German Radar.  319th Bomb Group The German's main defensive weapon was the 8.8cm. Fliegerabwehrkanone, shortened to Flak. The 88 fired a 9.24KG (20.34 pound) shell to over 49,000 feet. It was coupled with the KG 40 gun director and the 41D gun laying radar. The gun director was a mechanical calculator with a stereoscopic height finder incorporated, capable of predicting a rectilinear or curvilinear course. The radar was capable of furnishing present azimuth, angular height and radar range to the gun director. Usually the gun batteries used radar tracking for range and optical tracking for direction. In cases where clouds or smoke obscured the bomb formations, radar controlled or barrage firing was used although it was not considered as effective as visual sighting.  Other guns were used also. The Italians made 90mm cannon, with a range of 26,000 feet and their 102mm cannon that reached to 40,000 feet were used to guard the Brenner Pass targets. While the larger guns were require to reach high flying B-17's and B-24's, lighter guns such the German and Italian 37mm cannon would reach up to 15,000 feet and the Italian 75mm ranged to 27,000 feet, were all effective against our B-25 Bombers who rarely flew above 13,000 feet. This meant any gun from a 37mm up could reach the medium bombers altitude. From the reports of the combat crews - they all did.  As the attacks increase on the Brenner Pass, targets of rail and road bridges, tracks and fills, the amount of flak guns increased. Batteries were added as far north as Bressanone. On the 11th. of November a flight of B-25's had 18 aircraft holed and one crash due to flak damage. Of the 16 attacks made during November, 11 had drawn flak. Of 300 sorties 20 B-25's were holed and one B-25 crashed. In December 69 more guns were moved into the Brenner Pass by the Germans, making a total of 435. Anti-flak operations became standard practice by the 57th. Fighter bombers dropping general purpose bombs and the bombers dropping 20 pound fragmentation bombs and twisted pieces of tin foil called Chaff or Window (to confuse the radar) were tried.  Returning from a mission. 7T, 7Z and other aircraft of the 487th peeling off to land. August 1944 Alesan, Corsican Photo courtesy of Dave Komigsberg, 487th. At the end of December the 319th. Bomb Group flew it's last mission, over Italy, and returned to the U.S. in January of 1945. This left the 310th., the 321st., and the 340th. Groups the only medium bombers in the theater.
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Thanky alfa, down right nice of you. ;)
BAAAAAAA
WOW! That is awesome!
Can you imagine being the photographer..
The only problem with the 75mm gun in the B-25s was the low rate of fire. IIRC the navigator/gunner was at best able to only fire four rounds in a gunnery pass and accuaracy was not very good.
Now the British came up with a Mosquito FB XVIII that was outfitted with a 57mm Molins automatic cannon. The 57mm or 6pounder fired a shell that weighed 7.1 pounds and had a cyclic rate of 60 rounds a minute with a 22? round magazine. A brief history of this Mossie type is at...
Sorry but I don't seem to have a pic of a Mossie with the Molins gun installed.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
One of these days, maybe, one of these days:-)
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Nice!
Interesting ship and a mighty huge picture. LOL. I'd have to see a few of these to get used to them. Odd looking because of the stealth.
LOL. Thank explains it!
The DC-3 known to the military as the C-47 couldn't take a lot of damage but it was a workhorse. In WWII it flew in our paratroopers, equipment and towed the gliders.
I have been in Floriduh the last two days. When I arrived at the airport this evening, I had to catch a tram to the parking garage.
About 8 young guys got on at one stop. They all had identical manila envelopes and other documents. Several wore An Army Of One t-shirts.
It took about 1/2 a second for memories to flood in. I reminded the young men to NEVER EVER refer to a female DI as "sir". Speaking from training day 1 experience, this will not endear a recruit to his DI.
BTW, I have within less than a 2 week span bought official NASA stuff from both the Johnson and Kennedy Space Center gift shops.
In Floriduh and couldn't stop in Tallahassee? :-(
I work there you know. We could of driven from Georgia to see you. Sounds like you were down in the democratic part of FL though.
Hope you waved at us on the flyover.
Went right over the top of ya'!
I bow to the nerd god.
I want one of those too. :^)
Looking forward to most of a week off...
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
How is the Hobbit Lass doing?
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
She can wiggle her fingers and move her elbow now. Last night she said it hurt more than before the operation, though. Her teachers are being great.
Wally has new competition.
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