Target Berlin: Mission 250: 6 March 1944

by Jeffrey L. Ethell, Alfred Price

On March 6th, 1944 the Americans launched their first large-scale daylight raid on Berlin, the capital of Hitler's reich. The price they paid for their audacity was high: sixty-nine heavy bombers and eleven escort fighters failed to return, the highest number in any raid mounted by the 8th Air Force. This account of the mission is a compellingly readable, skillfully researched, minute-by-minute description. It is also the first book on the subject to look at events from the perspective of both sides, drawing on material from over 160 USAAF personnel, Luftwaffe pilots, civilians and German flak gunners. Target Berlin captures the excitement and drama of the operation, bringing to the fore the mounting horror of a mission plagued by misfortune, strong defenses and bad luck. The gripping narrative also sheds light on what it was like to be in Berlin as the bombs began to fall.

Genres: Aviation, Military History, World War II, Nonfiction

212 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2002

About the author

Ethell, whose nickname in the air was "Fighter Writer," was the author of fifty-nine books and more than one thousand magazine articles, many dealing with World War II aviation. Born the son of a fighter pilot on March Air Force Base in Riverside, California, Ethell was prevented from joining the Air Force because he lacked 20/20 vision. He went on, however, to log more than 5000 hours of flight time in more than 215 types of military aircraft and became an honorary member of the American Fighter Aces Association, whose pilots have scored five or more combat victories. Ethell was also leader in the international "warbirds" movement, an effort to preserve aging military aircraft.

Reviews

[Sleepy Boy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really wish all histories could be written with this amount of input from all participating sides. Superb from start to finish.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1939, the the Luftwaffe chief, Hermann Goring, said "If planes drop bombs on Germany, you can call me Meyer"- possibly an Anti Semitic Boast. British Bomber Command started their nightly war in 1940, leading to the Satirical name "Meyer's Sirens" for their early warning system. But on March 6th 1944, the US 8th Air Force called his bluff in Broad Daylight, sending more than 800 B-17s and B-24s over Berlin- "Going Downtown". They were escorted by about 800 fighters too- this was a "Maximum Effort" raid in the Pre D-Day work up with its triple strategies- The damage from the raid itself, the Morale effect of overflying the Reich with relative impunity, and the chance to destroy the Fighter force of the Luftwaffe in the air by attrition as they came up to defend the Reich- to establish Air Supremacy over Europe for the Invasion. Jeffrey Ethell and Dr. Alfred Price , two well known Aviation authors, give us a taut tick tock of the raid from the USAAF, RAF and Luftwaffe sides- writing in 1981, when they could still talk to some of the participants. They seemingly talked to EVERYONE who flew or handled logistics for this raid, or read their memoirs. The result is intensely compelling- and sometimes emotionally exhausting- as casualties were heavy on both sides.

The bombers were arranged in three waves by Group, with the classic "Boxes" to make the best use of the dozen or so .50 Caliber Machine guns that bristled on ever B-17/B-24. The fighters with their shorted range and faster speed would be in 9 waves (some pilots flying two sorties to cover outer and inner legs) with American P47 Thunderbolts, P51 Mustangs, P38 Lightnings , and British P-51s in the mix. The Germans came up with their FW 190s and Me 109 single seater fighters- but also their much slower "Destroyer" fighter units with Me 110s (out of date since 1940)- and the newer- but not really better Me 410, two engined aircraft better for Night fighting with the Brits. As the day unfolds, and things go wrong and pilots try to adjust, the tension builds with each page. I loved how the authors wove the stories in and out, coming back to characters, as their stories mingled into history.

There are few adult themes, but several frank casualty discussions, so this might be a better book for the Junior Reader over 13 Years of age. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast, this is a great resource. The tactical insights alone can help you understand Aerial war in the 1940s much better. I've read a lot of memoirs that describe the day to day pace of ops, and ones that focus on unit histories- but I really liked getting a 360 view of one massive raid with lots of moving parts. this really made you appreciate the efforts of the Greatest Generation- and made me wish I had asked better questions of my parents' friends- when they would casually say X "had been 10 times over Berlin" or Y had "flown a P-47 in '44" This was real war at high speed at thousands of feet above Europe in a way it's hard to fathom. You fathom it better after book like this...

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb

A well researched book which takes you along a epic battleground of the air this will definitely be reading again.

[Rev James T Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The truth brought out

An amazing detailed account of both sides. Horrific detail of bravery and dedication to the cause on both sides and the civilians.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethell and Price have done a very nice job putting together a narrative history of the 8th Air Force's raid on Berlin on March 6, 1944. By focusing on one raid, they are able to add detail and produce a nice focused story. The authors interviewed more than 100 participants Allied fighter pilots, American bomber crews, German fighter pilots, and German civilians. The result is a well-written account of this raid that offers insight overall to the 8th Air Force's daylight bombing operations and their impact militarily and on German civilians. There are insights, for instance, on how a navigational error meant that one bomber group suffered much more heavily than the others and how weather shaped the ultimate targeting.
The authors also look at not only the ultimate impact of the raid but also how press and propaganda efforts shaped perspective on the raid.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

H

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most enjoyable read with all the details gory and eyewitness missing from other books.