A good friend of mine, the late Ted Worthington, was a B-24 pilot with the 465BG, 780BS. He wrote about his wartime experiences in a small book (158 pages) titled "Flight To Black Hammer", published in 1993 by Biddle Publishing Company of Brunswick, ME. He was forced to land behind Russian lines on the 2 Dec 1944 mission to BH South. I have no idea where a copy of the book might be found.
 
Al Blue
 
 

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Al,
I purchased my book at the Air Force Museum in Ohio about 20 yrs ago. The last I heard Ted was living in Maine/New England. Sorry to hear he is no longer with us. My brother in-laws 52nd yellow tailed FG escorted a few of Teds missions as did the red tailed Tuskeegee air men.
Ted is the author I alluded to in my previous replys. "Blackhamer", etc.
Thanks for the input Al.

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53

Janos, Jim:

In my father's BG the missions were credited in this manner and have read it was the same for all units in the 49th Bomb Wing:

When the tour was for 50 missions, the crews received "Two-for-one" ("two-fors") credit for missions that were extremely long or where the resistance was particularly intense. Especially if there was a lot of fighter attacks, but also for very heavy & accurate AAA.

When the mission tour requirement was changed sometime in mid-November of '44, to 35 completed combat sorties, the "two-fors" were eliminated. From that point forward the crews only received one credit for each completed sortie. As far as I can determine, this system was unique to the 49th Wing.

Dad flew to Blechhammer on Dec. 2, 1944. He wound up forming up at the back of the 484th BG instead of his 461st BG. As a result, his was one of only 3 aircraft (or four depending on the account) from the 461st that managed to drop on the target.

Ken

Ken Alexander
Son of 1st Lt. Clair B. Alexander Jr.
Pilot, B-24s: 10/12/1944 - 04/24/1945
15th AF, 49th Wing, 461st BG, 764th BS
Torretta Airfield, Cerignola, Italy

Your explanation is what we were told was in effect when I arrived at the 459th in Jan.1945. Because of past experience with rules and there revisements, we all kept track of our missions both ways. It's surprising how close it was. In my case, when the War ended, I had 28 out or 35 sorties, or 44 out of 50 missions. I needed 6 for missions, or 7 for sorties. Because of this, I and others were afraid we would be checked out in 29s, and sent to the Pacific to help end that one.
THANK GOD FOR HARRY TRUMAN!
RHD

RHD..According to those calculations, with 27 missions, I would have had 42 out of 50.

I was relieved of my crew assignment and returned to the US, as I was told I was "surplus" and returned early, to be assigned to a P-51 Trainng Group as a P-51 Crew Chief...My crew went on to stay in the Mediterreanean, and had time to visit Egypt, and Rome, before return to the Z.I..

I returned as a passenger, on a B-24, (one of two..both of us were B-17 Flight Engineers),......the selection for an early return was  probably due to our Aircraft and Engine Mechanic training.

Jim :-)

James S. Peters Sr. T/Sgt
B-17 Flt Engr, 27 missions
99 BG, 348BS, 5th Wing, 15th AAF
Tortorella, (Foggia#2), Italy
My Tour was from 12/03/44-06/19/45
M/Sgt USAF (Retired)

ORIGINAL: bjsassy90

RH. I went to Blackhammer once on Aug 27th.
target was a synthetic oil refinery. Flt was 8 hr 40 min. Flak
was rough. That time was 40 min more than to Munich from our base.
bjsassy90 (465th BG)
                                                            reply to RHDODD

bjsasassy,

a friend of mine (that guy mentioned in my signature) was 3 times over Blechhammer with 2ndBG. July 7th,August 7th and 27th like you. Two missions later he was shot down over my town. 61 years later we met each other for a fisrt time. He lives in N.J.

Roman Susil
Zlin, Czech Republic

...a friend of Joe Owsianik, a former left waist gunner from B-17G ''Tail End Charlie" from 2ndBG,20th Sqdn, that was forced to bail out on Aug. 29th, 1944 over my country.

Roman,
I saw your photos of Joe. The next time you write/see him tell him this born and raised New Jersey'ite says, "God Bless and keep you Joe", your good people. Thank you Roman for your kindness to Joe. 

Fair Winds and following seas.
John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144)

Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf
15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy
MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53

According to my Uncle's crew report, he flew the mission to Blechhammer on 7 Aug 44.  He was assigned to the Brierty crew and on this mission there is a Francis English named with the crew as a photographer.  Would anyone know if English is still alive or what may have come of the photos taken that day? 

Dave Sandruck, USAF Ret
Nephew of Irvin Wentz, KIA 9 Dec 1944
99 BG, 347 BS
Tortorella (Foggia), Italy

Dave..I have been in contact with Frank English for several years....I tried to call him at his home, and left a message to call me back, but, he has not returned my call as yet.
 
When he calls back, I will let you know.
 
Jim :-)

James S. Peters Sr. T/Sgt
B-17 Flt Engr, 27 missions
99 BG, 348BS, 5th Wing, 15th AAF
Tortorella, (Foggia#2), Italy
My Tour was from 12/03/44-06/19/45
M/Sgt USAF (Retired)

Jim,
 
Anxiously awaiting to hear back from you.  I've added a photo, which I received from Bart Brierty, of my Uncle Irvin and the crew while in Foggia.

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Dave Sandruck, USAF Ret
Nephew of Irvin Wentz, KIA 9 Dec 1944
99 BG, 347 BS
Tortorella (Foggia), Italy

Hi guys,

As I live very close to the former Blechhammer North and South Synthetic Oil Plants I have to make some corrections to the information given in this topic.

Both plants are located in the city of Kedzierzyn-Kozle, Poland; in the quarters Blachownia Slaska and Azoty respectively.
The map given by petdnk points to the city of Blachownia near Czestochowa, about 80 kilometers far from Blechhammer North plant.
I am attaching maps with correct locations of Blechhammer and Odertal refineries.
As for the Auschwitz camp, CTSawyer is right, there was only  an Auschwitz sub-camp near Blechhammer North and this camp is visible on the second photo given by jj in this topic.
If anybody is interested in present-day photos of the camp and plants please write to me at: ehaduch@gmail.com

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And here you have more precise locations of Blechhammer South, North and Odertal Oil Plants

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Thanks aardvark37 for those maps. I looked on Google Earth.
Is this the right area? Please correct me if I'm wrong

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Jonathan:
 
You are right.
 
Regards,
Mike
 

Hi from Sicily!

Do you know the following website?

http://www.gearthhacks.com/dlcatn82p2/War-Related-Overlays.htm

Google Earth software is necessary: go to the bottom of the page and click on the picture about Bleckhammer, then click again on the picture and open the file...enjoy it!

CIAO!

Fabry
Ernie Pyle wrote: "They died and others lived and nobody knows why it is so. There's nothing we can do for the ones beneath the wooden crosses, except perhaps to pause and murmur, 'Thanks, pal.'"