HISTORY

Photo: 57th Bomb Wing Asociation

Last Flight

RICHARD PLOS

Aircraft of the 310th BG on their way to the target.

The railway bridge in Rovereto was (and still is)

barely five meters wide but regardless it was an

important German army transportation line and

as such drew increased attention of the American bomber units. After repeated raids it was in

fact destroyed but the Germans managed to repair the damaged section by means of temporary

bridging which, to keep it secret, was used during

the night only. At the same time, they surrounded

the bridge with the strong anti-aircraft artillery

defense. Every „trip” into the area represented a

considerable risk experienced by both 428th and

380th BS when they took part in the raid on April 19. First squadron dispatched 18 aircraft on the

mission and the second unit added six to the full

strength. Each Mitchell carried two 1000lb bombs

(bomb load of total weight of 906 kg). The formation was led by Col. Remington, 310th BG commander. In case the German fighters appeared, the

fighter cover was provided by P-47s and P-51s.

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The sky full of shrapnel

At 9:40 local time Remington released the brakes

of the formation’s leading ship, and his Mitchell

started the take-off roll on the runway in Fano.

All other 23 aircraft took off in the quick sequence and only two circles around the base were

needed to make full formation. The skies were

clear and visibility unlimited. Only in the vicinity

of Florence did the crews notice one tenth cloud

cover. Past the ancient town, in the direction of

the target, the skies were clear again. The escort

fighters were patrolling above, below and on the

sides of the formation, but the German fighters

did not show up so shortly before the target the

Mustangs and Thunderbolts withdrew to monitor the situation and prepare for the return flight.

Before the first ships reached the target the first

anti-aircraft shells started to explode in the sky.

It was clear to everyone that this time it would be

no „Milk Run” as they had nicknamed the easy mi-

ssions. It was obvious that there would be some

losses, and everybody hoped he would not be one

to fall victim. There were several „green“ crews

in the formation who were experiencing a very

harsh baptism of fire. The shells were exploding

on all sides and the explosions were rocking the

airplanes in all directions. Before they released

their bombs, they heard the excited voice of one

of the gunners:

"Plane going down, nine o'clock."

"It's McGilvray," was the reply.

"Watch out for chutes," came the answer back

from someone.

After a short time: "Four, four of 'em, all open,"

replied the crewman.

(McGilvray and other crew members returned to

the unit just the next day after Germany surrendered – on May 9 – and according to the unit’s diary records they were in “good condition”; editor´s

note).

Photo: 57th Bomb Wing Asociation

When on April 29, 1945, two dozen of Mitchells

from USAAF 310th Bombardment Group got airborne from their Italian base in Fano to attack the

railway bridge in Rovereto, no one expected that,

baring one single aircraft, all remaining ships would

receive one hole or more “compliments” of the

German anti-aircraft fire. One of those was a ship

christened Angel of Mercy. It was her 47th as well

as her very last mission.

William S. McMillan in the cockpit of Angel of Mercy. Under the cockpit

there is the name of Airplane Commander 1st Lt. Thaddeus C. Michal

visible. The two pilots shared this machine during March 1945.

INFO Eduard - September 2021