© Steven E. Schanes 2001
April 6, 2000
Steven E. Schanes
August 30, 2000
Story 21B
BAS-TOG-NE
We were a squadron of 10 B-24s, wheeling into the "green-light" area
from the south of France. Ten bomb bays, with 2,000 lbs. of bombs in
each- looking for any target of opportunity. Flying at a low 10,000
feet instead of our usual 25,000, because the targets would be much
smaller than those of the big German cities. Hopefully there would be
less flak.
When the German advance into the Ardennes was stopped in late
December, 1944, a system of beacons was set up at the three points
marking the triangle of the enemy territory. Installed in each of our
planes was a small box, with just two lights on top- one red, the
other green. When the green light was on, we were in enemy territory,
free to hit anything that would seem to have military value-
especially railroad marshalling yards.
Of the ten planes, only the lead and the second had navigators. We
were in the nose turrets, with a full view of the world. The other
planes had nose gunners. In each of the non-lead planes, at the elbow
of the nose gunner, there was a "bombs away" toggle switch, which he
was to hit when he saw the lead plane drop its bombs.
I sat with my maps in the nose turret of the lead plane, looking for
something good to hit. Everyone stayed off the air, with the pilot and
the bombardier waiting for my voice. At this low altitude, my view was
nowhere near what I was used to. When we were at 25,000 feet, I could
see 50 or more miles all around and had ample time to pick up
landmarks, checking with my maps. Now. at the lower altitude and an
airspeed of about 140 knots, the country below was rolling much faster
under us. Also this was an entirely new area, all covered with snow.
Until now, we had been hitting Germany itself, with everything on my
maps clearly in sight.
Everyone else was scanning the skies for German fighters. By combat
standards, we were easy pickings- flying low and slow, with no fighter
protection. I remembered well a mock raid we had made on Los Angeles,
coming in from Tonapah, Nevada. We were intercepted by Navy F4U
Corsairs. A number of our 50 caliber machine guns had been replaced by
movie cameras and when we viewed the movies of the mission, all we saw
were B-24s, no F4Us. Had we been using bullets, we would have shot
ourselves to pieces.
I picked up a railroad and followed it on my map up to an intersection
with two other rail lines. Looked good. Pushed my mike button. "At
about two o'clock, maybe 30 miles, there's a town with a small
marshalling yard, where three lines meet."
"Roger. Any place we know?"
Looking back at my map, "No. It's Bas-tog-nee. I've never heard of
it."
"OK, Bomb bay doors opening."
I could see the doors opening on the planes to my right and left.
"Doors open." Voice of a side gunner.
"Bombardier, it's all yours."
"Roger."
The usual taut silence. Just the roar of the four engines and the wind
whistle.
The town came over the horizon and the plane banked slightly to the
left as the bombardier lined it up. I could see that it was bigger
than the map would indicate. A lot of markings in the snow. More
importantly, there was flak coming up. Trouble. We were easy targets
at this altitude.
Looking past the town, I could see another railroad intersection about
ten miles further and to the right. With no flak.
"I've got a better one--at two o'clock and 20 miles."
"Roger" I could feel the left wing go up as our airplane and the nine other
planes turned.
And so we bombed some little town other than Bastogne. Not that we
would automatically have hit the target, the opposite was standard
experience. However, I imagine that it would have been somewhat
demoralizing to the 101st Airborne had we dropped there. They surely
would have learned that the Army Air Force did not know that they were
there, and would have been concerned about other possible attacks.
After all, this would not have been the first time that we had bombed
our own troops. These things happen.
It was some days later that we actually learned about the Battle of
Bastogne. I never mentioned our own experience, and since I had
mispronounced the name, no one in our crew ever connected the two.
