398th Bomb Group
Memorial
Association


S/Sgt. John Veenschoten's Diary
Radio Operator/Gunner, 603rd Squadron

Veenschoten Mission No. 29

28 February 1945
Target Schwerte, Germany

Target – Schwerte, Germany
Date – February 28, 1945

We bombed a marshalling yards by PFF. Take off was at 11:30 AM, landing at 6:15 PM. All Germany was covered by clouds. There was moderate flak over the target but it was all behind us. On the way out the tail gunner reported a P-51 mustang coming up behind us. The supposed mustang suddenly opened fire and shot down the fortress which was flying on our right wing. For a few seconds the air was full of bursting 20 mm shells. The ME109 drew abreast of our ship, but before I could shoot he did a wing over and was gone. He was close enough to see the pilot easily. One 20 mm shell hit the tail gunner's equipment bag and blew his clothes and equipment all over the ship. Another shattered our wing tip.

Notes:
  • S/Sgt. John Veenschoten was a Radio Operator/Gunner on Howard W. Rehme's 603rd Squadron crew.
  • The above transcription was provided by Wally Blackwell.
  • This transcription is a careful reproduction of the original except for occasional spelling and punctuation changes. In some circumstances, based on relevancy, some material may not have been transcribed.
  • Clarification of acronyms or special words or guesses of certain words are shown in brackets [ ].

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