After Part 3 of our journey, we see the US bomber airfield at Nuthampstead finally come to a close. But as the war approaches its conclusion, operations continue to be flown and losses continue to mount.
The US forces would go to Dresden the morning after the RAF had been. 431 B-17s of the entire 1st Bombardment Division, would prepare for take off at 07:00 hrs to be over Dresden at mid-day. With two other Divisions also in the air that day, escort would be from 784 Mustangs, with the 20th FG protecting the leaders the 1st Bombardment Wing, the 398th BG, followed by the 91st and 381st Bomb Groups respectively. In all, in excess of 2,000 American aircraft would fly into the heart of Germany that day.
It was to go disastrously wrong for the Group though, for even as they flew over Holland, they were already off course and now the weather was moving in. With their Gee system being constantly interfered with and throwing up faults, the lead plane of the 389th decided to take the more southerly route to fly around the cloud, taking the formation near to Munster, a city heavily guarded by flak. Although objecting to the move, both the 381st and the 91st followed – a move they would come to regret. The 91st were hit hard; many aircraft were damaged and their crewmen badly injured. Then, another defensive turn took the Wing, some 137 aircraft, a total of fifty miles of course. They were now heading to Schweinfurt, the scene of such devastation in August 1943 where high loses resulted the US temporarily ceasing air operations as a result. Not wanting to relive the experience, the formation then turned south again, taking them, and their escorts, even further off course.
By now, the leader’s Gee system had completely failed, and as the formation approached the target, the deputy’s system also ceased working. Lost and confused, they were gifted with a break in the cloud through which they could see an ancient city with a river running through it. The order was given and bombs were dropped. With little to no flak and no enemy fighters to resist them, the formation unleashed its devastating load onto those below. Unfortunately, it was not Dresden at all, but the Czech capital Prague, they were some eighty miles off course.*5
The 398th flew their final operation on April 25th 1945, a flight that took them to the Skoda Armament Works at Pilsen. The 398th were joined that day by the 91st, 92nd, 303rd, 305th, 379th, 384th, and the 381st Bomb Groups. With simultaneous operations happening elsewhere at Munich and the Me 262 airfield in Prague, 198 aircraft were flew to Pilsen to bomb the Skoda works.
In contrast to their first mission, take off was controlled and in good order. The first aircraft was airborne at 05:20 and the last 35 minutes later. Forming up took place over Debden Buncher (RAF Debden) at 5,000 feet and the Buncher was left at 06:40, when the entire formation headed for the coast. at 07:37, they crossed the French shoreline.*10
The 398th BG were tasked with leading the 1st Combat Bombardment Wing, totalling three Bomb Groups made up of 120 B-17s. In charge was Captain Michael Robinson, Commanding Offcier of the 601st BS. The weather was predicted to be good, so a visual bomb run was planned, however, over the target, this proved not to be the case and 10/10 cloud completely obscured the target. Forced to go round again, the formation made a 360o turn bringing them back in at the rear of the formation. By now flak had become both intense and accurate.
Two aircraft from the 602nd in the high squadron were hit. The first B-17G #42-97266 (K8-G, “Godfathers Inc.“) piloted by 2nd Lt. Allan Ferguson, quickly left the formation spiralling out of control. Three of those on board managed to escape the aircraft as it fell earthward. Of the crew, six were killed whilst two were captured becoming prisoners of war for the last remaining days of action*6*7
The second aircraft that day was that of Lt. Paul Coville, B-17G #43-38652 (K8-V, “Stinker Jr“). After the second bomb run, the aircraft was hit behind the #3 engine, leaving a large hole and a damaged engine. After falling out of formation and feathering the engine, Lt. Coville brought the aircraft back, at which point the engine caught fire. A small explosion then ripped the right wing off outboard of the engine, sending the aircraft spiralling towards the ground. The crew inside, frantically tried to get out, assisting each other with parachutes. All crewmen except the ball turret gunner S. Sgt. Charles Walker, manged to escape the aircraft, managing to find allied troops on the ground and safety.
During their search for safety both Coville and the waist gunner S. Sgt. Harry Overbough, took two prisoners each, Overbough’s ending up being revealed as escaped Jewish prisoners who had donned German army uniforms to help them escape. *7*8
After bombs away, the formation made a right turn and headed as briefed toward home, crossing the English coast at 14:26. The first aircraft touched down at Nuthampstead at 15:02.*10
With the last mission flown, Nuthampstead’s days were now numbered. A handful of ‘Revival’ flights were made transferring POWs from Barth in Germany to airfield A-10 in France. In addition, flights carrying ground crews over Germany also took place. By May 1945 though, the war was over and the exodus of American forces back to the united States began. Over the period May / June, 1945, the 398th would depart Nuthampstead, the ground force returning to the US from Greenock onboard the Queen Elizabeth, whilst the air personnel flew back between 21st and 27th May. After thirty days of rest and recuperation, the Group assembled at Drew Field, Florida where many officers and enlisted men were discharged from the service. The remaining handful were given duties elsewhere and transferred almost immediately.
A VE day service held at Nuthampstead airbase. (@IWM UPL 35448)
On September 1st 1945, Major Gene Nelson and Major Dean Ashworth, quietly and without ceremony, inactivated the Group – the 398th would be no more.
By the time the war had come to a close, the 398th had completed 6,419 operational sorties (175 missions) dropping some 15,700 tons of bombs. They lost some seventy*10 aircraft in operations. For their determination and outstanding flying over Derben on April 8th, the Group received a Presidential Unit Citation, this came in addition to 2,124 Air Medals, 531 DFCs, 2 Silver Stars, 18 Bronze Stars and 4 Purple Hearts (with others being awarded elsewhere). Whilst their losses were perhaps hugely significant compared to other Groups, they nonetheless performed gallantly and with dedication deserving of any military group.
Returned to RAF ownership a month later the airfield became a store and maintenance station storing ordnance for disposal, and by 1954 the military had no further interest in it, and it closed some 5 years later.
During the 1960s Nuthampstead was in the limelight once more when it was considered as a site for London’s third airport after Heathrow and Gatwick. Being so close to the capital made it an ideal proposition, but the proposal faced huge opposition from those living and working in the area. The decision would eventually favour Stansted, a site not even shortlisted in the initial phase.
The Roskill Commission Inquiry (1968-70), identified seventy-eight initial sites, reducing it to four possibles: Nuthampstead, Thurleigh (Bedford), Cublington (Bucks) and Foulness on the Essex coast, ignoring Stansted on grounds of air traffic, noise and poor road access.
After great debate, Cublington was finally chosen, however, following in-house arguments and disagreements, this was later overturned in favour of Foulness (Maplin Sands),*9 Nuthampstead being rejected on various points including most noise, most agricultural loss and the requirement of a rail link.
With work intending to start in the early 1970s, the plans were eventually shelved due to the 1973 oil crisis and instead a smaller proposal was put forward to build a site at Stansted, itself a former war-time airfield. The build eventually went ahead and today Stansted sees in excess of 15 million passengers, all of which could have been located at Nuthampstead.
With that, Nuthampstead was destined to be become farmland once more. The Forestry Commission planted tress in the former bomb store, itself leading to large quantities of munitions being discovered after the site was abandoned. A small strip was retained for karting and a small crop spraying business utilised part of the airfield. Much of this has now also ceased and whilst parts of the original runway and peri track concrete surfaces still exits, farmland prevails once more over the site.
Sources and further information (Nuthampstead)
*1 Investigation of the US National Defense Program, Part 35. US Government Printing Office Available on Google books
*2 Fooy. F., “One of Thousands – A Navigator in the European Air War.” Lulu Publishing, 2015 Via Google Books
*3 Wilson. K. “Blood and Fears – How America’s Bomber Boys and Girls in England Won their War“. Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2016 page 390
*4 American Air Museum Website accessed 11/2/24
*5 Taylor, F., “Dresden – Tuesday 13th February 1945“, Bloomsbury, 2004
*6 MACR 14224.
*7 “Hell from Heaven – Ch 35 – Mission 31 – Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, Our Last Combat Mission – April 25, 1945” published by Leonard Streitfeld, Bombardier, 600th Squadron on the 398th BG Memorial Association Website.
*8 MACR 14220
*9 Banister, D., “Transport Planning In the UK, USA and Europe” Taylor & Francis, 2003
*10 United States Army Air Forces, “The History of the 398th Bombardment Group (H)” (1945) World War Regimental Histories Book 124.
Missing Air Crew Reports 12214 and 12215
Ethell. J., & Price. A., “Target Berlin – Mission 250: March 6th 1944“. Janes, 1981
A good many photos, official records and personal stories are available on the 398th BG Memorial website. A great resource for those wanting to read more about the history of the 398th BG,
Aviation Trails 