Posted on 04/25/2015 5:02:04 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/italy/liberation-day
Liberation Day in Italy
Liberation Day is a national holiday in Italy that is annually celebrated on April 25. It marks the fall of Mussolini’s Italian Social Republic and the end of the Nazi occupation in Italy in 1945...
In this April 25, 1945 image released by the U.S. National Archives, U.S. Army personnel stand by a painting called, "Wintergarden," by French impressionist Edouard Manet, which was discovered in the vault in Merkers, Germany. Holocaust survivors and their relatives, as well as art collectors and museums, can go online beginning Monday, Oct. 18, 2010 to search a historical database of more than 20,000 art objects stolen in German-occupied France and Belgium from 1940 to 1944.
http://www.b24.net/missions/MM042545.htm
25 April 1945
Mission #285
Target: Hallein, Austria
Though not realized or known by the aircrews participating throughout the Bomber Command, this mission would go down in the history annals of World War II as the last mission in combat to be flown by the mighty Eighth Air Force’s bomber units. Four days prior, the 392nd had put a force of (30) bombers up for a strike against the rail facilities near Salzburg, Austria only to have the mission recalled after 7 1/2 hours of flight when violent weather broke the Group formations up near Schweinfurt. Some individual crews did receive mission credit but the Group, as a unit, was unable to bomb any target with the majority of crews jettisoning their weapons in the eastern Atlantic jettison area. Subsequent missions were called but later cancelled before briefings because of heavy frontal activity over selected target areas. The stage was thus set for the final raid of the air war.
On the 25th, the 392nd was committed for (28) crew sorties which were briefed at 0330 hours. At 0550, the lead bomber began take off roll. The target area assigned to the Eighth’s bomber units was Hitler’s Redoubt in the Obersalzburg Mountain retreat near Berchtesgaden. The 392nd’s target was the marshalling yards at Hallein, a city approximately (10) kilometers northeast of the Redoubt and just south of Salzburg on the main transportation routes. No enemy resistance was encountered on the route in and weather over the target area was perfectly clear. As the 392nd left the IP, some of the heaviest AA fire ever seen was thrown up by enemy defenses. Smoke clouds from the flak were so dense that at times bombers in formation were completely engulfed as they flew through the barrage, temporarily being lost from sight. It was later confirmed that the AA last-ditch defenses around this area consisting of heavy railroad car artillery weapons and approximating 105 and 155MM caliber guns, had been rolled in to protect one of the last vestiges of Germany’s resistance. On the bomb run, the Group released a total of (444)250# GPs and 500# incendiaries in the railroad yards - two squadrons achieving excellent results. One squadron dropped wide of the aiming point but the total effort resulted in (52) percent of all weapons impacting within 2000 feet of the MPI. While (10) Liberators of the Group picked up considerable flak battle damage, all but (1) managed to return to Wending safely, landing around 1420 hours. Fortunately, the one ship which did not return landed safely at B-53 on the Continent. After a harrowing experience, Lieutenant Linzmeier brought his crippled bomber #519 to a safe recovery after having the flight controls shot up badly. All of his crew were safe with no injuries. As the returning crews completed their mission de-briefings on what was to be the finale of their role in this war, the one man who was mostly singularly responsible for it all would take his own life five days later, almost to the hour, at 3:30 PM in an underground bunker near the Brandenburg Gate at heavily besieged Berlin. The end was at hand.
In an article in the August 1995 issue of the 392nd News, Keith Roberts describes the mission as flown by the crew of #493, “Dugan” from the 578th Squadron:
“The CQ, Sgt. Carey, got Dugan’s crew out of the sack at 2:30 AM for a 3:30 AM pre-dawn briefing. It was dark. We breakfasted, briefed, trucked out to Dugan, and were ready for the 5:50 AM take-off of the lead ship. Dugan took off at 6:00 AM, formed up, and at 7:09 1/2 AM overflew the Wash two miles east of King’s Lynn. We left the English coast at Cromer at 7:26 AM at 8,400 feet altitude and air temperature of two degrees below zero.
“Headed east at 8:17 AM, Dugan’s crew crossed the coast of Holland at Westkapelle, 8,400 feet altitude, ground speed 175 knots. The day was beautiful, blue sky with a few puffy clouds, a navigator’s delight because every ground feature was visible. We climbed and at 9:01 AM passed over Liege, Belgium, at 12,000 feet and nine degrees below zero.
“The Rhine River, and Mannheim, passed under our wings at 9:48 1/2 AM, the air temperature was thirty below at 22,000 feet, and, in the open waist, the gunners feel it. At 10:35 AM, we cross the Danube River at 22,400 feet and confirm that the Danube is not blue, but brown; ground speed is now 212 knots. Nine minutes later we pass the Isar River and turn south toward the target at a ground speed of 243 knots.
“At 11:05 AM, it’s BOMBS AWAY at the Hallein railroad yard at the foot of the Austrian Alps, a very few miles from Hitler’s last redoubt at Berchtesgaden. The Alps were snow-covered and magnificent, until our view was spoiled by some of the most accurate flak we had ever seen exploding right in the middle of our formation. Dugan flew through a black cloud of flak. Linzmeier, the Group lead, was hit and slid out; Beder, our squadron lead, left later because of flak damage. Moving in from the deputy lead spot, Dugan’s crew led the 578th Squadron home.
“Dugan heads home, course 319 degrees. At 11:32 AM, we crossed the Isar River, gazing at Munich just ten miles away, now at 20,000 feet and warming up at twenty-six below, ground speed at 216 knots. Eleven minutes later the Danube is under us at Ingoldstadt.
“Down we go, until at 12:27 1/2 PM we cross the Rhine, at 8,200 feet, warmer still at only four below zero, and in twenty more minutes we are over the Moselle River and can see the vineyards. At 1:34 PM, Dugan flies right over Antwerp, Belgium, at 7,200 feet, a glorious view, and we leave the coast of Holland just north of Veere at 1:47 1/2 PM, moving at 195 knots ground speed, flattened out for Wendling.
“The English Channel is lovely and we make landfall five miles north of Great Yarmouth at 2:23 PM, admiring the green British countryside at 2,200 feet. At 2:35 PM we are over Station 118, Wendling, and drop the wheels on the runway at 2:40 PM. Dugan’s crew has completed a 1,433 mile, eight-hour and forty minute tour of England, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany, and Austria, with a few heart-stopping minutes of intense, accurate enemy flak.
“Flak was indeed accurate. Ten 392nd Liberators suffered flak damage, Dugan was sprinkled with holes. Linzmeier landed at B53 in Belgium and Beder made it back to Wendling. The target was blown up. No one on Dugan’s crew was hurt.
“This mission, April 25, 1945, was the last mission of Dugan’s crew, the last mission of the 392nd Bomb Group, and the last mission that the mighty Eighth Air Force flew in World War II.”
The soundtrack of April 25, 1945
The #1 song in the U.S.:
My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time - Les Brown, with Doris Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZVyPsveAoU
MILANO, 25 APRILE 1945
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKXyY6Ye7M4
The soldiers wearing strange uniforms, or in civilian dress, are partisans.
Amazing footage.
Liberazione 24 25 Aprile 1945 gli alleati da Argenta a Ferrara
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM3nNtcZh2k
All in all, Henry Stimson’s memo that you posted was remarkably prescient. That does not happen often in human affairs, especially in government.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu9VwjEHq1w
Reggio Emilia - 25 aprile 1945
The US 34th Division entering Reggio Emilia on April 25th.
Absolutely right.
Aerial shot taken on 25 April 1945 of a camp under the control of the US Army holding over 160 000 German prisoners of war.
Video:
April 25, 1945 Goebbels Diary:
Hitler said: ‘I’d regard it as a thousand times more cowardly to commit suicide on the Obersalzberg than to stand and fall here. They shouldn’t say: ‘You, as the Fuehrer ...’ I’m only the Fuehrer as long as I can lead. And I can’t lead through sitting somewhere on a mountain, but have to have authority over armies that obey. Let me win a victory here, however difficult and tough, then I’ve a right again to do away with the sluggish elements who are constantly causing an obstruction. Then I’ll work with the generals who’ve proved themselves ... Only here can I attain a success, and even if it’s only a moral one, it’s at least the possibility of saving face and winning time. ... Only through a heroic attitude can we survive this hardest of times... It’s the only chance to restore personal reputation ... if we leave the world stage in disgrace, we’ll have lived for nothing. Whether you continue your life a bit longer or not is completely immaterial. Rather end the struggle with honor than continue in shame and dishonor a few months or years longer ... (Goebbels adds to his Fuehrer’s thoughts:) If all goes well, then it’s in any case good. If things don’t go well and the Fuehrer finds in Berlin an honorable death and Europe were to become bolshevized, then in five years at the latest the Fuehrer would be a legendary personality and National Socialism would have attained mythical status (ein Mythos) ... (Kershaw)
http://ldfb.tripod.com/fb2.html
http://thewhpfamily.com/wwout13/pages/wangerooge.html
April 25, 1945 Wangerooge-Coastal Guns
“92 Halifaxes from 408, 415, 425, 426, and 432 squadrons were joined by 100 Lancasters from 419, 424, 427, 428, 429, 431, 433, and 434 squadrons on an attack of the coastal guns at Wangerooge.”
“The weather was clear and the crews were over the target at between 10,000 to 12,000 feet, releasing 2,100,000 lbs of high explosives. According to reports the target area was well cratered.
This operation proved to be the last over enemy territory after two and a half years of effort. The 6 Group crews would not be asked to carry bomb loads over enemy held territory. As well as this being the last operation, the group suffered its final casualties, but not at the hands of the enemy.
Sadly the 4 crews that failed to return were all due to mid-air collisions.” www.rcaf.com
F/Lt. A. Ely, RCAF, and crew from 408 squadron, flying Halifax MK VII NP-796, coded EQ-M, failed to return from this operation.
Sgt. J. Hughes, RAF
P/O J. Brambleby, RCAF
F/O J. Stanely, RCAF
F/O A. Boyd, RCAF
P/O A. Rutter, RCAF
P/O V. Hovey, RCAF
There were no survivors in a mid-air collision.
F/Lt. B. Emmet, RCAFpoppy, and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-831 SE-E, failed to return from this operation.
Sgt. J. Simms, RAFpoppy
F/Lt. R. Stingle, RCAFpoppy
F/O W. Hanna, RCAFpoppy
W/O2 C. Mark, RCAFpoppy
Sgt. D. Faulkner, RAFpoppy
F/Sgt. R. Mellon, RCAFpoppy
There were no survivors in a mid- air collision.
F/O D. Baker, RCAFpoppy, and crew, flying Lancaster X KB-822, coded SE-W, failed to return from this operation.
Sgt. F. Smith RAFpoppy
F/O J. Cruickshank, RCAFpoppy
F/O L. Amos, RCAFpoppy
W/O2 P. Henrichon, RCAFpoppy
F/Sgt. J. Roy, RCAFpoppy
F/Sgt. L. Hiatt, RCAFpoppy
There were no survivors in a mid-air collision.”
Qoutes courtesy of Richard Korval and his excellent site at www.rcaf.com
The image above is courtesy of google earth hacks.
On April 25th, 1945 Lt. Gen. Kurt von Dittmar, German official army news commentator, together with Major Pluskat, Dittmar's son and two orderlies crossed the Eble River. They crossed at Magdeburg in the the zone of the 117th's Third Battalion. Dittmar, the German General Staff radio spokesman, crossed in a boat under a white flag. He had come, he said, to arrange aid for German wounded on the east bank of the Elbe. It was then discovered he commanded no troops and traveled to the west without the knowledge of the German commander in that sector. Dittmar was then offered to surrender but he refused. On his way back to recross the river he changed his mind and surrendered along with his son and Major Pluskat, an artillery officer.
Lt. Col. McDowell with men of his 117th 3rd Battalion bring Dittmar to the regimental CP.
Dittmar saving his neck.
Dittmar with his son right after surrender.
Dittmar's son, Berend with white flag and General coming in with 117th officers.
Photo by LIFE Dittmar states:"Ya, Hitler is in Berlin and will die there!"
Dittmar being interviewed by war correspondents at the 117th Regimental CP. Colonel Walter M. Johnson, commander of the 117th Regiment listens.
Seated at dinner table with Maj. Gen. Leland S. Hobbs are left and center, Young Dittmar and his father Lt. Gen. Kurt K. Dittmar, propaganda aide to Goebbels who was captured by 30th Division officers as he rowed from the east bank of the Elbe River east of Magdeburg to effect the evacuation of Nazi wounded and civilians in face of Russo-American squeeze link-up. Gen. Dittmar surrendered after a moment of indecision. Apr. 25th, 1945.
OKINAWA: THE LAST BATTLE
http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/okinawa/index.htm#contents
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.