SHOT DOWN: The true story of pilot Howard Snyder and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth by Steve Synder

Author:Steve Synder [Synder, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sea Breeze Publishing
Published: 2014-08-28T21:00:00+00:00

23

ROCKETS AND A D-DAY DECEPTION

After the war, von Braun and 6,000 other German scientists and their families were taken to America along with 100 intact V-2 rockets.

The V-1 and V-2 Rockets

On January 14, Ross Kahler and Louis Colwart flew with Lt. Richard Wong and Richard Daniels with Lt. Bill Quaintance on a mission to Pas De Calais, France, where emplacements for Nazi V-1 and later V-2 rockets were located. The V was short for Vergeltungswaffes (meaning retaliation weapons) so named by Nazi propaganda as retaliation for the Allied bombers that were attacking German cities. The V-1s, known as flying bombs or buzz bombs, were liquid propellant rockets specifically designed for terror bombing London. At its peak, more than one hundred V-1s a day were fired on southeastern England.

The V-2 rocket was first launched in September 1944. It was the world’s first long-range combat ballistic missile and predecessor of today’s cruise missile. It flew into outer space and reached London in three minutes.

Hitler’s goal was the complete destruction of London, and in six months, more than 3,000 rockets were fired on London and southeastern England. Hitler believed that the V-2 would devastate England and cause enough terror to make Churchill and the English people seek peace. He thought that the V-2 rocket was the wonder weapon that would save Germany and win the war, however, it came too late. Had it been available earlier, D-Day may never have happened. At a cost of $500 billion in today’s money, the V-2 rockets only killed about 6,000 people. In hindsight, it was money that could have been spent to produce a vast number of airplanes—airplanes that Germany so desperately could have used.

Being the first human invention to enter outer space, the V-2 was the predecessor of all modern rockets, including those used by the United States and Soviet Union space programs. Wernher von Braun was the central figure in Germany’s rocket development program and was responsible for the design and realization of the V-2. After the war, von Braun and 6,000 other German scientists and their families were taken to America along with 100 intact V-2 rockets. Eventually, von Braun and his group were assimilated into NASA (National Aeronautical & Space Administration) where he was the chief architect of the Saturn V launch vehicle that propelled the Apollo spacecraft and helped land the first men on the Moon in July 1969. According to many, he was the greatest rocket scientist in history.

Pas de Calais was a target the crews liked because the route was short and enemy resistance surprisingly weak. They described the mission as “a piece of cake” or “milk run.” Twenty-seven B-17s from the 306th took part. Howard said,

The boys are getting a good many raids in. Eike has eight, Daniels, seven, Benninger, five, and several of the fellows who came a month after we did have 10 and 12. There will be plenty of bombing left when I start flying again. The earliest the Germans will be beaten, in my opinion, is next winter.

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